More on the big trip
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- November
- 13
Second day thoughts on the pope’s itinerary:
1. It’s notable that during a packed, six-day visit, the pope will find the time for an interreligious meeting in Washington on April 17 and an ecumenical event in NYC on April 18. We don’t know much about these events. But Benedict XVI knows he’s coming to two religiously diverse and pluralistic cities in a religiously diverse and pluralistic country—where religious leaders are pretty much expected to reach out to others.
There is a great deal of Muslim participation in Washington’s interfaith affairs, thanks in large part to the presence of Georgetown University. So it will be mighty interesting (19 months after the pope’s Regensburg speech) to hear what Benedict might have to say about the growing presence of Islam in the U.S. Despite tensions in this country, Muslims have—for an assortment of reasons—fit better in the American mix than they have in the pope’s Europe.
Benedict is also bound to reach out in some way to the Jewish community. He has already met with a good many American Jewish leaders at the Vatican.
The ecumenical event in NYC will also be closely watched (yes, I know, every stop on the trip will be). In the city of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, will he make note of the Episcopal Church’s ongoing embrace of gays and lesbians? Will he acknowledge the growing presence of evangelicals and Pentecostals in NYC and across the U.S.? You have to figure that Benedict will embrace the city’s Orthodox Christians leaders.
Here’s hoping that the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in Garrison—longtime leaders in the Catholic ecumenical/interfaith world—will play a role here somewhere.
2. The Vatican has been an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq since Day One. When Benedict addresses the U.N. on April 18, whatever his main subject, what will he say about the war? Will he critique American foreign policy while in the U.S., days after meeting President Bush at the White House?
3. The pope’s visit to Ground Zero on the morning of April 20 promises to be the most moving part of the trip. For Catholics especially—not to mention those who lost loved ones on Sept. 11—to see the pope at the site is certain to be a deeply emotional experience.
4. One must wonder: When and where will the presidential candidates attempt to grab onto the pope’s white coattails?
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 at 11:41 am by Gary Stern.
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The world of religion, we don't have to tell you, is vast. The purpose of this blog is for Stern to note, flag and comment on some of the more interesting religious developments on the scene – weighty and quirky, somber and laughable, far away and just down the road. He won't interpret Scripture, take sides in conflicts or judge anyone. But he will take advantage of the journalist's license to observe.
