April 10, 2008

Pope to bring Vatican with him to U.S.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — When Pope Benedict XVI comes to the United States in mid-April, he won't exactly be leaving the Vatican behind. Traveling with the pope is a 30-man entourage of Roman Curia officials, liturgical advisers, doctors, media experts and security personnel, all of whom have highly specialized assignments. This "portable Vatican" has accompanied popes since Pope Paul VI first hopped on a plane in 1964. They represent the Vatican's interface with the host country, and at the same time keep the pope in touch with the Vatican and the world. Some are Vatican frequent flyers, having traveled the globe with popes over the last 30 years. Others are making their first trip on Pope Benedict's "Volo Papale" (papal flight) to Washington and New York. Key Vatican officials include Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, and his assistant, Archbishop Fernando Filoni. Both will stay in close contact with the Vatican and its diplomatic network throughout the papal visit. Five Americans are traveling with the pope, including Cardinal William J. Levada, head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, head of the Vatican office that deals with penitential issues.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15

Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside Washington, D.C. Greeting by President and Mrs. Bush. Also present will be local dignitaries of the Church and the apostolic nuncio.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16

Pope Benedict's 81st birthday

10:30 A.M. President Bush and the First Lady meet the Holy Father on the south lawn of the White House. A private meeting between the Holy Father and the president follows.

5:30 P.M. Private prayer service and meeting with the bishops of the United States at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

THURSDAY, APRIL 17

10:00 A.M. The pope will offer Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. His Holiness will also visit the Catholic University of America.

5:00 P.M. The heads of the more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities in the United States, and superintendents from the 195 Catholic dioceses, are invited to an address by the pope on the importance of Catholic education, held at Catholic University of America.

6:30 P.M. Representatives of other religions will gather with the Holy Father for a prayer service at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center.

FRIDAY, APRIL 18

10:45 A.M. Pope Benedict XVI will address the United Nations, after an early morning flight to New York.

6:00 P.M. Prayer service with leaders from other Christian denominations at St. Joseph Church in Manhattan.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

Third anniversary of the papacy of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

9:15 A.M. Mass for priests, deacons, and members of Religious Orders at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

4:30 P.M. The Holy Father will meet with young Catholics at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers.

SUNDAY, APRIL 20

9:30 A.M. The Holy Father will visit Ground Zero, the site of the attack at the World Trade Center.

2:30 P.M. Solemn pontifical Mass at Yankee Stadium, during which the 200th anniversary of the Baltimore Archdiocese's designation as an archdiocese, as well as the birth of four dioceses — Boston, New York, Louisville, and Philadelphia — will be highlighted.

8:00 P.M. Pope Benedict departs from John F. Kennedy Airport.

By Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In a videotaped message, Pope Benedict XVI said he wants to bring a message of Christian hope to all Americans and to the United Nations when he visits the U.S. next week.

"I shall come to the United States as pope for the first time to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition," the pope said.

He said he intends to reach out spiritually to U.S. Catholics and show fraternity and friendship to other Christians, to followers of other religions and to all people of good will.

The text of the papal message, released at the Vatican April 8, was designed to set the thematic stage for the pope's April 15-20 visit to Washington and New York.

The pope read the text, mostly in English but with a short section in Spanish, while seated at a desk beneath a painting of Mary and Jesus.

Rather than focus on specific events, the pope spoke about the theme of his visit, "Christ Our Hope." Those three words express the church's belief that Christ is the face of God in human history and gives fullness to people's lives, he said.

He thanked people for their prayers for the success of his visit, saying that "prayer is the most important element of all."

"It is God who saves us, he saves the world and all of history. He is the shepherd of his people. I am coming, sent by Jesus Christ, to bring you his word of life," he said.

The pope said his message of Christian hope had particular relevance to the United Nations, at a time when the world needs hope more than ever before — hope for peace, justice and freedom.

But he said this hope can never be fulfilled without obedience to the  law of God, which Christ expressed in the commandment to love one another.

"Do to others as you would have them do to you, and avoid doing what you would not want them to do. This `golden rule' is given in the Bible, but it is valid for all people, including nonbelievers," he said.

The pope said that although his itinerary will take him only to two cities, his visit aims to reach out to everyone, especially those in need.

"I want you to know that ... my heart is close to all of you, especially to the sick, the weak and the lonely," he said.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, told reporters April 8 that the pope could be expected to focus largely on religious and moral values during his visit.

During his three-hour visit to the United Nations, he said, the pope will probably concentrate on human rights, since this year marks the 60th anniversary of the U.N. Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.

At ground zero in New York, the spokesman said, the pope will not make a speech, but will descend to the bottom of the 70-foot-deep pit, recite a prayer and light a candle in remembrance of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

There he will also will greet 24 people representing those involved in the Sept. 11 tragedy: survivors, relatives of the dead, and members of the police, fire and civil defense departments.

Papal Visit News Briefs

Liturgical supplier gets ready for papal Masses

HARTFORD, Conn. (CNS) — The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States will be a memorable event for all Catholics, but it will be especially so for one busy Connecticut religious supplies and church goods firm. Patrick Baker and Sons Inc., with retail showrooms in Southington and Fairfield, is supplying vestments, candles and other items and will refurbish chalices to be used in the celebration of papal Masses in New York. Pope Benedict will visit New York April 18-20, following a visit to Washington April 15-17. His schedule includes addressing the United Nations April 18. He will celebrate Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral April 19 with priests, deacons and members of religious orders. He also will meet with youths and seminarians and a small group of youngsters with disabilities at a rally and prayer service at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y. Sean Baker, a salesman for the company's Fairfield store, has been coordinating efforts for the past several months with the Archdiocese of New York. Although the pope will have his own robes for the visit, thousands of priests and deacons, including those from the Hartford Archdiocese, will need coordinated chasubles and stoles. The vestments were designed by Baker and Sons and manufactured in the Netherlands, said Baker.

Pope to visit with Jewish leaders in U.S.

WASHINGTON (CNS) — When Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States, he will meet with Jewish representatives twice to acknowledge the Jewish feast of Passover, which begins April 19. After the pope's meeting with 200 interreligious leaders April 17 at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, Pope Benedict briefly will meet with Jewish leaders to give them "cordial greetings for the imminent feast of Passover," said Msgr. David Malloy, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Msgr. Malloy is also national coordinator for the pope's visit to Washington and New York City April 15-20. On Pope Benedict's way to the ecumenical prayer service in New York City April 18, he will make a 20-minute visit to the Park East Synagogue. The synagogue is near where the pope is residing at the residence of the Vatican's ambassador to the United Nations.

New York Catholic teachers vote to strike during pope's visit

WASHINGTON (CNS) — A group of teachers in New York Catholic schools voted April 1 to go on strike during the pope's visit to New York. The teachers, part of the Lay Faculty Association, a union which represents 450 teachers at 10 high schools, voted 132-20 in favor of the strike. The union has been without a contract since last August. The main issues for the teachers are salaries, health insurance payments and pension plans. The teachers' group is seeking an increase in pay for top-tier teachers, from $53,000 to $60,000. The New York Archdiocese has proposed a final offer of $58,225, an increase of nearly $8,000 more than the current top-tier salary, but the union has rejected the offer. Members also want an increase in the pension plan and no increase in the premiums they pay for health insurance.