U.S. Catholics give warm welcome to a previously unfamiliar pope

Published: 2008-04-21

NEW YORK (CNS) -- As they prepared to meet Pope Benedict XVI for his first papal visit to the United States, many U.S. Catholics couldn't help but compare him to Pope John Paul II, whom they had known for nearly three decades. In part, that was because they just didn't know much about Pope Benedict, who began the fourth year of his pontificate during his April 15-20 trip to the United States. He has often been portrayed as being strict and scholarly and lacking the charisma of his predecessor. But that perception seemed to change during his six-day visit. "A lot of people thought he couldn't replace (Pope) John Paul, but he can," said Carol Henglein, a parishioner from St. Virgilius Church in Queens prior to the April 20 Mass at Yankee Stadium. She described the 81-year-old pontiff as having "an aura about him" and being a "wonderful inspiration to young people." And sure enough, the young people seemed to "get him," especially during the April 19 rally for seminarians and young people on the grounds of St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, which was reminiscent of a World Youth Day with Pope John Paul. During the rally, the 25,000 participants frequently cheered for Pope Benedict and he in turn, much like his predecessor at youth events, seemed visibly invigorated.

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