During the course of my life I
have had the privilege of personally seeing two popes—St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
The year after I entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in
Philadelphia for college, we were told that Pope John Paul II was coming to
Philadelphia (1979) and would visit the seminary. I was already so proud that the pope was from
Poland, the land of my family’s heritage.
Then I heard that we would receive him in our seminary chapel! Wow!
I could not believe it. I was even interviewed by one of the local Philadelphia
television stations regarding my thoughts and feelings concerning the papal
visit.
Later, I saw Pope John Paul II
again in Miami (1987) after I was ordained.
All of the newly ordained were invited to concelebrate an open-air Mass
with the Holy Father at Tamiami Park. I almost concelebrated Mass with him.
Unfortunately, a lightning storm suddenly came upon us and the Mass (which was
already in progress) quickly became a Liturgy
of the Word service as the crowds were immediately dispersed from the field
where we were situated. Oh well!
In 1993 Pope John Paul II
travelled to Denver for World Youth Day. I drove across the country with another priest
making a pilgrimage to Cherry Creek State Park for an outdoor Mass. Finally
I had the opportunity to concelebrate an entire Mass with the pope with the
magnificent Rocky Mountains in the distance.
In subsequent years, I again concelebrated Mass with Pope John Paul II
at Giants Stadium (1995) in the Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ. I remember that there was a tremendous rain
during that Mass and I was completely drenched by its end.
(For a detailed description of my meeting Pope John Paul II in Rome, click here.)
(For a detailed description of my meeting Pope John Paul II in Rome, click here.)
When Pope Benedict XVI came to Nationals Park in Washington, DC, I was able to concelebrate Mass there with him. This time the sun shone brightly and I got to
encounter him once again. I had
previously been in attendance with Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger as he delivered a talk in St. Martin’s Chapel (in the
college division) of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary a few years earlier. Little did I know then that he would
eventually become pope.
Now Pope Francis comes to the United States (Washington, New York, Philadelphia) and I, unfortunately, will
not be able to see him personally or concelebrate Mass with him. Sundays involve a number of Masses (5) celebrated
here in the parish, besides the time and travel considerations and the security
issues required to concelebrate with the pope.
Like many of you, I will be watching the pope on TV and trusting that an
optimal view will be provided by the TV cameras.
I reminisced how after I had experienced
the energetic and enthusiastic seminarians (and faculty/guests) during the visit of
Pope John Paul II to the seminary chapel in 1979, I went back to the now
deserted chapel. There I was with the
Blessed Sacrament. I realized that I was
completely alone with the Son of God. Yes, here He was truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, no crowd, no noise,
just us.
While it is nice to have the
opportunity to see the Vicar of Christ,
to me there is nothing better than spending time with Christ Himself.
Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor
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