An experience I will never forget
By Melecia Garcia
The photo on the left was one of the photos I took of Pope Benedict XVI during his historic visit to the National Shrine in Washington D.C. I was lucky to have been invited inside the Shrine. Not many people were invited inside the shrine, althought, many tickets were issued to see the pope on the shrine ground for outside viewing only. The security was tight and we were checked one by one with a picture ID before we can enter the Shrine ground. Then again we were checked if our name is on the list of invited guests before entering the Shrine. Thousands and thousands of people with tickets for outside viewing only were admitted inside the Shrine ground.
The meeting and vespers of the Pope with all bishops were held in the Crypt church while all invited guests were in the upper church. Two big screens were placed for us to be able to participate in the vespers and witness/listen to the talk of the Pope. When the Pope arrived at the Shrine for his Pastoral Visit he went through the Upper Church first to greet the people present. It was here that I took the above photo. Before he proceeded to the Crypt church he prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and then visited the oratory of Our Lady of Altotting (From Bavaria) in the Upper Church.
I was also lucky to get two tickets for the Pope’s mass at the National Park Stadium on April 17 Unfortunately, I was not able to bring a camera for that event. At this event I happened to go to the wrong section of the staduim which resulted my meeting a wonderful mother and her son. I enjoyed talking with them before going to my seat assignment. The mother said that her son just converted to Catholism from Judaism. The son came to the Shrine last Sunday and said hello to me and showed me the pictures of me from his cell phone. Two days ago I recieved from the mother a picture of me with one of my seminarian friend that she took from her camera. Seeing Pope Benedict was an experience I will never forget.