Pope visits America
Holy Father preaches message of hope built on faith

	Special experience for seminarians By Ben Emmel Catholic Herald Intern YONKERS, N.Y. -- Standing in a field crowded with thousands of people hardly sounds like the experience of a lifetime. Add sunburn, thirst, and exhaustion, and you have a situation most people would try to avoid. But for a group of young men studying for the priesthood, these circumstances were happily endured for a chance to see Pope Benedict XVI in person. Wait was worth it "It's definitely something special," said Renato Esposito, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Newark. "There's something very invigorating about being in the presence of the Vicar of Christ."   Full story ...
	Related article: • Editorial --     Pope leaves positive impression

	Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd as he departs Yankee Stadium after celebrating Mass in New York April 20. (CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec)

NEW YORK (CNS) -- From the White House to the U.N. General Assembly hall and from ground zero to the Washington Nationals' baseball stadium, Pope Benedict XVI preached a message of hope built on faith and a joint commitment to defending the dignity of the human person.

He acknowledged the "evil" of the clerical sexual abuse crisis, met privately with a group of victims, and encouraged the U.S. bishops to continue their work to restore trust in the Church and its ministers.

Celebrating Mass April 19 in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral with thousands of priests and religious, the pope urged the Catholic Church in the United States to move past divisions and scandal toward a "new sense of unity and purpose."

It is time, he said, to "put aside all anger and contention" inside the Church and embark on a fresh mission of evangelization in society.

Repeatedly during his April 15 to 20 stay in Washington and New York, he made it clear that he believed the "genuinely religious spirit" of the American people had not been extinguished and could be strengthened.

Tailoring his message to each group he met, Pope Benedict urged the people of the United States to resist the temptations and trends of modern society, maintaining their traditional values, defending human rights, and reaching out with solidarity.   Full story ...

Copyright © 2008 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

	Tickets for Archbishop Migliore talk MADISON -- Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United Nations, will be visiting the Diocese of Madison and giving a talk at the Capitol Theater at the Overture Center, 201 State St., on Monday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for general seating are now available on a first come, first served basis. Tickets may be obtained by calling 608-821-3043 and leaving a message with name, address, phone number, and number of tickets requested. There is a maximum of 10 tickets per person. There is no cost for the tickets. Tickets are required to attend the archbishop's talk.
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Bishop honors
post-abortion ministry

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino urged those attending the second annual diocesan Respect Life Dinner to join him in "standing up for life."

Those filling the ballroom at the Edgewater Hotel indicated with their applause that they would join him. "I will stand up with you and I count on you to stand up with me," Bishop Morlino told the crowd.

He especially mentioned that protecting the dignity of all human life requires freedom of religion. "That means freedom of conscience, and that's in danger," warned the bishop.

When standing up for life from conception to natural death, he advised people to avoid seeming to promote politics but instead appeal to the natural law. "There are certain moral ground rules which come with being human. We can press these without being political," said Bishop Morlino.

Award to Project Rachel

The bishop presented the diocesan Respect Life Award to Mary Meade and Leslie Graves for their work with Project Rachel and Rachel's Vineyard Retreats. He noted that many diocesan priests are involved in this outreach to women and men who have experienced abortions.

Noting the recent observance of Divine Mercy Sunday, the bishop said, "There couldn't be a greater ministry of mercy in the Church."   Full story ...