Lingering Memories of the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI

Welcome to St. Patrick’s

A New York City police officer greets Auxiliary Bishop Ignatius A. Catanello entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral for Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. The pope celebrated Mass for clergy and religious at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during his pastoral visit to New York on April 19.

A New Way

As early as 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way from the Brooklyn Diocese were in place along Fifth Ave. in Manhattan to greet Pope Benedict XVI. They stood under a large white sign unfurled to proclaim in red letters Viva El Papa.

Elfi Maroney of St. Joan of Arc parish, Jackson Heights, said six communities had come together to line the street in the shade of Central Park to watch the pope drive by in his popemobile. Some had also driven down to Washington, D.C., earlier in the week to stand outside the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception to catch a glimpse of the pontiff there.

For the four hours until the Holy Father slowly made his way up Fifth Ave., the members of the Neo-Catechumenal Way sang “Alleluia,” shook their tambourines, and danced joyfully in time with their chanting.

Many of the people were young Hispanics and young families. “This is the future of our Church,” said Maroney, who has been part of the movement for 30 years. She said that Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio “said we must be open to the Spirit” and that “sometimes it’s not what we expect.”

Further up the avenue, more Neo-Catechumenal Way banners were unfurled from New York and Texas. The singing and guitar playing could be heard for blocks as the faithful awaited Pope Benedict.

At the White House with the Pope

Among the Brooklyn-Queens delegation invited to the White House April 16 to welcome Pope Benedict XVI were, from left, Father Kevin Sweeney, diocesan vocations director; Father James Cunningham, pastor, St. Mary Star of the Sea, Far Rockaway; Craig Eaton of St. Anselm’s, Bay Ridge; Father Rick Beuther, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul, Williamsburg; and George Prezioso of St. Patrick’s parish, Bay Ridge, and the incoming president of the Cathedral Club of Brooklyn.

Bishops in D.C.

Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros, right, enjoys a relaxing moment chatting before Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., April 17. The pope celebrated the first public Mass of his pastoral visit for thousands in the new stadium.

Polish Bid Farewell

Zosia Zeleska Bobrowski Photo

Among the representatives of the Polish-American community at the departure ceremony for the pope April 20 at Kennedy Airport were, from left, Magdalena Szurnicki, Adam Kurzync, Msgr. Peter Zendzian, pastor of Holy Cross parish, Maspeth, and Anna Szurnicki.

Singing for the Holy Father

The choir of Communion and Liberation, a Bay Ridge-based spirituality movement, was chosen to sing at the Youth Rally with Pope Benedict XVI April 19 on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. Here, choir members applaud as the Holy Father arrives.

At Yankee Stadium Mass

Mass at Yankee Stadium April 20 with Pope Benedict XVI turned out to be a very special day for Siobhan Deasy of St. Mary Mother of Jesus parish, Bensonhurst, who was within inches of shaking hands with Pope Benedict XVI. The reddish blonde native of West Cork, Ireland, was wearing a distinctive scarf over her shoulders and sunglasses as she stood in a throng taking pictures as the pope left the altar after Mass. A flood of e-mails and phone calls on Monday morning alerted her that she was pictured on the front page of The New York Times.

“It was amazing,” Deasy said about being so close to Pope Benedict. “It was very moving.”

Deasy remarked on the diversity of people who had gathered the day before along Fifth Ave. and in the stadium. She said it was truly a special man “who could bring so many different people together.”

Deasy was so excited by the events of the day that she couldn’t sleep, so she went home to watch the wrap-up of the pope’s visit on The Prayer Channel.

Al O’Donohue of Good Shepherd parish, Marine Park, was thrilled with seats in the loge area over the Yankee dugout. “You couldn’t ask for better,” O’Donohue said, adding that the whole mood of the entertainment preceding the Mass was “very uplifting.”

He said that Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio had come up to their section to visit before lining up with the other bishops to process in for Mass.

After Mass, John McGuinness, of McGuinness’ Irish Gift Shop, Marine Park, noticed that the pope had been “very encouraging to young people” in all his addresses throughout his visit. He said that this message seemed to resonate in a very positive way with some young men from Cathedral Prep who were seated near him in the stadium.

John McAlinden, of St. Therese of Lisieux parish, East Flatbush, said the Mass and the pope’s homily had left him with a feeling that this was “a message everyone was waiting to hear.” He speculated on what the “seeds planted” by the pope in his three days in New York might lead to in terms of Christian unity. He saw a “promise for the Church ahead.” After a long day, McAlinden got home in time to watch the pope’s departure on TV.

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