Of Happy Memory
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:37 PM
I’m astonished to note that John Paul II was elevated to the Papacy 30 years ago today.
I wasn’t Catholic in 1978, and my sense of Catholicism and what it is like came largely from him.
A couple of favorite moments:
1) While I was living in Rome after graduation, on a Wednesday afternoon I happened to have off, I went to St. Peter’s and scanned the line of people waiting to attend the papal rosary (which JP the Great held weekly when he was well) for Americans. It was the anniversary of my baptism, and I went asking Our Lady for a grace. I ran into a friend in line and as we were talking, people behind us overheard us and offered me a spare ticket. Score!
People loved to attend the papal rosary in those days not only for the prayer, but, to be candid, because the crowd was small—maybe 800 people—and there was a greater likelihood of being able to greet the Pope personally.
My friend and I were seated about 4 or 5 seats away from the aisle down which the pope would pass. I’m not normally demonstrative, but something sort of seized me as he passed and I shouted out, “Holy Father, today’s the anniversary of my conversion to the Catholic faith!” He was already slightly past me and people were pressing at him from all sides so I really can’t say how he found me, but he did. And came back and blessed my forehead, saying, “Brava!” (I’d shouted in Italian—on that point I was a little crafty, since people had previously told me that the Holy Father picked Polish & Italian out of a crowd most easily.) Then he asked me where I was from and he seemed pleased to find an American convert.
2) I will never forget his Mass in Central Park. A friend and I drove up from Washington for it. Our seats were right behind the press box. Which obscured the view a bit, but it was fascinating, because when the Mass began, the reporters were joshing with each other, smoking, and generally paying no attention. Gradually, however, he drew them in. (During that homily he got to talking about the Incarnation and spoke of an image he loved from a Polish carol—which he proceeded to sing for us!) He radiated Christ’s joy, he was charming, he clearly loved and connected with the crowd. And as he spoke these hardbitten reporters gradually stopped scribbling and started listening. They were rapt. I’ve never seen anything like it.
3) During that same visit, the Pope came to Baltimore. After a three hour Mass on a hot day, the television showed the Popemobile rolling down the streets of Baltimore to the Cathedral. The Pope looked beat. Every pore of his face seemed to ooze exhaustion. Then he entered the cathedral and knelt in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. So many cameras were flashing it looked as if a strobe light were going off, but he was gone. His face buried in his hands, he just burrowed into the arms of The Master for a few moments, oblivious to anything else. Several minutes later he stood up to continue with the program—and his face was utterly changed! Visibly refreshed. I remember thinking, “Lord, give me prayer like that.”
And you? What are your favorite JP II moments?
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