Florida Catholic | Large Diocesan Contingent To See Pope

Large diocesan contingent to see pope

There is excitement in the air for those fortunate enough to receive tickets to papal events in Washington and New York.

BOB REDDY | FLORIDA CATHOLIC VENICE BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 04.11.08

Tim and Vicki Watkins will be among the 45 or so people from the diocese who will attend Mass at Yankee Stadium April 20. “This is such an honor,” Tim Watkins said. “We have had the opportunity to go to Rome and see the Holy Father before, but for him to come here will be a special opportunity for us.”
BOB REDDY | FC

VENICE | All Catholic eyes will be on Washington, D.C., and New York City April 15-20 as Pope Benedict XVI visits the United States for the first time.

There are two public Masses for which tickets have been issued and several private events, and a select few will have the opportunity to attend.

From southwest Florida, nearly 100 people will be going to a variety of events in both cities.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane will attend a private prayer service and meeting with the Holy Father and the 350 other bishops of the United States at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington April 16. The next day he will attend the Mass at Nationals Park.

Scattered throughout the new stadium will be 50 people who received tickets from the Diocese of Venice.

Bernice O’Grady will be seeing the pope for the first time. She received her tickets April 3 from Bishop Dewane at the Catholic Center in Venice, the day before her 81st birthday.

“What a wonderful birthday present,” O’Grady said. “I felt I had to go this time or I would never get another chance. I plan to come back and tell everyone about my trip.”

Diocesan director of education, Sister Roberta Schmidt, will attend an address by the pontiff at The Catholic University of America. She will be joined by the 195 fellow diocesan education representatives and the heads of more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities. The Pope is expected to talk about the importance of Catholic education.

“I am honored that Bishop Dewane asked me,” Sister Schmidt said.

“I expect the Holy Father to challenge the educational community since he is an academic theologian,” she added. “I hope the experience will be life-giving and grace-filled for me having ministered 56 years as teacher and administrator in Catholic schools, colleges and (arch)dioceses.”

She had a comparable opportunity when Pope John Paul II addressed Catholic educators at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Father Edward Moretti, Vicar General of the Diocese of Venice and pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostle in Bradenton, and Sister Monica Paul Fraser, director for Religious and principal of Incarnation School in Sarasota, will be attending a Mass for priests and religious at St. Patrick Cathedral in New York on April 19. This will be the seventh pope Father Moretti will have met in person.

Tim and Vicki Watkins will be among 45 or so people from the diocese who will attend Mass at Yankee Stadium April 20.

“This is such an honor,” Tim Watkins said. “We have had the opportunity to go to Rome and see the Holy Father before, but for him to come here will be a special opportunity for us.”

More than 30 students and other representatives from Ave Maria University will attend Mass in both cities.

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Large diocesan contingent to see pope

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