"There's a humility about this man that is quite something."

Jeff Israely of TIME offers a simple but poignant report on Benedict XVI's visit to Ground Zero:

As the popemobile descended the ramp, the sound of bagpipes from above mixed with the sorrowful tune of a single cello player below. Benedict stepped out near the bottom of the ramp to walk the final 35 yards. Amidst all the surrounding concrete and work equipment, he looked particularly slight of build in simple, but heavy white papal vestments for the cold morning. His normally brisk walk was even brisker than usual, seemingly eager to arrive before the pascal candle to pray. Silently he knelt down, and remained on his knees, eyes open, but otherwise lost in his prayer for more than two minutes.

The prayer he read was a simple and direct, a call for peace and comprehension: "God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth. Turn to your way of love those whose hearts and minds are consumed with hatred. God of understanding, overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy, we seek your light and guidance as we confront such terrible events."

The Pope shared a private moment with each of the 9/11 survivors and savers of lives, and was back in his popemobile. As he rolled away up the ramp and the bagpipes above began playing again, the 9/11 representatives wiped away tears and hugged each other. As photographers and cameramen put away their equipment, a local radio reporter was giving an instant report from his cell phone: "There's a humility about this man," he said, "that is quite something." he said.

Read the entire piece. That remark by the reporter brought to mind this comment, made by one of the sex abuse victims who met with Benedict this past Thursday (as reported by The Boston Globe):

"I actually kept my head down; I couldn't believe it until I saw his little red shoes," Olan Horne of Lowell said. "I looked up, and I had the eyes of somebody's grandfather looking at me. He was a very sincere, humble man."

There was much (too much!) discussion, prior to Benedict's visit, about how he would stack up next to Pope John Paul II, who had (we were reminded about 1,648,036 times) mastered the big moment and the art, so to speak, of the dramatic gesture. What people have seen, if they've paid attention, is that Benedict is equally adept in the big moments, but in his own way, with what might be called a "less is more" approach, in which a few words and actions speak volumes, even when made quietly or in silence. Benedict is a man of convictions who is, by virtue of those convictions, able to address problems with directness, situations with humility, and people with sincerity.

Many of those who criticize Benedict (and will continue to do so, no doubt), fall into two groups: those who dislike what he believes, so attack and mock it, often without any attempt to honesty address the substance of those beliefs, and those who have created and/or accepted a warped caricature of Benedict that they continue to flail at with the zealous blindness of frustrated adolescents. One of the many remarkable gifts of the Holy Father is his ability and desire to not only dialogue in significant ways with others, but to shape the grounds and direction of that dialogue (as he has, for example, with secularism and Islam) so as to reveal the paths that should and should not be taken.

Can Benedict reach out and connect with people? That question has been asked often the past few weeks. The answer is, simply, "Yes." The question now is this: "Who will reach out and connect with Benedict?"

Comments

[LJ]

"Who will reach out and connect with Benedict?"

We may be quite surprised by the answer. I think that the effects of this visit to America will be felt for some time to come. Father Neuhaus pointed out that the young people on Saturday night were only semi-interested in the musical preambles but when the Holy Father arrived their attention was focused, and they listened intently to every word. His talk was so packed with great teaching that it will take reading the transcript to get the full impact.

I, for one, am filled with hope to see young Catholics hungry and devouring the teaching of such a humble and holy man of faith. They want the truth and Pope Benedict is speaking that truth directly in a firm but gentle way. Although he is a man of vast knowledge of theology and philosophy, when he speaks he speaks from his heart. That is not lost on anyone who listens.

[Augustine II]

Will IP be publishing in book form all of the Holy Father's homilies and speeches made during this U.S. visit?

[Diane K]

Thanks for this post. I have to head off to work, but later today, I am hoping to take a few minutes to link to a good many excellent posts from around the web, including this one. I know many bloggers, including myself are behind in many ordinary things. Those things will always be with us, but our Papa Bene in America, shortlived and priceless.

I found the video featuring three of the survivors very moving. Hopefully, it stays up on YouTube. I have it embedded (see link in this post listing).

[Rubus]

Carl opined:

a man of convictions [...] able to address problems with directness [...].

What fawning rubbish!

Until priests and bishops convicted of sex-crimes & embezzlement are justly reassigned to nurse the impoverished victims of fatal infectious diseases in the 3rd World, instead of a palatial sinecure in Rome (e.g.: Card Law), Benedict must be considered an unholy failure as shepherd & CEO of God's flock on Earth.