Papal Visit
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Washington today. Pope Benedict will be in Washington for four days and will celebrate his 81st birthday here on Wednesday. This is the Pope's first visit to Washington and the first papal visit to the United States since 1999. There is defintely excitement in the air about this visit and what the Pope has to say.
Maybe I am telling my age, but the Pope that I will always remember was Pope John Paul II. I never got to see the late Pope, but I remember seeing him in his famous "Popemobile" on TV. This Pope, will take a ride in a Popemobile on Wednesday. Before his ride around town, the Pope will meet with President Bush. The Pope will also meet with bishops of the United States, meet with educators from Catholic colleges and meet with interfaith leaders. On Thursday, the new Nationals Park will be transformed into an open air church for a mass that the Pope will celebrate on Thursday. The mass seems to be the highlight of his trip.
Theologians and others are pondering what the Pope will say in his mass on Thursday. Specifically, many are wondering if he will make a statement about the church scandals during his stay in Washington and if he will make a statement on the direction that he sees for the Catholic church so those of us in the United States can get a better feel for the "new" Pope.
While there is excitement for his trip to Washington, those of us that live here are dreading the increased traffic. Maybe I will be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Pope Benedict XVI as he cruises down the street in his Popemobile--that may be the safest mode of transportation these days.
For Pope Benedict's itinerary, please visit: http://www.adw.org/papalvisit/itinerary.asp