Protest, chants and cheers for Pope's visit. Thousands of police officers deployed to keep Pope Benedict safe during his three-day visit to New York City.
New Yorkers are gearing up for the first visit of Pope Benedict XV1 next week. Opus Dei is preparing two giant banners, millions of faithful are expected to flock to the city and the NYPD and Secret Service are pooling all their resources to ensure the visit passes without incident. And New York City Catholic teachers are planning to greet the Pope with picket lines and chants.
The Opus Dei Headquarters in New York is practicing chants, cheers and songs to perform for the pope. The group hopes to attract his attention with two 30-foot banners. One will portray the New York City skyline with the words “Omnes cum Petro,” calling on all Christians to see the pope as the head of the church. It was taken from the opening of an Opus Dei prayer. The second banner will portray the pope’s coat of arms splayed across an American flag with the words “Gratias tibi Benedictus XV1” (“Thank you, Pope Benedict”).
The New York City Police Department will deploy thousands of officers to form a tight security net around the pope to ensure his safety. The bullet proof Pope mobile will be surrounded by armed plain clothes and uniformed officers with thousands others interspersed throughout the city and in the throngs. Snipers will be positioned on roof tops and national security helicopters will patrol the air space over the city. Streets will be blocked and traffic diverted. Subway services and buses will be affected. Bags and backpacks will be searched. Manholes and garbage will bins checked. Every measure will be taken to ensure that Pope Benedict XV1 will be safe as a babe in its mother’s womb while visiting New York City
Meanwhile, some 450 lay teachers from 10 Roman Catholic high schools are planning to go on strike and picket outside St Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, when the Pope visits the building during his three-day itinerary. The strike, an embarrassment on the Archdiocese of New York will highlight the teachers’ ongoing battle for increased wages, health care and pensions. The teachers have been working without contracts since August 2007.
The Pope’s visit will begin in Washington D.C. on Tuesday April 15. The New York itinerary is as follows:
Friday, April 18, 10:45 a.m.
Pope Benedict XVI will address the United Nations, after an early morning flight to New York.
Friday, April 18, 6 p.m.
Prayer service with leaders from other Christian denominations at St. Joseph's Church, founded by German Catholics, in Manhattan.
Saturday, April 19, 9:15 a.m.
Mass for priests, deacons and members of religious orders at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
Saturday, April 19, 4:30 p.m.
The pope will meet with young Catholics, including 50 youngsters with a range of disabilities, at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers. Thousands of young people, including hundreds of seminarians, are expected to participate in a rally/prayer service and to hear the pope speak.
Sunday, April 20, 9:30 a.m.
The Holy Father will visit Ground Zero, the site of the disaster at the World Trade Center.
Sunday, April 20, 2:30 p.m.
Mass at Yankee Stadium will bring this historic visit to a close. The 200th anniversary of the Baltimore Archdiocese’s designation as an archdiocese, as well as the birth of four dioceses – Boston, New York, Louisville and Philadelphia – will be highlighted during the Mass.
Sunday, April 20, 8 p.m.
Shepherd One lifts off from John F. Kennedy airport in the Brooklyn Diocese, heading east to the Eternal City.
