Pope Trip - March 25th Roundup

A few headlines and developments, as we enter the final three weeks before Pope Benedict's arrival:

The USCCB has invited the public to greet the Pope as he travels through Washington DC:

The general public can see the pope on Wednesday, April 16, as he departs from the White House visit with President and Mrs. Bush and travels to the Papal Nunciature on Massachusetts Avenue. Pope Benedict will ride in the popemobile for part of the route.

Later, the public will be able to see the pope as he travels in the popemobile to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Michigan Avenue.

I think it's safe to say that the USCCB might be concerned that Pope Benedict won't receive a very large public greeting because details concerning his public appearances have (and remain) scant.

CNS provides a play-by-play of the Pope's itinerary over at the official US Papal Visit website.

Rocco adds that the current price tag for the Pope's "potomac leg" will be in the neighborhood of $3 million.

Pope2008 reports on the encouraging news from a recent survey that "Americans Have an Overwhelmingly Favorable View of Pope Benedict". Some statistics from the results:

• By a ratio of four and a half to one (58% to 13%), respondents said that they had a favorable or very favorable view of Pope Benedict.
• 65% of respondents had a favorable view of the Catholic Church.
• 42% of Americans said they would like to attend one of the Pope's public appearances while he is in the U.S.
• 66% of Catholics said that they would like to attend one of his appearances.

Let's hope those first two statistics continue to improve.

Finally, Kelly Clarkson, who I reported last week will perform for Pope Benedict, is looking forward to it:

"I was so excited to be asked to sing for the pope," Clarkson told the Star-Telegram via her publicist. "I grew up singing church music, and it's always been a dream of mine to perform Ave Maria. To have that dream come true on such a special occasion is truly a blessing."

The Star-Telegram adds:

According to Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, Clarkson will perform a few of her songs at a youth rally at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers on April 19, as well as Ave Maria after the pope arrives.

...

Zwilling said it's "an unanswered question" whether Clarkson will meet Benedict. She had initially been scheduled to perform the miniconcert for the rally but also "expressed interest" in singing Ave Maria for the pope.

Kelly Clarkson grew up attending a Baptist church.

More as I find it....