Editorial

After the celebration

It was the most Catholic moment in American society since the funeral of Pope John Paul II, and considerably more celebratory.

For nearly a week, Catholic Americans were amazed and transfixed by remarkable images: Pope Benedict XVI standing on the dais on the South Lawn of the White House with President George W. Bush. Pope Benedict speaking with fraternal directness to the U.S. bishops, to the United Nations, to religious leaders. Pope Benedict meeting with the victims of priestly sexual abuse. And most stirringly, Pope Benedict celebrating Mass before tens of thousands of cheering, chanting Catholics of every possible demographic.

As anyone traveling to and from the events noticed, the sense of interest, excitement and hope was palpable. And for the first time since the scandalous horrors of this past decade, Catholics felt proud again.

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from their collective shoulders. The pope's determination to confront the shame of the abuse scandals head-on caught many by surprise, but it was a supremely pastoral moment: humble, honest, yet ultimately forward looking. Before the eyes of the world, he was the shepherd modeling for his flock the true pastor's response.

Benedict apparently knew that if this wound of the Church were not addressed, if this mote in our own eye were not dealt with, nothing else that he said or did would have much impact.

Taken as a whole, the message of this entire trip was one of renewal and hope. His tone was one of "intellectual charity," confronting the challenges facing us, yet always inviting, confident and Christ-centered.

And it was not only Catholics who were listening. There was widespread interest in his visit, which in turn was reflected in the national coverage of the events by the secular as well as the Catholic media. The old stereotype of the Panzer Cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, scourge of dissenters, was invoked chiefly by way of contrast this time. The new stereotype became the kindly grandfather, as one commentator labeled him. Having turned 81, with his white hair and his soft, German-accented English, it was easy to see where this stereotype came from ... if you were not listening to what he said.

His words were delivered with charity and respect, but his message was challenging. He saw a society and a Church at a crossroads, and he called on us to confront our divisions, our distractions and our ignorance so that we can be the leaven we were meant to be.

At Nationals Stadium, he said he prayed that his visit "will be an occasion for all Catholics to reaffirm their unity in the apostolic faith, to offer their contemporaries a convincing account of the hope which inspires them, and to be renewed in missionary zeal for the extension of God's kingdom."

For the pope, the answer was one of catechesis and evangelization. We must "maintain and expand" both traditional catechesis and adult formation programs, he told the bishops. In an era of budget cutbacks and diocesan layoffs, when trained educators are retiring and too few are following in their footsteps, the pope gave a strong endorsement to the expansion of religious education efforts for all generations. If we are to contribute fully to American society, he said repeatedly, we must know what we are about if we are to be effective witnesses to the Gospel.

In the end, he told us, "our most urgent challenge is to communicate the joy born of faith and the experience of God's love" to our communities, our parishes and our families.

Amen.