OSV | Pope Benedict XVI | Papal Visit 2008

Keeping it going
Those of us who were privileged to cover up close Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States (the onsite OSV team included me, Publisher Greg Erlandson, Contributing Editors Russ Shaw and Mary DeTurris Poust, and Correspondent Kimberley Heatherington, along with others) are experiencing some exhaustion, sure, from the intensity of focus and lack of sleep this past week. (And if you tried calling anybody at the communications office for the bishops' conference yesterday, you know that they all took a deserved day off to recuperate.)

But at least for me, exhaustion is not what's defining me right now. (I get tomorrow to recuperate at home.) I'm inspired, recharged, awestruck and eager to implement a whole host of ideas -- both personal and professional -- generated by the pope's presence and words.

I spent eight years as a Vatican-accredited journalist in Rome, met Pope John Paul II a dozen times and saw him up close scores of times. I also interviewed once and met on multiple occasions Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. He blessed my oldest child (who is now 9) in the womb; my wife ran into him in St. Peter's Square early one morning as he was walking alone to work, and asked him to bless our baby in utero. As if he was any other priest, he did so quietly and naturally, and with his now familiar smile wished her all the best with her new motherhood.

So for me, the excitement of seeing him does not come from a "once in the lifetime" moment. Nor is it from close contact with some famous person surrounded by a muscular security retinue. What struck me were, especially, what he said, how he said it, his unmistakable sincerity and his unmistakable prayerful integrity.

I cannot wait to go back and reread everything that Pope Benedict said during his visit. And then I'll probably read it again. And again.

If you've only followed his visit through news coverage, I urge you to set aside a little time to read his texts (which are available at the Vatican website here.) And when you're done, I bet you'll have a pretty good idea of what I'm feeling now. Come back here and let me know what struck you especially.

Home run for hope
Here's a first person account from the Yankee Stadium Mass prepared for us by Monica Yehle, director of development for the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, and editor of MISSION magazine:

It was, without a doubt, a pilgrimage, a most sacred journey. Thousands huddled together, moving down roads. There was a reverence to the passing from point to point, a prayerful silence, an awestruck anticipation.
It was also downright Biblical. “Take nothing with you on the journey,” the Lord told his followers. I and the others awaiting entry into Yankee Stadium under dark and threatening skies on Sunday, April 20, had little with us, heeding the security-check warnings.
Inside there were more lines, for food, the bathroom (the ladies’ room, at least), and for “pope stuff” — everything from key chains to hats to magnets, all featuring Pope Benedict XVI, the reason we had made the journey. There was even a T-shirt with the player’s name as “Benedict” and the number, of course, “XVI.” (I bought that one for myself.) Waiting, people listened to music and song from the likes of Jose Feliciano and Harry Connick Jr., as well as the Harlem Gospel Choir and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.
After the performances, there was a breathtaking display featuring dove-shaped kites and then the real birds, recalling the Holy Spirit in these days before Pentecost.
And then, Pope Benedict “took the field.” Riding in his popemobile from left field to just by first base, he passed along the edge of the stadium. We all waved bandanas of gold and white, the papal colors. Our thunderous cheering stood in juxtaposition to the relative quiet of our entry into the stadium. Suddenly in that moment, the clouds broke away, and the sun poured onto second base. There, at the altar, our Holy Father began the celebration of the Eucharist.
In his homily, the pope spoke of the Church’s fundamental unity in Christ. Reflecting the Sunday Gospel message, he talked of “real freedom” and its source in Jesus, who is “the way, truth and life.” He challenged us to “put on the mind of Christ,” and, in doing so, find strength to be “salt of the earth, light of the world.” “Harness all of your energies to be at the service of the Gospel,” he said. And, still carrying with him the joy of his time on Saturday with young people, he asked them, “Open your hearts to the Lord’s call. May you have the courage to proclaim Christ.”
I have been privileged in my 20-plus years of working for the Pontifical Mission Societies to meet both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI; the latter pope, just this past January at a general audience in Rome. But to be at a Mass celebrated by our Holy Father was a first, and an experience that brought me, at times, to tears. But they were tears of an overwhelming joy of being part of the universal family of the Church. With me at Yankee Stadium were members of our diocesan mission family, our Board of Directors, as well as the national office family members. All around me were brothers and sisters in faith from the United States and around the world.
Struck by the pope’s message earlier in his visit about prayer — his call to “immerse ourselves in prayer” — we in the Pontifical Mission Societies called for prayer intentions from our diocesan mission offices, as well as from the board of directors of the Catholic Press Association on which I serve. I even gathered such intentions from family and friends, and from the young people in my sixth-grade parish religious education class. During the Mass, at the Prayers of the Faithful, I read these silently to myself, having offered them as the intention of the Rosary I prayed before Mass began in Yankee Stadium on the Rosary given me by Pope Benedict during my January meeting with him. There were prayers for people who were ill, for families who needed healing, for those who had died, for our own country and world, in thanksgiving for blessings; the list inspired me as I read each one again.
As I left Yankee Stadium, spilling outside with my fellow pilgrims, I was resolved to even more in my daily life — at home, at work, in our world — follow the teacher who had witnessed the Master’s plan. Turn your hearts to God in prayer. Proclaim his hope. Live his love. Believe. Amen.

Arrivederci, Papa
Pope Benedict XVI bade farewell to the United States tonight from a hanger at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, where more than 3,200 cheering people gathered to say good-bye as the pontiff's six-day visit drew to a close. During the playing of the National Anthem that opened the ceremony, the pope closed his eyes and almost appeared to be soaking in the final moments of his visit.

In a brief message, the pope stressed the importance of his address to the United Nations, the Declaration of Human Rights, and his hope that people will "work tirelessly" to promote justice and peace between all people and nations. He also said that his visit to Ground Zero will "remain firmly etched in my memory." (Full text follows.)

Before the pope spoke, Vice President Dick Cheney briefly addressed the enthusiastic crowd, saying that all of America respects the pope's message of peace and justice and freedom.

"You have encouraged a nation facing many challenges but with more blessings than any of us could number," Cheney said. "...Your presence has honored our country. Although you must leave us now, your words and the memory of this week will stay with us."

After the pope's address, he descended the stairs and was greeted by Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and children bearing flowers and a small stained-glass window from Brooklyn's St. James Cathedral on Jay Street. As he approached Shepherd One for the return flight to Rome, the pope was greeted one last time by Cardinal Edward Egan and the bishops of New York State, as well as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

There will be lots of Monday morning quarterbacking as the post-papal visit spin begins, but for now, people are basking in the glow of the past six days.

Here is the full text of the pope's farewell message:

Mr. Vice-President,
Distinguished Civil Authorities,
My Brother Bishops,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The time has come for me to bid farewell to your country. These days that I have spent in the United States have been blessed with many memorable experiences of American hospitality, and I wish to express my deep appreciation to all of you for your kind welcome. It has been a joy for me to witness the faith and devotion of the Catholic community here. It was heart-warming to spend time with leaders and representatives of other Christian communities and other religions, and I renew my assurances of respect and esteem to all of you. I am grateful to President Bush for kindly coming to greet me at the start of my visit, and I thank Vice-President Cheney for his presence here as I depart. The civic authorities, workers and volunteers in Washington and New York have given generously of their time and resources in order to ensure the smooth progress of my visit at every stage, and for this I express my profound thanks and appreciation to Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington and Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York.

Once again I offer prayerful good wishes to the representatives of the see of Baltimore, the first Archdiocese, and those of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, in this jubilee year. May the Lord continue to bless you in the years ahead. To all my Brother Bishops, to Bishop DiMarzio of this Diocese of Brooklyn, and to the officers and staff of the Episcopal Conference who have contributed in so many ways to the preparation of this visit, I extend my renewed gratitude for their hard work and dedication. With great affection I greet once more the priests and religious, the deacons, the seminarians and young people, and all the faithful in the United States, and I encourage you to continue bearing joyful witness to Christ our Hope, our Risen Lord and Savior, who makes all things new and gives us life in abundance.

One of the high-points of my visit was the opportunity to address the General Assembly of the United Nations, and I thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his kind invitation and welcome. Looking back over the sixty years that have passed since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I give thanks for all that the Organization has been able to achieve in defending and promoting the fundamental rights of every man, woman and child throughout the world, and I encourage people of good will everywhere to continue working tirelessly to promote justice and peaceful co-existence between peoples and nations.

My visit this morning to Ground Zero will remain firmly etched in my memory, as I continue to pray for those who died and for all who suffer in consequence of the tragedy that occurred there in 2001. For all the people of America, and indeed throughout the world, I pray that the future will bring increased fraternity and solidarity, a growth in mutual respect, and a renewed trust and confidence in God, our heavenly Father.

With these words, I take my leave, I ask you to remember me in your prayers, and I assure you of my affection and friendship in the Lord. May God bless America!

--Mary DeTurris Poust

The kingdom's coming
In what were in effect his closing words to the Catholics of the United States, Pope Benedict XVI called on them not only to pray "Thy Kingdom come" but to do their share to make the coming of God's Kingdom take place. The Holy Father's homily at the Mass in Yankee Stadium were a pastoral but pointed reminder that American Catholicism has much work to do.

As he has done repeatedly during his trip, the Pope recalled that this is the 200th anniversary of the designation of Baltimore as an archdiocese--the first in the U.S.--and the creation of the dioceses of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Bardstown, Ky. (now, Louisville). He warmly praised the generations of American Catholics who have achieved so much in the 200 years since those events. But he made it clear that the Kingdom hasn't come yet.

Here are the key passages of the papal homily:

"Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom...means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. I means facing the challenges of prsent and future with confidence in Christ's victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal.

"It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, 'there is no human activity--even in secular affairs--which can be withdrawn from God's dominion' (Lumen Gentium, 36)....

"And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today. As 'a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation', follow faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before you! Hasten the coming of God's Kingdom in this land!

"Past generations have left you an impressive legacy. In our day, too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst. On these solid foundations, the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise!"

-- Russell Shaw

Communion of saints
This Sunday began for me in Paulsboro, N.J., a little town on the Delaware River 20 miles south of Camden. Temporarily putting aside papal visit blogging, I'd driven there Saturday afternoon with my wife for a family event--a 4-year-old grandson's birthday party. Now it was time to head back to work.

As I sat in my son and daughter-in-law's living room at 6:30 a.m. waiting for my wife, I scanned the Philadelphia Inquirer's coverage of Pope Benedict. Inside section one was a wire service story on the Pope's activities, while the front page carried a staff-written feature on Philadelphians who'd be busing to New York for Sunday afternoon's Yankee Stadium Mass. One of them was Sister Rosemary Herron, R.S.M., principal of Mercy Vocational High School in Philadelphia and sister of the late Msgr. Thomas Herron.

That name rang a bell. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, young Father Herron was on the staff of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome. I got to know him in those years. For much of that time he worked closely with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the CDF. Father Herron was a bright man with an irrepressible, whacky sense of humor who revered his boss. When his term of service in Rome ended, he returned to Philadelphia and became a pastor. He died several years ago.

As I thought of Tom Herron this morning, I felt closer, by way of him, to Pope Benedict than perhaps I'd ever felt. It was a sudden sense of the Communion of Saints, the great family of the living and dead in Christ, to which the Holy Father, Monsignor Herron, and I all belong--along with milllions and millions of other people, of course.

This morning Pope Benedict prayed for the dead the Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, where the twin towers of the World Trade Center came down on 9/11 and many people went to meet their God. The Communion of Saints again. Maybe, among other things, papal visits are meant to help us appreciate and forge and strengthen these family ties.

-- Russell Shaw

A pope for all seasons
We're getting endless pope coverage in newspapers and on TV, but is the papal visit making its way back to the parishes and the people in the pews? A priest friend of mine who was celebrating Mass at an East Brunswick, N.J., parish this morning, told me that he took the opportunity today to preach about the visit and to challenge church-goers to follow the example of Pope Benedict and speak with authority about their faith "in season and out of season."

Msgr. William Benwell, vicar general for the Diocese of Metuchen, N.J., said that when he thinks back on all the papal visits he remembers in his life, going back to when he was only 11 years old, one thing is a constant. "The pope always surprises," he said.

This morning at St. Bartholomew's parish, he reminded people how, in the days leading up to the papal visit, the media focus was on "cynical and skeptical questions" about problems in the Church, the morale of Catholics, and decreasing numbers at Sunday Mass.

Instead of skepticism and criticism, however, the pope, he said, was greeted with a tremendous outpouring of affection from a people who are interested in and inspired by what he has to say. The question he posed to parishioners this morning was "Why?"

First, he said, it is the history, the unbroken line of succession that ties the pope to Jesus, but equal to that is the fact that the pope "exudes what Jesus exuded in the Gospels. He speaks with authority."

"This is a man who is not a phony. Americans hate phonies. He is not like so many politicians who change their accent depending on their audience. This pope has spoken with a consistent message in season and out of season, the message of Jesus Christ," said Msgr. Benwell. "People want to see that, whether they realize it or not. They respect that and they are drawn to it."

Before wrapping up his homily, he challenged parishioners to have the courage of their convictions and exude that same sort of credibility when it comes to their faith, no matter what the winds of change say. The response was good, he said, better than the typical Sunday reviews from the pews. So that's how it's playing in Peoria, or at least in East Brunswick.

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

What I didn't see the first time
On a video replay of the pope's visit to Ground Zero, shot at a much better and closer angle, we were able to see the tearful faces of many of the 24 first-reponders, survivors, and families of survivors as they met Pope Benedict in the footprint of the north tower of the World Trade Center.

Following the those personal greetings, the pope also spoke individually with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York Gov. David Paterson, and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine.

Each of the 24 special guests were later invited to kneel and pray where the pope had prayed earlier, before a lighted candle and a pool of water, in a moving remembrance on what many people consider to be sacred ground since the remains of so many of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001, were never recovered.

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

Papal prayers at Ground Zero
The somber strains of cello music announced Pope Benedict's arrival this morning at the Ground Zero site where the World Trade Center once stood. After the popemobile drove down the flag-lined ramp, the pope got out and knelt for more than two minutes in silent prayer before a pool of water and a Paschal candle. He stood to light the candle -- a challenge due to the wind -- before offering a prayer, remembering the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack that killed close to 3,000 people. He also prayed for those who died at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa., that day and prayed for healing for those still grieving the loss of their loved ones and for peace in our "violent world."

After turning in a full circle to bless the site with holy water in four directions, the pope greeted representatives of the Port Authority, New York fire and police workers, those who survived the attack, and family members of those who lost loved ones. He talked with each person, clasping their hands in his, as New York's Cardinal Edward Egan looked on.

Here is the text of the pope's prayer at Ground Zero, as released by the Vatican:

O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here-
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.
Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.
Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.
Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.
Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

Finding silence in a plugged-in world
Silent contemplation is not something one usually associates with today's teen-agers, who can typically be seen texting and talking and listening to iPods -- sometimes all at once. But when Pope Benedict spoke to more than 20,000 young people yesterday at St. Joseph's Seminary, that's exactly what he urged them to do: make a place for silence in their busy lives.

"St. John, for example, tells us that to embrace God's revelation we must first listen, then respond by proclaiming what we have heard and seen," he told the anything-but-silent crowd on the sun-drenched field. "Have we perhaps lost something of the art of listening? Do you leave space to hear God's whisper, calling you forth into goodness? Friends, do not be afraid of silence or stillness, listen to God, adore him in the Eucharist. Let his word shape your journey as an unfolding of holiness."

This morning, as we await the pope's visit to Ground Zero, his message for youth should be a message for all of us. Here's hoping that today you can find a way to make a space to hear "God's whisper."

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

Pilgrim's Progress
When I went out in search of teen-agers to interview at the youth rally today, I couldn't help but notice a mom, standing over her two sons and looking out into the crowd. I walked over to her and we started talking. After all these years, it still amazes me that people are willing to talk to a stranger with a notebook in her hand, pouring their hearts out in some cases.

This mom, Mary Anne Scattaretico-Naber, who happens to be a judge in Yonkers City Court, told me that she brought her two sons -- Joseph, 15, and Christian , 13 -- to see the pope because she was hoping they would "get some inspiration from it" as they struggle to cope of the death of their grandmother not long ago.

Her younger son was crying that very day, she said. It's a very difficult time, and they were especially close with their grandmother, who lived with them and was part of their everyday lives.

So here was this mom, standing in a dusty field while her two teen-age boys stretched out on a blanket in the sun, hoping that the pope's words or maybe just his presence would help heal her family.

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

The view from where I'm standing

I was so close when the pope came by on his way out of St. Joseph's Seminary today, the closest I've been to any pope. It was the most exciting part of the very long day. Stay tuned for more photos and more stories from the youth rally in just a bit.

-- Mary DeTurris Poust

Text: Pope at youth rally
[Updated]
The full text of Pope Benedict XVI's speech to young people is available:

Your Eminence,
Dear Brother Bishops,
Dear Young Friends,
“Proclaim the Lord Christ … and always have your answer ready for people who ask the reason for the hope that is within you” (1 Pet 3:15). With these words from the First Letter of Peter I greet each of you with heartfelt affection. I thank Cardinal Egan for his kind words of welcome and I also thank the representatives chosen from among you for their gestures of welcome. To Bishop Walsh, Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary, staff and seminarians, I offer my special greetings and gratitude. Read it all here»

Is clerical sex abuse the pope's main theme here?
The papal spokesman was asked today whether Pope Benedict XVI, who's talked about clerical sex abuse four times in five days and met privately with abuse victims, sees addressing the scandal as the main theme for his visit. Here's what Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, in slightly awkward English, replied:

"I don’t think [so]. You have to see the global message, the message of hope, of renewal of the Church, and also the message to the United Nations was a very important part of this journey. In this sense it is clear that in giving hope to the Church in the United States also to recall the problems that are in these years and to help to find a way to go on, and to find a new future of engagement and of hope and of joy of being in the Church. This is a part of the message. You cannot give a message of hope without recognizing the reality of the problems you have to overcome to go on toward the future."

Pope's brief "beautiful" and impromptu moment with youth
Have you seen the story about Pope Benedict's impromptu meeting last night with more than 100 young people?

Here's how the papal spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, who was there, told us he viewed it:

"It seemed particularly beautiful because there haven’t been many opportunities in these past few days for very direct contact. So this was a beautiful moment, even if it was brief."

Giuliani receives communion at papal Mass
The papal spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, was asked at a briefing today to comment about reports that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is pro-choice, received communion this morning — but not directly from the pope — during the papal Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

"I have nothing to say about that," Father Lombardi said.

Pope plugs Sirius' "Catholic Channel"
After Mass this morning in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pope Benedict XVI stopped in a recording studio for the Catholic Channel, of the Archdiocese of New York, on Sirius Satellite Radio.

On the occasion of the third anniversary, he said: "I would like to take the opportunity to greet and thank all those who have joined us by radio and other media, especially the listeners of The Catholic Channel of Sirius Satellite radio. Indeed, these means of communication assist me in sharing the saving message of the Gospel. I am pleased that on The Catholic Channel so many people can follow the daily life and activities of the Church. God bless you all."

There's a link to the audio on The Catholic Channel's website:
http://www.sirius.com/thecatholicchannel

Vatican: Reports about new abuse norms inaccurate
You may have seen the front story of The New York Times, "Vatican hints at changes in Church laws on abuse."

Or the Time magazine online story, "The Vatican rethinks laws on abuse."

They were based on remarks made yesterday by Cardinal William Levada, an American who is head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. It's the office that Pope Benedict headed before being elected pope.

Both the Times and Time said Cardinal Levada suggested that the Vatican was considering changing its norms governing allegations of sex abuse, particularly with regard to the statute of limitations — or the time limit — within which victims must bring claims — in Church tribunals — against priests. The ultimate sanction the Church can impose is laicization.

But Jesuit Father Federico Lombari, the papal spokesman, told us at a briefing today that those stories misinterpret Cardinal Levada's remarks. This morning before Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral with the pope, Cardinal Levada told Father Lombardi that he was referring to norms already enacted, not consideration of new ones.

"This morning Cardinal Levada told me that they did not understand correctly, because the changes have already taken place. There are no upcoming changes," Father Lombardi said.

Here's how Time quoted the cardinal: Asked whether the Vatican should consider such changes to canon laws, Levada said, "It's possible. There are some things under consideration that I'm not able to say."

And a few sentences later, the cardinal is quoted: "We found that many of the cases go back over quite a number of years, and [victims] don't feel personally able to come forward until they reach a certain level of maturity. Some canon norms are like statutes of limitations, and if the case warrants ... we've been able to make exceptions." He said that those cases were ones in which "strong measures needed to be taken, even dismissal from the priesthood."

Under current church law, the statute of limitations for prosecuting the crime of clerical sexual abuse of a minor runs out 10 years after the victim reaches his or her 18th birthday.

But in norms for the United States that were confirmed in 2005, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith can extend the time limit indefinitely on a case-by-case basis.

Here's the language of the norm: "If the case would otherwise be barred by prescription (statute of limitations), because sexual abuse of a minor is a grave offense, the bishop ... shall apply to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for a derogation (waiver) from the prescription, while indicating relevant grave reasons."

Father Lombardi said there are no new changes to the norms in the works at this time. "Further changes are not expected," he said.

Warming Up the Crowd for the Pope
A reporter from the Advocate of the Archdiocese of Newark, standing next to me in the blazing sun this afternoon at the youth rally in Yonkers, just observed that if the M.C.'s for today's events have resorted to yelling a chant-and-response type thing using Grover Cleveland and Molly Pitcher (rest stops on the NJ Turnpike) -- which they have -- you know it's going to be a long afternoon.

But the thousands of hungry pilgrims are patiently awaiting the pontiff. Maybe before the day is through the M.C.'s will take us through all the states and capitals.

Papal Traffic Jam
At St. Joseph's Seminary in the Dunwoodie section of Yonkers, countless school buses and press buses blocked the streets as our own bus approached the entrance. Children with their parents, some wearing baseball caps, some wearing straw hats, carried beach blankets and watter bottles. Following them were nuns in their habits and friars in their Franciscan robes. It had the feel of a mini-pilgrimage as the throngs made their way to the grounds.

I'm off the bus and inside the gates now, where it is wall to wall young people. It's an hour and a half wait just to get a hot dog but the mood is good and everyone I've talked to is just happy to be here.

Text: Pope's homily at St. Patrick's Cathedral
The full text is now available of Pope Benedict's homily this morning during Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City with 3,000 priests, deacons and Religious men and women:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With great affection in the Lord, I greet all of you, who represent the Bishops, priests and deacons, the men and women in consecrated life, and the seminarians of the United States. I thank Cardinal Egan for his warm welcome and the good wishes which he has expressed in your name as I begin the fourth year of my papal ministry. I am happy to celebrate this Mass with you, who have been chosen by the Lord, who have answered his call, and who devote your lives to the pursuit of holiness, the spread of the Gospel and the building up of the Church in faith, hope and love. Click here to read the complete text»