April 17th, 2008

High School Youth Attend Papal Mass
Washington D.C., April 17th, 2008

You saw it on TV, on the web, and in the papers-- but there is nothing quite like seeing the Pope in person!  Six youth from St. Paul were privileged to get tickets to the Papal Mass.  Despite the early morning start, the crowded metro ride, the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds getting into the Nationals Park, standing in line for two hours to buy a souvenir... the thrill of being there was worth it all!

Our seats: the top row, last to the end -- but we were THERE!  Watching the ballpark fill with 50,000 people, looking in awe as the bishops processed in, the thrill of seeing the pope-mobile, and then, THE MOMENT -- the POPE!  Cheers, flags waving, and being a  part of Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the United States, was a moment of a lifetime.  The Pope's message -- "Christ our Hope", still rings in our ears.

The St. Paul group carried a small cross with them, one that is placed on our parish altar for each Mass.  At the end of the Mass, we raised it high as the Pope blessed it.  We proudly carried this cross back to St Paul parish, and we shared the Pope's blessing with our community.  What a keepsake we have -- especially since this same cross was also blessed by Pope Pius IX... in 1926!

What a day!  A long, tiring, but awesome day!  "WAY COOL"!

Photos

To see a larger version of a photo, click on the thumbnail below.

The Pope-mobile!	The youth.	Nationals Park
	Bishops processing in.
	St. Paul group	Vatican Flag
Blessing the cross.		Blessing medals.