See the Pope

I just got back from World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney. It was the most amazing thing I have ever done! I was about 5 feet away from His Holiness twice. He drove by in the Popemoblie and I was along the fenceline. Just to be surrounded by a man so holy inspired me to be holy, too. I almost cried. I did smile for the next few days!

I’m not even catholic but it was a stunning experience to feel the energy of all of the people there.

He was leaving the Vatican, he was in the back seat of a car waving to everybody. I definitely feel something different inside me. I think he may have blessed us, or something stronger.

I want to see the Pope, and it would be even cooler to actually meet him.

The Pope is a fantastic man and totally worth seeing and hearing. He is truly a wonderful man who has great love for the people of the world. I encourage everyone to go see the Pope and hear his words.

Sunday was the one year anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. A gathering was being held in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican Boy’s Choir was giving a concert, and a rosary was being said, so I went down to Piazza di San Pietro with a few priest and seminarian friends after Sunday evening Mass. We were on the far side of the piazza from his apartment. The Pope came to his apartment window for the Rosary and then addressed and blessed the crowd after the Rosary was finished. I suppose we weren’t as far as we could have been, we were on the edge of the Piazza but not the farthest we could be away from his window, but still, we were far enough away that I wouldn’t have known the difference whether it was really the Pope I saw at the window, or any old guy in a red cape, or just a really well lit cardboard cut out or something. From where I was standing his head was about the size of a pin and I could ALMOST make out when he moved at the window. Thankfully there was a large television screen set up not far from where we stood so we watched the close up view of the Pope on the screen more than the red dot in the window a mile away. It was still really cool though, and now I get to say I saw the Pope. Hopefully that won’t be the last time.

I live in Cologne (Germany), where in these days the Weltjugendtag is beeing celebrated in my streets and – I guess – in all streets of Colgone ;-)

Today the pope Benedikt XVI arrived and I saw him on his boat trip over the rhine, where he got to the dome and gave a speech to the Youths. It was fascinating and I really like him as pope.