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Pope's Address at the White House by Anna Arco
16 April 2008
Thousands had gathered in the bright sunlight to see Pope Benedict XVI at the arrival ceremony President George W Bush hosted for him on the South Lawn next to the White House.
America’s bishops and cardinals stood alongside key political figures, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while a crowd of some 10,000 people waited for the President and the Pope to arrive.
Benedict XVI turns 81 today. President Bush said, “The entire nation is moved and honoured that you spend this special day with us”. As the Holy Father drew up in a limousine (the much loved "Popemobile" will be used later) to be greeted by the President and Mrs Bush, the crowd started singing "Happy Birthday" over the drumroll that announced his arrival.
After the band had struck up the Hymn and Pontifical March, which was described as the Vatican’s national anthem (and followed by the Star Spangled Banner), President Bush formally welcomed the Pope to the United States. A soloist, the American soprano Kathleen Battle, sang the Lord’s Prayer.
In his speech, the President stressed that the United States was “a nation of prayer”, where every day millions of people approached their maker on bended knee. America welcomed “faith in the public square” and believed in “religious liberty”. Echoing words that the Pope has used on many occasions, he said that “faith and reason coexist in harmony” which is “one of the nation’s greatest strengths.”
He also drew parallels with the Pope’s first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, when he said, “we need your message that God is love” which he said would “save some men from falling prey to fanaticism”.
The Pope’s reply drew on the history of the United States. America’s quest for freedom, he said, was formed by “a moral order based on the dominion of God the Creator”. He stressed the importance of religious freedom in the United States, and how it allowed “all believers to worship God” while “at the same time being accepted as part of a commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice heard”.
He said, “I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel, and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society. America’s Catholics have made, and continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen the resolve of Catholics to contribute ever more responsibly to the life of this nation, of which they are proud to be citizens.”
Much of the focus of the speech was on freedom and responsibility, a subject that his predecessor Pope John Paul II stressed again and again in his papacy. He said, “Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility... The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate.
“It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good.”
He added, “As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in the effort to build a more humane and free society.”
Addressing the reasons for his visit to the United Nations for the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Friday, the Pope said that the battle for global solidarity "was as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity - as brothers and sisters dwelling in the same house and around that table which God’s bounty has set for all his children”.
“America has traditionally shown herself generous in meeting immediate human needs, fostering development and offering relief to the victims of natural catastrophes. I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress. In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish – a world where the God-given dignity and rights of every man, woman and child are cherished, protected and effectively advanced.”
The speech ended with a heartfelt “God bless America”.
“All Pope. All the the time”: That’s the motto of a site called WatchThePope.com, created by the Prayer Channel, a New York City cable channel. The site offers live video coverage of the visit, papal wallpaper for the iPhone and a DIY guide to making your own papal hat. The site also has an "Eyewitness Blog" for people who glimpse Benedict during his visit.
Front page news across the world
16 April 2008
Click here to see how newspapers in America, and across the world, have covered the Pope’s arrival on their front pages.
Lest we forget, Gordon Brown is also in town. Not that many Americans seem to have noticed.
Pope's comments on the plane [complete transcript]
16 April 2008
John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter has posted a complete transcript of the Pope’s comments on the plane.
MSNBC video: What's in the Pope's birthday cake?
16 April 2008
From our US correspondent, Freddy Gray: Pope arrives in the USA
16 April 2008
Children wait for the Pope along Washington Street
Moments before Pope Benedict XVI touched down in America, CNN switched to a stock market update. “Well let’s hope the Pope will bless our economy while he's here,” said anchor Don Lemon. The stock market dolly agreed. “That's what we should all be praying for,” added Don. Only in America.
A few minutes later, the markets were forgotten, or at least moved to the corner of the screen. The aircraft opened and Pope Benedict emerged. The well-known papal loafers stepped out on the carpeted stairway. Red on Red. The wind, following ceremonial form, buffeted the papal pallium about. Benedict XVI took off his zucchetto to stop it blowing away. He clenched the cap in one hand as he raised both hands in a friendly, charming wave, and smiled happily.
The Pope moved down the stairs with surprising - perhaps nervous - speed, touching the rail intermittently as he approached President George W. Bush, the First Lady and their daughter Jenna.
The nearby crowd, 12,000-strong, made a tremendous noise: loud screams and American whooping. The president greeted the Pontiff with enthusiasm, and introduced him to his wife and daughter. Benedict XVI then turned towards a delegation of Archbishops and Cardinals. On television, commentators flicked audibly through their notes and asked the pundits, “Who are these men?” The pundits didn’t know. More screams. A “Happy Birthday” song broke out. The Pope was whisked into a terminal building. After a short wait, two heavily guarded motorcades - one for the president, the other for the Pope -rolled away, towards Washington DC. Benedict XVI, Servant of the Servants of God, has arrived in the land of the free.
***
Perhaps Pope Benedict XVI will speak about global capitalism in his homily today at the spanking new Nationals baseball stadium. The ground, which only
opened two weeks ago, has amazingly so far failed to win full corporate sponsorship. For the moment, at least, it is still officially called Nationals Park.
Who knows, if the Pope wins over enough fans during his stay in DC, perhaps they might name it "The Pope Benedict XVI Nationals Stadium"? Obviously AT&T or Geico would be a safer bet.
The Bushes en route to meet Pope Benedict
15 April 2008
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., delivered a speech on the Senate floor this morning welcoming the pontiff. From McConnell's remarks:
"This week we welcome his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, for his first visit to America as Pope.
"Here in Washington, Pope Benedict will meet the President at the White House, marking only the second time in America's history that a pontiff has visited the White House. He will offer Mass at the newly opened Nationals Park, and deliver and address at Catholic University.
"Pope Benedict will then travel to New York, where he will address the United Nations, visit Ground Zero, site of the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks, and say Mass at Yankee Stadium.
"During his visit, the pope will also champion a brotherhood of faith between the religions, by meetig with leaders from the Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and other faiths.
"As the Bishop of Rome, the pope's leadership inspires millions with confidence that mankind can find God's will amidst the chaos of this world.
Yet, for all the obvious affection people show him, Pope Benedict would be the first to recognise that he is merely 'a simple, humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord'. We are honoured by his visit."
From our US correspondent, Freddy Gray: Obama on abortion, and a birthday surprise
15 April 2008
The Pope's visit comes at an inconvenient moment for Senator Barack Obama, who earlier this month upset Christian voters by saying that he wouldn't want his daughters to be "punished with a baby" for having sex in their teenage years.
Obama is widely thought to have wooed the Democratic Catholic and Christian base. Certainly, his repeated vows to combat povety through a combination of government action and emphasis on individual responsibility appeals to many Christians. Yet many of the faithful have been put off by the Senator's vote in favour of a "partial-birth abortion", in which a late-term foetus is ripped out of the womb with forceps and then killed.
Obama's campaign has kept quiet on the life issue so far, and his pro-choice stance is unlikely to harm him in the democratic primary, as he is running against another pro-abortionist Hillary Clinton. If he wins the democratic nomination, however, the Republican Party may well win over Catholic voters by pointing to Obama's anti-life record.
Pope Benedict XVI is almost certain to applaud Americans for taking seriously the culture of life. This will turn voters' minds on to Barack Obama and his obviously un-Christian view that unwanted children are punishments.
John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee, lost many votes by firmly supporting abortion while speaking about his Catholic faith. It remains to be seen whether opponents of abortion will harm Obama - or Clinton, for that matter - in November's election.
***
Benedict XVI blows out a candle on his birthday cake
There are rumours of a "birthday surprise" for Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow as he visits the White House. What will the Prez give the Pope? One commentator, thinking of the Pope's piano-playing ability, suggested a baby grand. That would be suitably vulgar.
I suspect, however, that President Bush, who said he "sees God in Pope Benedict's eyes", will want to show some Christian understanding. Surely a stars-and-stripes rosary would be too much? How about icon secretly looted from the palaces of Baghdad? Whatever it is, Pope Benedict should be warned.
Pope 'deeply ashamed' by clerical abuse scandal
15 April 2008
The American media are reporting that the Pope has said he is “deeply ashamed” by America’s clerical abuse scandal and that he will do whatever he can to ensure a similar scandal does not happen again. He made the comments on the plane to Washington DC.
He said: "It is a great suffering for the Church in the United States and for the church in general and for me personally that this could happen. It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ... to these children.
"We will absolutely exclude paedophiles from the sacred ministry. It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound."
From our US correspondent, Freddy Gray: On Moonies and 'dense' Americans
15 April 2008
At the back of Washington's Catholic Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle on Rhode Island Avenue, Northwest DC, on Sunday, Mass-goers were given free copies of a Washington Times papal visit supplement. The very wealthy Times is owned, curiously enough, by the Moonies, yet the supplement does not have obvious signs loony-Moonie propaganda. It is actually quite good, except for a strange and unbelievable story that Benedict XVI decided to not visit Boston to show "there is no place in the church for child-abusers".
The piece goes on to say, much more credibly, that the Pope wanted to keep his trip as short as possible and the Vatican was also keen to avoid embarrassing publicity from anti-Catholic protests over the sex abuse crisis. This is sad and may be true: the Church's reputation in Boston, formerly the heartland of American Catholicism, is very low. On the other hand, we know that Benedict XVI, who visited Turkey just weeks after his now-notorious speech on faith, reason and Islam in Regensburg, does not shy away from controversy. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, he says about paedophile priests.
***
Americans often complain about patronizing Europeans, but nobody patronizes Americans like the American media. The Washington Post's front page today asks: “In an era saturated with entertainment and politics, a key question looms as Pope Benedict XVI leaves here Tuesday for Washington: Is his style too dense to get Americans' attention?”
Of course, what this really means is: “Can the media understand what the Pope is trying to say?”
Looking past the media rot
15 April 2008
National Review has some good advice for Americans about how to look
past media rot during the Pope visit.
USA Today's visual guide to the papal journey
15 April 2008
Fr Neuhaus urges Americans to put aside their differences
12 April 2008
Fr Richard John Neuhaus, the eminent editor of First Things, has urged Americans to put aside their prejudices and listen to Pope Benedict XVI. You can read his column here.
George W Bush speaks about papal visit
12 April 2008
President George W Bush has given an interview to the EWTN global Catholic broadcasting network about Pope Benedict XVI’s visit. Click here to watch the interview or read a transcript.
Official missal released - download it here
12 April 2008
The Vatican has released the official Missal for the Apostolic Journey to the United States of America. Download it in PDF format by clicking here.
"We have been working on providing live video of the Pope’s visit to America from many different television stations. On Monday April 14th from 6-7pm CST we will have an experimental internet broadcast about the Catholic religion. We will have on experts and commentators that the webcast viewers can chat with live. We will look at the issues facing the Church and discuss the importance of this visit. It is a national effort that you can see on www.LiveNewsCameras.com.
"We of course hope to have raw feeds of the Pope’s travels at every possible opportunity. We are the only website that we know that is devoting this sort of effort to gather all of these live feeds into one location."Our motto is, 'Veritas odit moras,' from line 850 of Seneca’s version of Oedipus. It means, 'Truth hates delay.'
YouTube video: Pope Benedict XVI speaks about his upcoming visit to the USA
11 April 2008
Welcome to the Catholic Herald's papal visit '08 news portal
10 April 2008
Welcome to The Catholic Herald’s portal for the visit of Benedict XVI to the United States. We will be bringing you daily coverage of the Pope’s momentous apostolic journey.
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