Peggy Noonan: The Day I Met the Pope

Opinion Journal ^ | 08/02/2002 | Peggy Noonan

[Pokey78]

The pope's trip to the Americas has ended in Mexico with the canonization of the fabled Juan Diego of Guadalupe, the 464th saint recognized by the church since John Paul's papacy began. The pontiff has now recognized more saints than all his predecessors combined. His readiness to canonize is in service of an eagerness to evangelize. This is John Paul's desire: To raise up from as many nationalities, ethnic groups and indigenous peoples as possible a saint who is of them, from them and yet an exemplar of the universal church.

[Pokey78]

Pinging the Noonan list.

[hole_n_one]

I hope she didn't toss back her hair in that sexy way she has in front of the Pontiff.

[Miss Marple]

Thanks, Pokey!

[hole_n_one]

So when I saw those sobbing, reaching Mexicans I knew what they knew. When you see the pope something happens. You expect to be moved but it's bigger than that and more surprising. It feels like a gaiety brought by goodness. It feels like a bubbling up. I think some people feel humbled by some unseen gravity and others lifted by some unknown lightness.

It's like some great white dove flutters from your chest, emerges and flies upward. And you didn't even know it was there. And all this leaves you reaching outward, toward one who is broken, ungainly, without grace. And it fills you with tears. Or so it seems to me. At least that was my experience.

That's quite impressive, isn't it?

[JulieRNR21]

Just when you think she couldn't possibly write anything more beautiful or more moving...she does!

[BlueAngel]

Thank you Pokey. I really enjoyed this one.

[hole_n_one]

It's a magnificent essay.

[Sabertooth]

"The force of his presence was like a blow to the heart." That's how the actor Richard Burton described meeting Winston Churchill. I thought of that after I met the pope.

Peggy, the force of your words are a blow to the soul.

[Sabertooth]

There was silence again until it was broken softly by my rocker. "This is the greatest day of my life," he said to me. And my eyes filled with tears again because I knew it was true and because it is a privilege to be there on the best day of another human being's life.

A privelege to even be privy to it.

[duckln]

Absolutely beautiful. Its downloaded and will be pasted
around our family and then some. It would make a great
homily.

[hole_n_one]

This man is old, a caged lion bent and spent.

And still they sobbed and reached for him.

Of all people, I thought you'd have been all over that little tidbit..

isn't this just a brilliant piece of writing?

[Sabertooth]

Of all people, I thought you'd have been all over that little tidbit..

How old do you think I am?

[Shooter 2.5]

Wow.

[AmishDude]

Uh, could I join the Noonan list?

[hole_n_one]

Your age is irrelevant........

She was talking about a big kitty, is all.

[Pokey78]

Certainly, and you have been added.

[JohnHuang2]

Thanks for the ping, Pokey =^)

[JohnHuang2]

Peggy Noonan MEGA PING!!

[Nitro]

You sound like a Catholic and not just that, but one who paid attention during school!!

I was educated totally in Catholic Schools,... in grammer school I had Nuns (The Sisters of Notre Dame)... in High School I had Franciscan Brothers... for my one year of college I had more Franciscan Brothers!!!

I got beatings in all of them except for college and I am damn glad I did... when "one" is in school the object of the exercise is to learn, not to be dressed cool or get high or laid...

and I can honestly tell you I never got a beating I didn't deserve, actually I got away with a few things so I am still ahead of the game!!!

Unless all the misery I endure on the NYC Transit System is God paying me back!!!