PROVIDENCE — American Catholics are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, who will make his first papal visit to the United States from April 15-20.
The Holy Father will visit Washington and New York City. He will have a private meeting at the White House with President Bush and address the United Nations while in New York City.
Bishop Thomas J. Tobin will travel to Washington to attend a private prayer service and meeting with the 350 bishops of the United States on April 16 in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The bishop will concelebrate Mass offered by the Holy Father at the new Nationals Park in the Washington, D.C. This will be the first non-baseball event held in the park, and will be attended by Catholics from across the country.
“I am truly looking forward to it,” said Bishop Tobin. “An opportunity to be with the Holy Father is always a blessing and especially since he’s making the pilgrimage here, I’m sure that his message will have great relevance for the bishops who are there and for the church in the United States in particular.
“I think that it is important for us to see this visit as an opportunity for spiritual renewal for the church throughout the United States — for our dioceses, for parishes, for schools,” he added.
“While the Holy Father is visiting just two cities — and there are many public events in those two cities — he’s making a pastoral visit to the church in the whole of the United States so I would hope that all of our people would see this as a gift to them, as a visit to them, and this would be an occasion for us to renew our faith and to renew our Catholic practice.”
Bishop Tobin noted that while Pope Benedict XVI is in the United States the pontiff will celebrate his 81st birthday on April 16 and mark the third anniversary of his papal election three days later.
The bishop said that four bus loads of pilgrims from Rhode Island will travel to New York to see the pope.
“They will represent the diocese well, I’m sure, Bishop Tobin noted.
“I hope that everyone, as we prepare for the visit, will pray for the Holy Father, for his safety during his visit and for the spiritual success of his mission,” said Bishop Tobin. “It’s a great opportunity for the church in our country and in our own diocese.”
Msgr. Paul D. Theroux, diocesan Vicar General, noted that 200 pilgrims from the diocese will attend a Papal Mass celebrated April 20 in Yankee Stadium. The group includes 50 Knights of Columbus, representatives of youth ministry, diocesan employees, and faculty and students from Bishop Hendricken High School, Warwick; La Salle Academy, Providence; Bishop Keough Regional High School and St, Raphael Academy, Pawtucket; and Our Lady of Fatima High School, Warren.
The 200th anniversary of the Baltimore Archdiocese’s designation as an archdiocese, as well as the founding of four other dioceses — Boston, New York, Louisville and Philadelphia — will be highlighted during the Mass.
On April 19, Father Joseph A. Escobar, moderator of the diocesan Council of Priests, will concelebrate a Mass celebrated by the Holy Father at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. Notre Dame Sister Simonne Camire of the Office of Religious will represent religious brothers and sisters from the diocese at the Mass.
“It’s a great opportunity to welcome him to our country and to hear him speak to us as Americans,” said Msgr. Theroux, adding that the Holy Father most likely will address some issues pertinent to the church in the United States during the papal visit.
“It’s always a spectacular, uplifting event,” Msgr. Theroux added.
Sheila Durante, diocesan Superintendent of Schools, will travel to Washington to hear the Holy Father’s address on April 17 at The Catholic University of America. The pope will speak on the importance of Catholic education to an audience comprised of church officials, the leaders of more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities and superintendents from 195 dioceses.
" I am thrilled to be able to attend the gathering and hear Pope Benedict’s thoughts regarding Catholic schools in America,” Durante said. “I am sure that I will return to Rhode Island with much ‘food for thought’ and many insights to share with our Catholic educational community.”
Steven Raymond, principal of St. Patrick School, Providence, said that he hopes that his students will donate 100 hours of service in honor of the pope’s birthday — a suggestion offered by the National Catholic Education Association. Raymond noted that the students will offer an hour or more of community service in the classroom, school, parish or neighborhood.
“It’s a nice idea and a way of honoring the pope and one that will help the students to see that the church is universal,” said Raymond.
Carol Wood-Soltys, principal of Holy Ghost School, Providence, noted that a canned vegetable drive to benefit the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, which began as a Lenten project, will continue in honor of the pope’s birthday, while middle school students will also collect children’s books for Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
