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NewsChannel 8 Script
Anchor Introduction:
WHEN POPE BENEDICT THE 16TH VISITS AMERICA, IT WON'T JUST BE HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES -- IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME A POPE HAS VISITED THE NATION'S CAPITAL SINCE 1979.
BACK THEN, IT WAS POPE JOHN PAUL THE SECOND WHO SHARED HIS FAITH WITH THE DISTRICT. THIS TIME, IT WILL BE A NEW POPE WITH A NEW VISION...
AND AS JUDY KURTZ REPORTS, THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT ISN'T LOST ON THE MANY WHO HAVE WAITED NEARLY THREE DECADES FOR A PAPAL VISIT.
Story:
IT'S A TIME WHEN CITIES PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS. A POPE IN THE U.S. IS A RARE EVENT, ONE THAT HOLGER ZABOROWSKI, A PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, SAYS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING CATHOLICS TOGETHER.
"As far as the U.S. is concerned, it'll be very important for the Catholic Church to see the Pope," said Holger Zaborowski, a Catholic University professor. "The Church here is very big, very much alive. I think it'll be important for the American Catholic Church to see the Pope, greet the Pope."
AND SEE THE POPE THEY WILL. THOUSANDS ARE EXPECTED AT NATIONALS PARK FOR MASS LED BY POPE BENEDICT. AND IT'S NOT JUST CATHOLICS WHO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HISTORIC TRIP.
"I think it's an outreach visit. I'm sure from a Catholic perspective, it's seen as a chance to impart his teachings to the adherants of his faith," said David Michaels of B'nai B'rith International, a widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights, and advocacy organization.
"I think that an opportunity for a visit like this of an international leader of such importance as the Pope is a wonderful opportunity not only for the Catholics of Washington, DC and America in general, but also for all religious faiths because it begins to make us question what are our relations with other communities," said Rabbi David Lustig of the Washington Hebrew Congregation.
"Pope Benedict comes from Europe, comes from German background, and lives in Vatican," said Rabbi Michael Farbman of the Washington Hebrew Congregation. "Therefore his perspective, his understanding is very much affected by that. So opening up for him, and he also trying to bring some of his thinking to the Catholic Church is very very important."
AND POPE BENEDICT WON'T JUST BE HERE TO MEET WITH FOLLOWERS OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH. HIS SCHEDULE IS PACKED. THE TRIP WILL INCLUDE MEETINGS WITH INTERFAITH GROUPS, AN ADDRESS TO THE UNITED NATIONS DURING HIS TIME IN NEW YORK, AND A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BUSH.
"These are two of the most influential world leaders and it's important for them to be speaking on a one-to-one basis regularly about the different issues," observed Frank Persico of Catholic University. "They're a ton of moral issues, a ton of economic issues, and they're all intertwined the moral issues and the economic issues. So coming to Washington from that perspective is terrific."
THE VISIT MAY ALSO BRING A MUCH NEEDED BOOST TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, WHICH HAS BEEN HIT BY LEGAL AND FINANCIAL TROUBLE. IN 2002 THE CHURCH WAS ROCKED BY A BOSTON CLERGY SEX ABUSE SCANDAL FOLLOWED BY A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER CATHOLIC PRIESTS IN THE U.S.
"The Pope comes to speak to everybody and he will have words for the world but I think for the Catholic community, I think he will have words of encouragement," said Archbishop Donald Wuerl of the Washington Diocese. "I think we are going to be prepared to move forward now in a sense of renewal that the Holy Father is with us encouraging us and challenging us to live out that gospel."
MEANTIME FRANK PERSICO, WHO WILL BE HOSTING THE POPE AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY, SAYS THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE THAN HERE IN WASHINGTON FOR FOLLOWERS TO GET TO KNOW POPE BENEDICT THE SIXTEENTH.
"Being here at Nationals Stadium, probably at only the seventh or eighth event that'll ever happen there, and probably the most significant event that'll ever happen there, I think that's a special moment," said Persico.
JUDY KURTZ NEWSCHANNEL EIGHT.
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