Pope Francis’ time in the United States is a shared and
historic story for the U.S. church. But his visit is also a
collection of hundreds of thousands of smaller, personal
stories – moments of meaning where hearts were moved and
transformations began.
Among those stories were many from the Arlington Diocese, as
countless parishioners and priests attended papal events in
Washington, including the canonization Mass of Blessed
Junípero Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception in Washington Sept. 23.
Beth Monroe, a parishioner of St. Bernadette Church in
Springfield and assistant principal of the parish school,
found out she was attending the Mass just days prior, when a
close friend offered her and her daughter, Sheridan, tickets.
“At first I was stunned,” said Monroe. She immediately texted
her husband: “God knows our secret desires and knows how to
show His love.”
Still “taking it all in” a few days after the Mass, Monroe
said the atmosphere at the outdoor liturgy – attended by
about 25,000 people – was “electric.”
“Everyone was so joyful, so excited,” she said, adding that
it was a special treat to share the day with her daughter, a
sophomore at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in
Washington.
Taking notes during the homily, given in Spanish with English
translations on large screens, Monroe said two things deeply
resonated with her.
The pope said that “life grows by being given away,” she
said. “That’s so true. When you’re doing things for other
people and working humbly for God, your internal life grows.”
The pope also spoke about nurturing “God’s life in others.”
“I really try to do that with teachers and with my own kids,”
she said.
Michelle Ramirez, who works for the Arlington diocesan
Development Office, said she “could feel the love for the
pope within the crowds of people. You could sense that
everyone felt united to one another just by being in the
presence of the pope and sharing that experience with so many
others.”
Father James C. Hinkle, parochial vicar of St. Theresa Church
in Ashburn, was one of around 1,000 priests – 57 from the
diocese – concelebrating the canonization Mass.
“When I recited the words for the institution of the
Eucharist with so many priests and bishops, and the pope, it
was so very powerful,” he said.
Like Monroe, Father Hinkle felt the homily was packed with
spiritual wisdom and calls to action.
“A fellow parishioner put it well, ‘His message was firm and
arrestingly gentle,'” said Father Hinkle.
Father Hinkle added that while many of Pope Francis’ words
are directed at Catholics, they are reaching the hearts of
all those who encounter them.
“His dialogue is so fundamental to the person of Jesus
Christ,” said Father Hinkle, “so ecumenical, that no one can
turn away from what he has to say.”
Permanent Deacon Nicholas LaDuca of Holy Spirit Church in
Annandale was an ordinary minister of holy Communion for the
canonization Mass.
After a long wait, being sequestered together for much of the
Mass, the ordinary ministers of holy Communion filed out
among the aisles to ensure everyone who wanted it could
receive the Eucharist. Deacon LaDuca admitted that “being in
the presence of the Holy Father was an awe-inspiring
experience.”
John Enzmann and his wife, Pequitte Schwerin, parishioners of
St. Francis of Assisi Church in Triangle, said that the
excitement in the air was palpable, even as people waited
hours in security lines.
“This pope exudes love and mercy, and people feel that,” said
Schwerin.
Kelsey McManus, a parishioner of Holy Spirit Church in
Annandale who won a ticket for her and her mom through the
parish, came to realize after the Mass “how important it is
to pray for our pope.
“At the Mass he did look kind of tired because he had already
done so much that day,” she said. “I want to take some time
out of the day to pray for the pope … people say he’s
the pope and already received so many graces, but he still
needs prayer.”
McManus called the Mass a “moment in history.”
“It was beautiful to be there, and no one knows what heaven
will be like, but I think it was a little like heaven because
everyone was so happy to be there and it didn’t matter where
you were seated.”
Contributing to this story were Katie Scott, Ashleigh Buyers
and Dave Borowski.
