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Robert and Lisa Lozano of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish were just two of the over 45,000 pilgrims attending the papal Mass held at The Washington Nationals baseball stadium.
Gloria Zapiain | Today’s Catholic |
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By Gloria Zapiain
For Today’s Catholic
WASHINGTON • It was as if the Lord had said, “Let the District of Columbia have the most perfect weather, dividing the gentle sunshine and soft breezes from the spring rains. Let the earth burst forth with tulips, jonquils, azaleas and all manner of flowering trees, for my vicar is coming for a pastoral visit to the United States.” And so it was.
No one could remember a more perfect afternoon when Shepherd One touched town at Andrews Air Force Base on April 15. The reception for the Holy Father on the White House lawn the following day was equally glorious. But the main event for the Washington leg of his journey was the highly anticipated open-air papal Mass; the baptism, as it were, for the shiny brand-new Washington Nationals baseball stadium, opened barely three weeks before.
The Green Line of the DC Metro subway system swelled with hundreds of additional riders starting at its special early-morning opening at 4 a.m. Dozens of charter buses made their way down South Capitol Street at dawn to get their riders dropped off and through the mandatory security checkpoints by 8:30 a.m. But for all the concern about transportation and safety protocols, there was a joyous and festival atmosphere that swept up everyone in sight of the stadium. There were officials, businesspeople, and politicians in good suits, cross-country travelers in jeans and fleece vests, Catholic school students in plaid uniforms and embroidered polos, and local folks in street clothes and walking shoes. Even police directing traffic and the swarms of red-jacketed event organizers were quick to smile and direct people to whatever they needed — whether it was the nearest entrance or the most coveted item of the morning — a hot cup of coffee.
The 47,000 people who came to celebrate Mass with Pope Benedict XVI came from all dioceses and every part of the country, and San Antonio was well represented with a significant contingent. Robert and Lisa Lozano of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish secured tickets to the papal Mass less than a week before the event, and were able to get time off from work as well as arrange for air travel and hotels just in time. Why go to so much trouble to attend something that can be watched on TV? “We came to be in the presence of the vicar of Christ and the successor of Peter,” explained Lisa. “It is incredibly amazing to be a part of the thousands of faithful representing the true church and the unity of the people of God. It was divine providence how our trip developed!” Alejandra and Walter Ramirez attended with their young son Andres. The whole family enjoyed the experience and expressed similar sentiments. Laura de la Garza of Prince of Peace Parish commented, “This whole thing reminds me of the wonderful spirit and atmosphere of World Youth Day in Colorado with John Paul II when I was a graduate student 15 years ago. Fortunately for me, there were no age restrictions for this Mass with the Holy Father!”
The liturgy itself was a celebration of the universality and splendid cultural diversity of the church. At least 250 bishops and more than 1,300 priests concelebrated with Pope Benedict XVI. The exceptional music was provided by four separate choirs totaling nearly 600 voices and an orchestra that included Native American and African instruments. Father Mark Knestout, director of the Office of Worship for the Washington, D.C. Archdiocese, mentioned in an interview that the goal was to turn the baseball stadium that morning into a house of worship and praise. As far as the participants are concerned, it seems that goal was reached. Hymns both new and familiar fairly shook the beams of the new ballpark and were carried far past the reaches of the stadium seats. And just as impressive as the hush that fell over the packed house during the Eucharistic prayer was hearing Benedict XVI intone, “The Lord be with you,” and having 47,000 people respond quite naturally, “and also with you.”
A temple of sport was transformed into an open-air cathedral for a day, and the Body of Christ with its visible head on earth and sign of unity came together to celebrate a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit in a corner of Southeast Washington, D.C.
As Peter said to Jesus on Mt. Tabor, “It is good for us to be here.”
Gloria Zapiain is director of Adult Faith Formation in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. She attended the papal Mass.