This neat story about the reaction of the Catholic faithful to the newly elected pontiff.

Two months into the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI, crowds are pouring into St. Peter's Square in near record numbers to see and hear him.

"The pope is here!" a man shouted in Italian Wednesday morning. Cheers rose from 35,000 as Benedict appeared, standing in a white Jeep-like popemobile. It circled the square, moving slowly as the 78-year-old pope, whose mane of white hair matched his vestments, waved to the faithful.

Who would have expected that sort of excitement two months ago?

Particularly interesting is the reaction of young people.

World Youth Day will be the first global test of whether young Catholics will give him the same rock star reception they gave John Paul -- who thrived in that atmosphere. But Benedict is a classical pianist who once called rock music "a vehicle of anti-religion."

Wuerl believes Benedict will do brilliantly. He recalled another papal youth event where the warm-up sounded like Christian death metal.

"It was deafening. But you didn't have to like that music to love those kids. I suspect that if Pope Benedict XVI arrives at an arena and those kids are screaming and shouting and cheering, he will be delighted," Wuerl said.

On Wednesday, Diana Garguilo, a Duquesne University law student from Johnstown, was thrilled to see Benedict wave from the popemobile.

"I never thought I would see him that close up," she said. "The crowd is unbelievable. Very energetic -- and very pushy."

Benedict gave a meditation on Psalm 111, then a recap and greetings in 11 languages.

"The Psalm invites us at the end to discover all the good things the Lord gives us every day. We see more easily the negative aspects of our life. The Psalm invites us to see the positive also, the many gifts we receive, and so find gratitude, as only a grateful heart can celebrate worthily the liturgy of thanksgiving, the Eucharist," Benedict said.

Sarah Boone, a law student from Tulane University attending Duquesne's summer law program in Rome, was impressed.

"His focus was on a person's feelings about their relationship with God and the church," said Boone, who is not Catholic. "I've never heard a papal address before. I expected it to be more doctrinal, but it was more personal."

A large group of students from my school will be going to Cologne this summer for the World Youth Day with a group from their parish. They are incredibly excited, and have a fervor that didn't exist among my peers when John Paul the Great was elected in 1978.

Who would have believed it? Is this an unseen side of his personality over the years, or is it a work of the Holy Spirit?

Posted by: Greg at 01:56 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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