20 minutes after I posted my last blog about not going to the Papal mass in Washington DC I received a phone call from one of my Franciscan brothers who asked me if I wanted to attend! I was exstatic, but I wasn;t sure if I could miss a day of school. I sent an email asking for a “papal personal day” and I received permission!

I was so excited when I drove down to Washington on Wednesday Night. I decided that I would leave the night before because we needed to get there early (the gates opened at 5 am for a 10 am mass!) The next morning 7 of us left at 6 am and we arrived at Nationals Stadium an hour later. There was so much life and excitement so early it was AWESOME in the truest sense of the word. Washington DC seems to be such a small Catholic city, because I kept bumping into friends, priests and religious, people I knew from college and former ministry sites. At times it felt like a Grand Homecoming or Super Reunion!

I was amazed by how awesome our seats were! I was able to get this close to the altar

and when Mass started this was our view!!!

At 9:40 the Holy Father arrived in his PopeMobile and as soon as it was spotted the stadium exploded! 45,000 of us as if in unison cheered, screamed and welcomed him as the video below which I took from my seat!

20 minutes later, he reappeared from the dugout and vested for mass. This time a reverent hush fell over the crowd as we prepared to sing a Hymn to the Holy Spirit to the tune of the Franciscan paean, All Creatures of Our God and King.

I was moved by his homily when he explained why he came to America, he told us “I have come to proclaim anew, as Peter proclaimed on the day of Pentecost, that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, risen from the dead.” It doesn’t get much more basic than that, as Peter was to confirm his brothers’ faith in Christ. He came to confirm ours and renew our hope! He challenged us to present our “contemporaries a convincing account of the hope which inspires us and to be renewed in missionary zeal for the extension of God’s Kingdom.” Because “the world needs this witness!” He spoke more of hope and our vocation as people of hope. He has so much to say that I thought my little mind could only grasp so much, which is why I printed out a copy to reread when I have a bit more time

I was amazed that communion for 45,000 people took less than 20 minutes and after the final blessing of religious articles. I made a beeline to where he would process by and I was within 25 feet of him (which is a wee bit more than the 10 feet I thought earlier.)

After mass, my brothers and I got a great group picture in front of the altar.

Afterwards, we met up with the group from Curley and when we left we were famished. We walked over to Union Station for a nice lunch at Pizzeria Uno’s.

Afterwards, I made my way back home VERY tired and a combination of being giggly and giddy. I felt like a 6 year old on Christmas morning!

peace and prayers,
friar Matt