"After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.'" – Revelations 7:9-10
Some people by now would consider Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic journey to the United States and visit to the United Nations to be a brief moment that now fades into the amnesia of history.
For many of us, though - Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Moslems, Sikhs, Buddhists, Catholic college presidents, Catholic school superintendents, Catholic youth, seminarians, parents and grandparents with their children in tow, descendants of the first Catholic families of the Maryland colony, first-generation arrivals to the U.S. from Central and South America and Southeast Asia as well as descendants from immigrants everywhere else in between, those dealing with the sex-abuse crisis in the Church, consecrated religious, permanent deacons, priests, bishops, and the thousands of people from the local police departments, in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, New York City, State and Northern suburbs, Federal Secret Service and treasury agents and diplomats accredited to the United Nations, not to mention all of the folks from the Archdioceses of Washington and New York who organized and helped carry out the many aspects of the papal visit and the untold millions who apparently followed this special week so closely via the electronic media - as for this motley group, we are just beginning to cherish the significance of these very special and even iconic events that have taken place in our American encounter with the successor of St. Peter.
During the week, I became a "papal groupie." The experience is unforgettable. Unbidden, people would suggest what street was the best to take, or which Metro train to board. Every law-enforcement officer on detail spoke of their gratitude to be a part of this effort.
At the ecumenical gathering for those of various Christian denominations, one minister observed that only the Pope could get this extremely diverse group together under one roof. The high points for me were definitely the vesper service with the Pope and the bishops of the United States, and the three celebrations of the Eucharist at Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C., in St. Patrick's Cathedral and in Yankee Stadium in New York.
Some of you noticed on television that I had a great seat in St. Patrick's Cathedral, right behind the main altar. In my several visits to St. Patrick's, I had never seen the immense main doors completely opened as they were that day. When you look out the main doors from up at the altar, your eye is drawn across the street to a statue that graces the Fifth Avenue side of Rockefeller Center. It is a statue of Atlas holding up the world on his shoulders. Along with the statue of Prometheus that graces the skating rink on the other side of Rockefeller Center, this work of art is a landmark of New York City. I was practically moved to tears when I finally saw the car with the Holy Father stop and let him out. His slight figure walking up into the cathedral with that immense sculpture hovering over him was for me a powerful description of the awesome burden of the Vicar of Christ and successor of St. Peter.
Thanks to all of you who prayed, in the weeks leading up to and during the Holy Fa-ther's visit, for his safety, courage, inspiration, right judgment and fidelity to his role as Vicar of Christ in our midst. Let us now give thanks to God for letting us see and hear His fruitful response to those and so many other prayers during those most memorable and grace-filled days in April.
Be assured that all of you were in my heart, especially at those moments of prayers with our Holy Father. I began this Visit with that passage from the seventh chapter of the Book of Revelations. That vision of the New Jerusalem I also found reflected in these prayer-filled encounters with Pope Benedict XVI. He is truly confirming us in our faith in "Christ our Hope."
"After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.'" – Revelations 7:9-10
