Blown Clean Away by a Brush with Benedict (XVI! The Pope!)

Scotsman.com ^ | June 6, 2005 | Katie Grant

[Mrs. Don-o]

Lovely

[Cicero]

Wonderful story. This goes out to some of my friends.

[patent]

Bump.

[Aggie Mama]

What a nice story. =)

[twigs]

What a wonderful story. I just got back from Rome last week and visited the Vatican on Wednesday thinking we might get a glimpse of the pope. Then when I read in my guidebook that the Vatican Museums are emptiest on Wednesday and Sunday, when others are waiting to see the pope. I exchanged the chance to see him for an easier trip through the Vatican. We loved the museums, so it was worth it (and we were very tired). But I envy this woman. How delightful!

[frankenMonkey]

I had a somewhat similar encounter with Pope John Paul II. I was just strolling through St. Peter's on a whim. He passed within 10 feet of me, the crowd's reaction was the same.

[zbogwan2]

There's something great about Benedict XVI and you were lucky enough to get a close glimpse of him.

Glad you had a religious experience at this Mass with our Pope.

[A.A. Cunningham]

[krunkygirl]

I enjoyed your recollection.

[truthchaser]

Thank you for your account. It must have indeed been very moving to celebrate mass with the Holy Father in St John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome. I have beautiful memories of the cathedral, the relics, and of course the pilgrims at the nearby Scala Sancta.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I had a somewhat similar encounter with Pope John Paul II

I did too. It was at a field Mass in Canada (BC) and we were filing back towards our bus which would take us back to Washington. My friend and I were impatient at having to walk so slow after sitting in the sun so long, and we stepped around a barricade to duck behind the altar so that we could walk faster than the crowd shuffling along in front of us. We ran smack into Pope John Paul II! We had no idea he was still there, a she had disappeared into the altar at the end of the Mass.

We were both so startled the only words we could muster were, "Thank you Father" followed by a bow.

He gave us a broad grin and a little wave, jumped into the Popemobile and was off in a cloud of dust!

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

I visited Rome as a tourist a long time ago.

I was walking through St. Peter's. I wasn't looking where I was going; I was gaping like a hick from the sticks (which I was, and still am) at this incredible work of art that is used as a place of worship.

And I plowed straight into a mild-mannered cardinal who had stopped before a statue to pray.

I apologized profusely; he waved it off and gave me a blessing. I promised to be a lot more careful.

That cardinal was, at the time, a relative unknown outside of the theologically literate.

The world remembers him as Pope John Paul II. I remember him as a kind-hearted man who had compassion for a young fool.

[Siobhan]

Volley bump!

[ppaul]

Thanks for the bump.
While we can certainly be blessed by what this writer experienced, let us not forget who our King is.

[.45MAN]

Thanks for the bump! Nice to see your still here....

[NYer]

I was filled with a faith as strong as the childish faith of those wide-eyed first communicants, but much deeper, as if all those roots put down in my childhood had suddenly been watered.

Like seeds in the desert that suddenly burst into blazing color after the rain.

Pope Benedict XVI
Feast of Corpus Christi

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Bahbah]

Lovely, indeed. Each sighting of Pope Benedict XVI gives me a feeling I can't quite describe...and this is through th medium of television.

[Dominick]

bttt