Noted: Barack Obama to meet Pope Benedict at 10AM EST tomorrow

I'll be updating the AmP countdown above to make sure the time is correct (Eastern Standard Time). 

Many Catholics, including myself, are praying for a successful meeting. I will post details about the meeting as they become known tomorrow.

Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions for July

Whoops! This month snuck up on me. Here they are:

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for July is: "That the Christians of the Middle East may live their faith in full freedom and be an instrument of peace and reconciliation".

His mission intention is: "That the Church may be the seed and nucleus of a humanity reconciled and reunited in God's one and only family, thanks to the testimony of all the faithful in every country of the world".

Cliff-note version: Christians in the Middle East have a unique challenge and opportunity // Christians around the world have a unique identity and mission to preach and bear witness to the Good News.

Globetrotter: "Pope Benedict considering trip to Africa in 2009"

Welcome news:

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Avvenire, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State, pointed out that Pope Benedict XVI would like to visit Africa in 2009, although his travel agenda for next year "has not yet been fixed."

Cardinal Bertone also added that, "The Church in Africa deserves a trip by the Pope, who has already visited or is preparing to visit the other continents." (CNA)

In a backhand way, Bertone just added another confirmation that China is in the works as well.

Places Pope Benedict Won't Visit: Orange, Australia

But hey, the Central West Business Chamber in Orange, Australia, decided to give it a shot:

The Central West Business Chamber has sent a letter to Sydney’s Catholic Archbishop Cardinal George Pell asking him to pass on Orange’s invitation to the pope, reminding him that Orange has one of the largest Catholic populations in NSW.

“He’d be amongst friends,” said Central West Business Chamber of Commerce president Ellie Brown.

“Staying in Orange would give the pope the opportunity to see Australia away from the big cities and allow him to experience our rich natural and indigenous heritage.”
“We would hope that he would consider coming but we understand if his schedule and security team wouldn’t allow it.”

Sorry, but you probably needed to give him a little more notice. The local priest agrees:

Orange priest Father Tony Hennessy said it was very kind of the Orange community to invite the pope although he believes the chances of him taking up the offer were “0000”.

The local reporting paper had some fun with the story, including a photoshopped image with it:

The caption they included: "The pope’s proposed visit to Orange could include a trip to Towac Park. Graphic Jude Keogh."

.... yeah, that's about right. :-)

Chicago Archdiocese gets *100* tickets to see Pope In NYC

Reported today by the Chicago Tribune:

Before you plunk down your plane fare to New York and make a reservation at the Ritz so you can celebrate mass with Pope Benedict XVI, make sure you’re one of the 100 lucky winners to score a ticket.

That’s approximately how many Chicago Catholics will be admitted to see the pontiff in Yankee Stadium on April 20. Even fewer are expected to get into the Nationals Park mass in Washington, D.C., on April 17.

Pastors at each of Chicago’s 363 parishes have been asked to submit four nominees to Cardinal Francis George, whose office will conduct a lottery to choose the winners. Entries must include the priest or parishioner’s name, date of birth and address as well as a guarantee that, if chosen, they will go. Guests must also be prepared to show a photo ID at the stadium entrance. The deadline for pastors to submit names is Feb. 8.

I will update my frequently-updated post on how to get tickets to see the Pope with this information.

My complete coverage of Pope Benedict's April visit to the USA is available here.

Flash: Pope Benedict *will* tour in popemobile during Washington DC visit

*FLASH*

Buried deep in the story, but it originates from a knowledgeable source:

Susan Gibbs, communications director for the Washington, D.C., archdiocese, said there will be plenty of other chances to see the pope. She said Vatican officials this week agreed to take the "popemobile" out for a spin several times while the pontiff is in the nation’s capital, making papal sightings more possible for the crowds expected to line the streets. The routes have not yet been released, Gibbs said.

This update reverses earlier reports that there would be no popemobile touring during the visit. Hoorah!

My complete coverage of Pope Benedict's April visit to the USA here.

Information on how to secure tickets to attend the Papal Masses here.

AmP Tip: How to get tickets to see Pope Benedict XVI in April

This post provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on how to get tickets for Pope Benedict XVI's public Masses when he visits the U.S. this April.

{Last updated Feb. 2 - Arch. of Baltimore}

There are only three opportunities for the general public to see the Pope, listed here in order of seats available:

• 1) Yankee Stadium in New York City on Sunday, April 20th ~ 65,000 seats
• 2) Nationals' Stadium in Washington DC on April 17th ~ 45,000 seats
• 3) Youth/Seminarians Rally at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers on April 19th ~ unknown

How do you get a spot? Read on....

Tickets to Yankee Stadium - Official Website

• Archdiocese of Boston residents only: 3,000k tickets available - CLICK HERE. Must apply by February 11th @ 5pm, small groups favored. (ph/t: Bettnet)
• [update] Archdiocese of Baltimore: "very limited number" - CLICK HERE - Tix made available starting Feb. 6th @ 9am; must pay $53 bus fare. Learn more here. (ph/t: WatcheroftheMorn)
• Diocese of Kansas City/St. Joseph: ~100 tickets - CLICK HERE. Must apply by Feb. 13th @ 5pm. (ph/t: Chad Toney)
• Archdiocese of Chicago: 100 tickets total to NYC Mass. Pastors have been asked to submit four nominees, then a lotto will take place. Deadline for submission is Feb. 8th. (ph/t: Chicago Tribune)
• Anyone may apply: ~100 tickets available from the Diocese of Charlotte - CLICK HERE. Must apply by February 6th, 2 ticket maximum. (ph/t: Charlotte Observer, News14)

Tickets to Youth Gathering in Yonkers - Official Website

• From the official website: "[tickets] will be distributed to young people, seminarians and individuals in formation for religious life in the Archdiocese of New York through Catholic schools, parish catechetical programs, parish youth groups, Seminaries, etc. Information on tickets for this event will be available in early February."

General information: Ticket allocations for dioceses outside of the Archdiocese of New York were mailed January 25th. Ticket information for individuals in the Archdiocese of New York will be made available "in early February." In general, tickets will be distributed through your local parish (so if you aren't registered, now would be a good time!). For those outside the Archdiocese, tickets will be distributed through your local Bishop's office. Priority will be given to the archdioceses of Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, who are celebrating their bicentennials. Links: [Yankee Stadium]

Tickets to Nationals Stadium - Official Website

• Archdiocese of Chicago: less than 100 tickets. Pastors have been asked to submit four nominees, then a lotto will take place. Deadline for submission is Feb. 8th. (ph/t: Chicago Tribune)
• Ticket distribution has not been finalized yet, although "in the past, the custom for major events has been to distribute tickets primarily through ... parishes, dioceses and [Catholic] organizations." Updated info will be made available "by mid-February."
• Clergy of the Archdiocese of Washington may already register for the Papal Mass here.

General information: In general it appears that Washington is lagging behind New York in its organization. Mid-Feburary is the presumed date for notices to be sent out. Priority will be given to the archdiocese of Baltimore and the diocese of Arlington. More information, per usual, as I see it. Links: [Washington Nationals Ballpark]

From what I know, the best way to get tickets is to personally contact your local bishop's office. That way, if the lottery is not made public, you have a better chance of being selected. Prayers help too. It's going to be tight.

*Please feel free to email me additions & corrections. Thank you.*

(Also, digging this post will allow other folks interested in this information more easily find it.)

Boston Catholics - Get your tickets to see Pope Benedict in NYC!

Bettnet drops us the tip:

If you’re a Catholic living in the Archdiocese of Boston and you want to attend the papal Mass in Yankee Stadium on April 20, you’re in luck. The Archdiocese has been allocated 3,000 tickets and you can put your name in the lottery by going to the Archdiocese’s Bicentennial web site and signing up.

Demand is expected to outstrip supply so make sure to get your name in. Tickets are free, but non-transferable (you won’t see them on eBay) and there is fee for transportation as well.

NOTE: "All requests for tickets must be received by February 11, 2008 at 5:00pm."

He adds more details:

Obviously Baltimore will get tickets to events in Washington, DC, but Boston, Philadelphia, and Lousville, Kentucky, will get tickets for New York.

Okay, now you know. I'll be posting later this week with more details on how to get tickets to see the Pope, so check back, and in the meantime, peruse the archives.

Exclusive: Pictures of Pope Benedict's DC Mass pulpit, lectern & chair

Today the winning design for the pulpit, lectern and chair that Pope Benedict will use for his public Mass at DC's Nationals stadium during his April visit was unveiled.

I was able to tour the exhibit this afternoon and take a few photographs of the chosen models. Enjoy!

The complete set of photos is available on the AmP Flickr page.

From the CUA press release:

Washington DC - Student Winners of Papal Design Contest Announced at CUA

The winning architectural design by two Catholic University students for a 10-by-4-foot papal altar and a pulpit, lectern and chair that Pope Benedict XVI will use when he celebrates Mass in Washington, D.C., was unveiled today at The Catholic University of America, D.C., in partnership with the Archdiocese of Washington.

The model by John-Paul Mikolajczyk, of Staten Island, N.Y., and Ryan Mullen, of Manchester, N.H., both candidates in the master's program at Catholic University's School of Architecture and Planning, shows an altar with a substantial top, a repeating pattern of decorative parabolic arches beneath it and a smaller base.

...

At the unveiling, Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, said that the design is "a tribute to this school of architecture, Catholic University and the quality of students here.

Twenty-one entries were submitted for the design competition, or charrette, which was held last week at CUA's Edward M. Crough Center for Architectural Studies, where the winners were announced.

The top award for the design competition will receive a $1,500 prize. The second-place winner will receive $1,000 and five honorable-mention winners will each receive $500. The proposed designs will be displayed at the Crough Center for about a week.

More information from the press release:

The front of the pulpit (or ambo), where the Holy Father will read the Gospel, is adorned with images of the Bible and the Holy Trinity. The tall chair back is decorated with Pope Benedict XVI's papal coat of arms.

Mikolajczyk and Mullen will work with architecture faculty and the Archdiocese of Washington to fine-tune the design and actually construct the altar and the other furnishings at the Crough Center. The four pieces will become part of the sanctuary for the Mass that Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate April 17 at the city's new baseball stadium, Nationals Park. Following the Mass, the pontiff will give a major address on Catholic education at CUA.

Students, working individually or in teams of up to four people, prepared their models and drawings over an intense few days of work between Jan. 18 and Jan. 23. The entries were judged on Jan. 24.

Catholic University's School of Architecture and Planning is the largest in the Washington, D.C., area. The school offers a bachelor of science in architecture, master of architecture and master of architectural studies and its graduate program concentrations include cultural studies/sacred space, design technologies, digital media, real estate development and urban design. For more information see
architecture.cua.edu.

[Above photo credit: Tony Fiorini, CUA - "Ryan Mullen and John-Paul Mikolajczjk and their winning papal design." All other photographs: Thomas Peters, AmericanPapist blog.]

So, what do you think of the chosen design?

Decided: Pope Benedict won't attend Quebec's Eucharistic Congress

Canwest News Service:

QUEBEC - Pope Benedict XVI will not come to Quebec City this summer for the 400th anniversary celebrations, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec said Thursday.

Marc Cardinal Ouellet, archbishop of Quebec and primate of the church in Canada, has been lobbying for weeks for the pontiff to attend the International Eucharistic Congress slated for June, one of the biggest events of the city's 400th birthday bash.

But Ouellet said in a brief press release that the Pope has chosen to send a representative to the congress that will bring together some 15,000 delegates and 50 cardinals from 60 countries.

A group of Quebec citizens had also launched a petition to encourage the Pope to attend the event that will culminate with a giant outdoor mass on the historic Plains of Abraham.

This news must be disappointing to Catholics in Canada, I'm sure. The trip had been on the table for a very long time. Still, with the Pope's mid-April visit to the states, turning around and coming back in June might have proven too challenging for him, especially considering his expressed reservations about cross-atlantic trips.

Pope Benedict to visit Eastern U.S. cities in April '08?

A notable upswing in cardinal-and-archbishop sightings during the last couple weeks here in DC set off rumors that something big was brewing. New to the scene myself, I shrugged my shoulders and figured that this state of affairs was average for the Nation's capital.

Disconnected as it may have been, Rocco reports that plans for a Papal visit to the Eastern seaboard were disseminated and discussed by the heirarchy during that time frame. (Quelle surprise, yes?) The highlights of Rocco's report:

The tentative dates of the visit would be April 15th-20th (Tuesday-to-Sunday).

Appearances in New York: a speech before the United Nations, Mass at Central Park, address and prayers at St. Patrick's Cathedral, a moment of reflection at Ground Zero.

Appearances in Boston: Sunday Mass on Boston Common and a meeting with the bishops of New England.

Appearances in Washington DC: Pope Benedict is reportedly eager to see the campus of CUA, he would also meet with President Bush, and probably celebrate Mass at the National Mall.

A visit to Baltimore might be added.

And, parting with tradition, the Pontiff will be visiting in an election year, right near the time when the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates should have just emerged. (Cue the fireworks.)

... well now, it seems I have to go block out a certain week in April on my calendar...

More as I find it.

Update: On Friday, CNS speculated: "Vatican officials say the pope also expects to visit the United Nations and New York in 2008, and April now looks like a likely time frame. He could easily add one or two other eastern U.S. cities, such as Philadelphia or Boston, to that itinerary."

Update 2: In fairness to my readers, I should note that this report is unsubstantiated at this point and has not been confirmed by any official source. Expect, at the very least, many of the venues and planned activities mentioned in this post to change. From what I'm hearing, the projected dates and major cities look fairly certain, but anything beyond that hasn't passed into anything resembling a consensus.

Update 3: CNA reports on the rumors here (and it appears to simply relate Rocco's details).

Obviously, in a situation like this the various involved dioceses and planning committees don't want to jump the gun and release details that have not yet been confirmed. Cities and other destinations at one time on the list would feel slighted if taken off during a later stage of planning, etc. Plus, there's a massive amount of logistics collaboration that has to go on with state and local officials (security, etc). Having the details of a visit available to the public won't help those proceedings move smoothly along in the least. So, everyone, stay patient and tuned.

There's plenty of time to book tickets.

A papist-on-the-ground's pics of Pope Benedict at Mariazell

A classmate of mine from college is now living in Austria attending school at the International Theological Institute (where I studied for a semester in 2003). He was present during the Pope's recent visit to Mariazell and recently uploaded his pictures here. A sample:

I take this to be definitive proof that those vestments were just as ugly up close. Yikes.

Mr. Pope, Don't Tear Down These Trees!

Meh, you get the general idea.

The trees in question (photo: AP Photo/Hans Punz):

The quote that sums it up for me:

Mariazell Mayor Helmut Pertl told the Kleine Zeitung daily he thinks the fuss is completely overblown.

"If this was my biggest worry [cutting down a few trees], I'd be pretty happy," he said.

The full story from the AP.