Follow-up on pope's visit depends on U.S. Catholics, theologian says

Published: 2008-05-01

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The impact of Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral visit to the United States "depends on us," said theologian Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, national director of the Catholic lay group Communion and Liberation. "The pope did his job. It was beautiful and magnificent," the priest said, but he quickly added that U.S. Catholics are "left with a lot to reflect upon" and it would be a "mistake of our freedom" to not read and study the pope's words. Msgr. Albacete, a physicist, author and columnist based in New York, spoke to Catholic News Service April 30 from Boston, between speaking engagements at a Buddhist gathering and an interreligious meeting. He suggested that homilies reflecting on the pope's words would be one way to "keep the memory alive and keep the conversation going." He also said Catholics should look at why Pope Benedict said what he did at the many venues of his U.S. visit.

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