AMERICA GEARS UP TO WELCOME POPE
(April 12, 2008) The people of America are preparing themselves to welcome the Holy Father. “He's coming!" announce 150 advertisements placed on Washington metro buses, in anticipation of Benedict XVI's upcoming pastoral visit to the United States commencing on 15th of April. "These ads are a visible expression of our great affection for the Holy Father and our excitement for his upcoming visit," said Susan Gibbs, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Washington. The text "One who has hope lives differently," taken from the encyclical "Spe Salvi," runs across the centre of the ad. Comments on the Web site of the Archdiocese of New York also show that anticipation is building as the city prepares for the Pope to arrive there Friday morning. Sister Marie Pappas, superintendent of schools for the archdiocese, said, "The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to our archdiocese and our great city is an extraordinary event -- one the whole world will be watching and interpreting.” Father Joy Marpilly, pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Manhattan, said: "This is a spiritually uplifting moment for our parish [...] as we continue to see ourselves as part of the universal Catholic Church. [...] And for the City of New York: This is a moment of pride and a rare opportunity.” Fourth-grader Kerry Ann O'Brien of the Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Manhattan said, "The Pope's visit to the U.S. means to me that he wants to spread the Good News just like Jesus." Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago said, "We, 2.3 million Catholics and 363 parishes, thank him for his tireless commitment to spreading the word of God and confirming our faith. We pray that the Pope's message now of faith, of unity, of love for all peoples around the world will be heard and taken into our hearts and acted upon." The Archdiocese of Baltimore, who is kicking off bicentennial celebrations marking 200 years as an archdiocese this weekend, also posted a video welcoming Benedict XVI to American soil.
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