ARTICLES

Papal Events draw many from diocese

By Steve Neill
Of The Catholic Virginian

Those from the Diocese of Richmond who attended the Mass of Pope Benedict XVI at Washington Nationals Park Stadium say it’s an experience they never will forget.

“It was an experience of the universality of the Church with our universal shepherd, Pope Benedict XVI,” said Father David Nott, pastor of St. John parish in Dinwiddie.

“Another sign of the universality of the Church was the presence of so many religious orders,” he added, pointing out that he had seen members from the Little Sisters of the Poor, Sisters for Life and Dominican Sisters.

Father Nott was among 69 priests of the diocese and 36 deacons who attended the Papal Mass April 17.

Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo and Bishop Emeritus Walter F. Sullivan not only attended the Mass at the stadium, but met with Pope Benedict the night before when he spoke to the nation’s bishops during a Vespers service at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Many of the priests and all but two of the 36 deacons traveled to Washington on two buses which left the Diocesan Pastoral Center at 3 a.m. They arrived at RFK Stadium where the buses had assigned parking spots and then took shuttle service to Nationals Park where they went through security clearance with the Secret Service.

Deacon Eugene “Chuck” Kamper of St. Ann parish in Ashland, and his wife Diana were among those who traveled on one of the two buses. Both had felt that many of the riders would be tired and try to sleep on the ride up. But they found it was just the opposite.

“There wasn’t anyone sleeping on the bus,” Deacon Kamper said. “Everyone was talking with much excitement.”

The Kampers said that the Washington Mass was the fifth Papal Mass they had attended.

“Diana and I were on our honeymoon in Rome in 1962 when we went to Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica celebrated by Pope John XXIII,” Deacon Kamper explained.

They were walking near St. Peter’s, but were unsure at what time Mass would be celebrated. They asked an elderly man who could not understand their questions in English and he shrugged. But shortly after they heard him exclaim in Italian “Papa! Papa!” and they soon saw Pope John carried on a throne into the Basilica where he was to have Mass. They had no trouble gaining entrance into the Basilica where they stayed for Mass.

In later years they attended three other Papal Masses celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Rome during the Holy Year 2000 and in New York and New Jersey.

“I felt such a sense of oneness and unity,” Deacon Kamper told The Catholic Virginian.

“You could really feel the Spirit,” Mrs. Kamper added. “It was so joyful.”

Rosie Fagan, of St. Anne parish in Bristol, was among those from the diocese who traveled the longest journey to get to Washington. She had come to Washington soon after being released from a combined six weeks in the hospital and rehabilitation center and got around the stadium in a wheel chair.

Not expecting to attend the Mass because she had missed the deadline to apply for one of 400 tickets the diocese distributed by lotterty, Mrs. Fagan was given a ticket two days before the Mass when a parishioner was unable to attend because of illness. She got a ride to Washington with John and Joyce Paloian, parishioners of St. Anne’s.

“The Mass at the stadium was absolutely fabulous,” Mrs. Fagan said, adding that she had forgotten to bring binoculars, but still got a good view of the altar.

The senior citizen, who did not want to reveal her age, encountered her pastor, Father Timothy Keeney, among a sea of people exiting Nationals Park.

“Father Tim said he had never seen anyone aglow as much as I was,” Mrs. Fagan said, adding that the event was a highlight in her life.

Judy Gaytan of St. Pius X parish in Norfolk was thrilled when she received a ticket to attend Pope Benedict’s welcome on the White House south lawn. In fact, she says she stood less than 30 feet from the Pope.

In trying to find words to describe her experience, she said, “None of the cliches apply. The feeling is so deep, you can’t put it into words.

Since her return from Washington, Ms. Gaytan said she can’t stop smiling. “Even my boss asked me when this halo will wear off. The pope is the closest thing to Jesus on earth and if there is any word to describe it, it’s deep joy.”

Patty Trail, a parishioner of St. Luke’s in Virginia Beach, attributes her presence at the Papal Mass to one of life’s little miracles.

She had offered to drive Father Salvador Anonuevo, pastor, and Father Rodrigo Mingollo, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle in Onley, to Washington. Since she didn’t have a ticket, she planned to visit her mother who lives in Washington while the priests were at Mass.

However, once she arrived at the stadium, she decided to wait there rather than deal with the traffic. As it turned out, it was a wise decision.

Fellow parishioner Regina Fremont Gomez was seated behind Michelle Scanlon, from St. Paul’s, Portsmouth, who had an extra ticket. Knowing that Patty was waiting outside the stadium, Regina phoned her and was able to hand her the ticket through the gate.

Patty recalled that when Pope John Paul II visited Washington in 1979 she was working in a nearby hospital. Although she couldn’t attend the outdoor Mass, she now attributes her getting involved in the Church to the late pontiff’s influence, something which made her presence at the latest Papal Mass even more special.

At least four priests of the diocese were on the south lawn of the White House a day earlier when President George W. Bush welcomed Pope Benedict. They were Father John Abe, pastor of St. Bede’s, Williamsburg; Father James Arsenault, pastor of St. Mary’s, Blacksburg; Father Daniel Brady, pastor of St. Michael’s, Glen Allen, and Father James Kauffmann, pastor of St. Benedict’s, Richmond.

Father Brady, who had received an invitation to the White House welcome through Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell, a St. Michael’s parishioner, said he was standing near the White House putting green and had a clear view of the podium where the Pope and President stood.

“But the Mass the next day was much more special,” Father Brady said, adding that he particularly was touched by the reaction of the people to the Pope’s presence as he passed by in the Popemobile.

“Everyone was so happy to be there, even the young people who sometimes try to play it cool got excited,” he said. “They got caught up in it, too, and it was fun to watch.”

Jeff Caruso, director of the Virginia Catholic Conference, was also at both the White House arrival ceremony and at the Papal Mass.

“One thing that really stood out to me was how energized people were by the Pope’s presence,” he said.

“Hopefully, the spiritual renewal that many of us experienced during the Pope’s visit will help us grow closer to Christ, even as we get back ‘down to earth’ and return to our everyday lives and responsibilities after this very uplifting experience.”

(Barbara Hughes, Hampton Roads correspondent, contributed to this article.)

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