Student pilgrims see pope in NYC

The mass was part of a landmark papal visit that included a birthday celebration hosted by President George Bush, an address at the United Nations, a visit to Ground Zero, and a meeting with several individuals who had been sexually abused by priests.

During his homily, Pope Benedict focused on the bicentennial of the American Catholic Church and reflected on its tremendous growth. "From a small flock like that described in the first reading, the church in America has been built up in fidelity to the twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor," he said. He also extolled the history of American Catholics' willingness to "participate fully in civic life, bringing their deepest moral convictions to the public square and cooperating with their neighbors in shaping a vibrant, democratic society."

Overall, while the pope emphasized this success of the American Catholic Church, he also presented a challenge for the future, saying, "the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise."

While mainly hopeful, the pope did not shy away from addressing more sensitive subjects with American Catholics.

In his homily, he spoke about the tension between personal liberty and religious obedience. "Authority. Obedience. To be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays … especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom."

He said that "True freedom blossoms when we turn away from the burden of sin, which clouds our perceptions and weakens our resolve, and find the source of our ultimate happiness in him who is infinite love, infinite freedom, infinite life."

The Pope said that these truths include "respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man woman and child in our world," as well as a calling to social justice, for "Lazarus continues to stand at our door."

Billy Cody, A&S '11, who traveled to New York City to see the Pope, said he was humbled and moved by the Mass at Yankee Stadium. "Celebrating Mass with our Holy Father was an incredibly powerful faith experience and something Catholics across the country needed," Cody said.

Fr. Robert Araujo, S.J., a Jesuit on Sabbatical at BC, had some additional thoughts about the Holy Father's homily. "Pope Benedict showed that he is more humble than the media attribute to him. He is first of all a man who is a Priest."

Fr. Araujo also believes that the Holy Father emphasized some important messages during his visit to the U.S. "The Holy Father said that you can't have a future if you do not have hope for it. Any future must have the hope of Christ."

While the Mass was on Sunday, the process to become a pilgrim began months ago. Individuals and groups were required to enter into a lottery with the Archdiocese of Boston and were notified in March if they were one of the privileged 3,000 Boston-area ticket-holders. Individuals were then subjected to background checks by the Secret Service before obtaining their non-transferable tickets.

For many BC students making the pilgrimage to New York, the day of the Mass began before the crack of dawn. A bus fleet organized by Archdiocese of Boston carried many of the Bostonians to New York, with 43 buses departing from all over Boston starting at 6 a.m. Arriving in the Bronx some four hours later, sleepy-eyed students were met with security comparable to a presidential event. A heavy police presence on the street was complemented by rooftop snipers and helicopter patrols.

Once making it through security, students found that Yankee Stadium had received a thorough makeover for the papal Mass. The baseball diamond was supplanted by an elaborate multi-level stage that featured a large Vatican City crest resting above the pitcher's mound. Behind the altar in full regalia was Benedict's coat of arms, created after his papal election in 2005. All advertising in the stadium - except a sign noting the number of World Series wins for the Yankees - was covered up.

Starting at noon, before the pope's arrival, a two-hour long "Concert of Hope" was performed featuring artists such as Harry Connick, Jr., Marcello Giordano, Jose Feliciano, and Dana. The concert culminated in a song by the young boys group, Libera, accompanied by many dancers moving in sync. The concert ended with a release of doves that circled the stadium until they found a way out into the brilliant sky.

Entering the stadium to a rousing cheer and thousands waving the yellow and white colors of the Vatican, the Popemobile did a slow loop around the baseball field and stopped in front of the home dugout, where Pope Benedict briefly changed into priestly vestments in order to celebrate Mass. When Mass ended around 5 p.m., all peacefully went their separate ways.