Visit Makes Papacy Real for University Students

As the lovely spray-painted CUA’s that have popped up all over campus slowly fade away, so too does the 15 minutes of fame that Catholic has had over Pope Benedict XVI’s visit. But for us students, the pope’s visit to campus will have a more lasting impression.

It has now been a week since the campus was lit afire with papal festivities and I would have to say that the thrill of having the pope on campus has not gone away. Every time I see my friends we always wind up talking about the pope. “Hey. . . guess what. . . the pope came Catholic!”

I think that we are still in shock that a figure as influential as the pope would choose to come to our little campus. Out of all the Catholic universities across the country (and the district) he chose to come to CUA.

It is humbling to think that the pope wanted to come here to see us, the Catholic youth. This was felt most when the pope “boarded” the popemobile after his speech in the Pryz. He entered the car and sat down, looked towards the lawn of students and waved at us. Perhaps the most powerful moment was when the window of the popemobile was lowered. Benedict did not simply wave at us; he placed his hands on the window, as if to make it open faster, in a way that indicated to me that he was open to greet his people. It was at that moment that I truly felt that Benedict was our pope.

Looking back on the Papal visit as a whole, I realize why it is so important that Benedict visits not only our campus, but the United States as well. By making this visit, he has in a way validated his papacy for Americans. Until we had a chance to see him, Benedict was just a figure in Rome and not a reality. By being able to see him up close, we as Americans were able to look at Joseph Ratzinger and finally see him as Pope Benedict XVI.

As young people, this visit was much more important than for people of older generations. For our entire lives the only pope we have ever known was John Paul II and it has taken time to adjust to our new pope. In many ways JPII set a standard that made it hard for Benedict to look personable and to be as well liked as he was. The apostolic journey to the United States has seemed to make Benedict more personable and likeable, especially to young people.

Alas, we must face the reality that pope week has ended and finals week is quickly approaching, but I do not think that the excitement of being able to see Pope Benedict XVI in person will ever leave the minds of Catholic students.

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