Pope Benedict Hits it Out of the Ballpark
The title of this post is a metaphor that’s been flying around the web since that final Mass in Yankee Stadium, and it’s a very apt one: After a week of binding our wounds, consoling us, inspiring us and gently pointing out, as Professor Ratzinger might say, where we “need improvement,” Benedict ended his visit on an absolutely perfect note: in his homily, he gave the history of the American Catholic Church as it was, and a glorious vision of what it can be. He really wants to inspire us all to become saints.
I was on the motorcade route Saturday, and got some video, but the connection between my camera and my computer suddenly won’t work for some reason. I can’t put the video up until I figure out what’s going on. Plus I’ve been suffering from a cold and am barely able to function anyway. So I’ll just put a little description of it here.
I got to Fifth Ave. and 60th street at around 9 a.m. There was a police security check on every block, so no one could get through without having their purses and bags looked into. But it only took a second, because there weren’t very many people there yet. Once I arrived on Fifth Ave., I was able to get into the first row, right up against the metal barricade. Standing very long hurts my legs, so after a while, I set all dignity aside and sat on the curb to get some relief, even putting my legs out into the street a little under the barricade. The police didn’t seem to mind. There were tons of police there, but they weren’t obtrusive in any way. Besides, everyone was very well-behaved, and they didn’t need to be told to get back in line. Vendors were having a field day selling little papal flags.
I spoke for a while with a man from Queens behind me, who gave me some commentary for the camera. He said he admired the Pope for his “great intellect.” By 11:30 or so, the crowd was enormous, filling up the sidewalks so no one could get through. All throughout, a Neo-Catechumenate group was singing across the street in Spanish. They sported several banners — in German. One said “Wilkommen Süßer Christus auf den Erden” - “Welcome Sweet Christ on earth.” Finally, I was delighted to hear the radio of a police officer just in front of me: “Take your positions: we have a departure.” We still had to wait about ten minutes for the motorcade to make its way up from St. Patrick’s. Then he was there! Waving and blessing. Too bad he had to be behind the windows of the Popemobile because of security precautions. The crowd went wild, waving their flags. I was taking video and shouting “Benedetto” at the same time. And then he was gone. Over four hours of waiting, and it was over in seconds. But it was really worth it.
I’m really going to treasure this week! God Bless Pope Benedict!