Francis in Washington -- Part I
I'm not pretending to report to you lovely readers about the Pope's US visit -- you're getting a good picture from the media, which I cannot do nearly as effectively as they are doing. However, I do want to share a few sidelights and personal thoughts that may enliven your own impressions.
First, I should remind that I'm anything but a "good Catholic": my mother HAD BEEN one, but was hounded out of the Church* sixty years ago by hidebound clerics who could not abide her husband being the quiet agnostic that he was. (BTW he would have loved Francis's whole reorienting of the Catholic religion and hierarchy -- and delighted in the past 48 hours that Francis has been here.)
Ironically, Joanne is a devout Catholic, parochial schools and all; she and my mom got along wonderfully, seldom -- if ever -- discussing religion. Joanne would have liked me to return to Catholicism (I was, as they say, "dunked" [baptised] before the wretched priests began their attack on my mom's once-deep faith.). But, as my mother's only daughter (I had three brothers), I simply cannot do that. There's no question that it has complicated our life together, but I do go with Joanne to important religious events (never taking communion, etc.) -- and lately we've pretty much bridged* the gap.
Joanne, of course, is thrilled that the Pope is here. We caught Tuesday's arrival on TV, and have followed it closely. (The coverage here has been constant -- likely much more detailed than elsewhere -- "inside the Beltway" navel-gazing is widely presumed in the country at large, and is, in our experience, mainly accurate.)
Advance word was that the visit would snarl DC traffic as never before -- fortunately, that's turned out to be wrong. It did concern us, and we mainly stayed home; we joined most of the US in watching it unfold on live TV. However, friends suggested we go with them to a special concert by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center last night; we queued for tickets several hours before the event, and were pleasantly surprised at how easily it was accomplished. The head of the Center, welcoming the audience, mentioned that the traffic had never got as snarled as was expected. We had fourth-row seats (!) and hugely enjoyed it.
The high point, halfway through, was the introduction of Washington Cardinal Wuerl, who had accompanied Francis throughout the day. He spoke graciously and with humor, apologizing for being late -- the Pope had decided to visit the Little Sisters of the Poor on their way back to the Nuncio's residence. Eventually, late, they got back to the Nunciatura and went inside. Wuerl, known as a great music fan, had been instrumental in sponsoring the Kennedy Center event -- the only public happening, I think, outside the Pontiff's schedule. (The tickets carefully made the point: "please be reminded that Pope Francis will not attend this event.")
The Cardinal smiled broadly and said that he had to excuse himself from Francis, saying "I have to go to a concert." The Pope, he added, had asked him to extend his blessing to us, the audience, and Wuerl was clearly delighted to do so.
Not everything went as well yesterday: a Catholic friend of ours was invited to the White House ceremony, but was sorely disappointed that her view from the lawn was horribly impeded by massive bleachers, and she literally never glimpsed Francis, nor even heard what was going on. (The White House PA system was effectively non-functional.) She commented that the organization of the event had been awful; after making guests provide their personal data and arrive at 6:00 am, no one even checked IDs -- merely collecting the orange entry tickets. (Note to the Secret Service: so much for your vaunted "tight security"!)
(to be continued)
______________________
* She never went back, not even after my Dad's early death -- they'd had an amazing life and love together, extending less than two decades, and my mother never remarried nor had any other man in her life. She "tried out" a half-dozen other Christian denominations, but nothing lived up to her early experience as a Catholic-raised and -schooled young person. Sadly, in 1998 we gave her the non-denominational funeral that she had asked us to provide.
** During Francis's visit, I learned that the Latin word "pontiff" refers to the Catholic leader's role in building bridges to non-Catholic people and institutions.
First, I should remind that I'm anything but a "good Catholic": my mother HAD BEEN one, but was hounded out of the Church* sixty years ago by hidebound clerics who could not abide her husband being the quiet agnostic that he was. (BTW he would have loved Francis's whole reorienting of the Catholic religion and hierarchy -- and delighted in the past 48 hours that Francis has been here.)
Ironically, Joanne is a devout Catholic, parochial schools and all; she and my mom got along wonderfully, seldom -- if ever -- discussing religion. Joanne would have liked me to return to Catholicism (I was, as they say, "dunked" [baptised] before the wretched priests began their attack on my mom's once-deep faith.). But, as my mother's only daughter (I had three brothers), I simply cannot do that. There's no question that it has complicated our life together, but I do go with Joanne to important religious events (never taking communion, etc.) -- and lately we've pretty much bridged* the gap.
Joanne, of course, is thrilled that the Pope is here. We caught Tuesday's arrival on TV, and have followed it closely. (The coverage here has been constant -- likely much more detailed than elsewhere -- "inside the Beltway" navel-gazing is widely presumed in the country at large, and is, in our experience, mainly accurate.)
Advance word was that the visit would snarl DC traffic as never before -- fortunately, that's turned out to be wrong. It did concern us, and we mainly stayed home; we joined most of the US in watching it unfold on live TV. However, friends suggested we go with them to a special concert by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center last night; we queued for tickets several hours before the event, and were pleasantly surprised at how easily it was accomplished. The head of the Center, welcoming the audience, mentioned that the traffic had never got as snarled as was expected. We had fourth-row seats (!) and hugely enjoyed it.
The high point, halfway through, was the introduction of Washington Cardinal Wuerl, who had accompanied Francis throughout the day. He spoke graciously and with humor, apologizing for being late -- the Pope had decided to visit the Little Sisters of the Poor on their way back to the Nuncio's residence. Eventually, late, they got back to the Nunciatura and went inside. Wuerl, known as a great music fan, had been instrumental in sponsoring the Kennedy Center event -- the only public happening, I think, outside the Pontiff's schedule. (The tickets carefully made the point: "please be reminded that Pope Francis will not attend this event.")
The Cardinal smiled broadly and said that he had to excuse himself from Francis, saying "I have to go to a concert." The Pope, he added, had asked him to extend his blessing to us, the audience, and Wuerl was clearly delighted to do so.
Not everything went as well yesterday: a Catholic friend of ours was invited to the White House ceremony, but was sorely disappointed that her view from the lawn was horribly impeded by massive bleachers, and she literally never glimpsed Francis, nor even heard what was going on. (The White House PA system was effectively non-functional.) She commented that the organization of the event had been awful; after making guests provide their personal data and arrive at 6:00 am, no one even checked IDs -- merely collecting the orange entry tickets. (Note to the Secret Service: so much for your vaunted "tight security"!)
(to be continued)
______________________
* She never went back, not even after my Dad's early death -- they'd had an amazing life and love together, extending less than two decades, and my mother never remarried nor had any other man in her life. She "tried out" a half-dozen other Christian denominations, but nothing lived up to her early experience as a Catholic-raised and -schooled young person. Sadly, in 1998 we gave her the non-denominational funeral that she had asked us to provide.
** During Francis's visit, I learned that the Latin word "pontiff" refers to the Catholic leader's role in building bridges to non-Catholic people and institutions.