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The Holy Father reflects on his visit to the United States

From the Vatican Information Service:

POPE RECALLS HIS RECENT VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2008 (VIS) - In today's general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square, the Pope dedicated his remarks to his recent apostolic trip to the U.S.A. and the headquarters of the United Nations, from 15 to 21 April.

  After recalling how the motive for his U.S. visit was the bi-centenary of the elevation of the country's first diocese, Baltimore, to the status of metropolitan archdiocese, and the foundation of the sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, the Holy Father affirmed that his aim had been "to announce to everyone the message that 'Christ is our Hope', the phrase which was the theme of my visit".

  During the meeting with President George Bush in the White House, said the Pope, "I had the opportunity to pay homage to that great country, which from its beginnings was built on the foundation of a harmonious union between religious, ethical and political principles, and which still constitutes a valid example of healthy laicism, where the religious dimension, in the diversity of its expressions, is not only tolerated but turned to advantage as the 'soul' of the nation and the fundamental guarantee of the rights and duties of human beings".

  The Holy Father then went on to explain that he had supported his "brother bishops in their difficult task of spreading the Gospel in a society marked by no small number of contradictions, which also threaten the coherence of Catholics and even of the clergy. I encouraged them to make their voices heard on the moral and social questions of the day, and to form the lay faithful so they become good 'leavening' in the civil community on the base of that fundamental cell which is the family. In this context, I exhorted them to re-present the Sacrament of Marriage as a gift and an indissoluble commitment between a man and a woman, the natural environment in which to welcome and educate children.

  "The Church and the family, as well as schools", the Pope added, "must co-operate in offering young people a solid moral education. ... Reflecting upon the painful question of sexual abuse of minors by ordained ministers, I told the bishops of my closeness, and encouraged them in the task of binding wounds and strengthening their relationships with their priests".

  During the Eucharistic celebration held in the Nationals Stadium in Washington, said Pope Benedict, "we evoked the Holy Spirit" upon the Church in America that she "may face current and future challenges with courage and hope". And when meeting with representatives of other religions "in what may be considered as the homeland of religious freedom, I recalled how such freedom must be defended with congruous efforts to avoid all forms of discrimination and prejudice. I also highlighted the great responsibility religious leaders have, both in teaching respect and non-violence and in upholding the deepest questions of the human conscience".

  On the subject of his visit to U.N. headquarters in New York, the Pope pointed out that "providence gave me the opportunity to confirm" - on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - "the importance of that Charter, recalling its universal foundation, in other words the dignity of the person who was created by God in His image and likeness in order to co-operate in ... His great plan of life and peace".

  In St. Patrick's Cathedral the Pope had celebrated Mass for priests and consecrated people. "I will never forget", he said, "with how much warmth they congratulated me for the third anniversary of my election to the See of Peter. It was a moving moment, in which I particularly felt the support of all the Church for my ministry. And I could say the same about my meeting with young people and seminarians".

  At Ground Zero "I lit a candle and prayed for all the victims of the terrible tragedy" of 11 September 2001, said the Pope. And he concluded his reminiscences of his U.S. visit with the Eucharistic celebration in New York's Yankee Stadium which he described as "a feast of faith and of brotherhood. ... To that Church which now faces the challenges of the present time, I had the joy of announcing "Christ our Hope', yesterday, today and forever".

  Prior to the audience, the Pope blessed a statue of St. John Leonardi (1541-1609), founder of the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God, which has been placed in a niche on the exterior wall of the Vatican Basilica. On 8 august 2006, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, by virtue of the powers granted by Benedict XVI, proclaimed him patron saint of pharmacists.

If this guy is a "reporter," then I am a mezzo soprano

And, of course, everyone knows that I'm actually a coloratura baritone. Just like most people who pay attention to the news know that Pope Benedict XVI, while flying to the U.S. for his recent visit, took questions from reporters and spoke (among other things) about the sex abuse scandal. But journalist Jorge Ramos must have missed that minor, hardly reported, and under-the-radar story, for he writes this in an April 24th piece for Dos Mundos (ht: Stohn):

Popes do not grant interviews to the press. Nor do they equivocate. Or at least that is what the defenders of papal infallibility believe. But the reality is that it would have been extremely difficult for Benedict XVI to visit Los Angeles without being grilled by the press on this subject.

Ramos, according to his site, is a well-regarded, high-profile reporter and author. And yet its hard to take him seriously when he starts his piece with sort of angry nonsense:

The only reason the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States attracted any attention is that it was his first as pope -- nothing more. There are no changes and no new debates to be engaged in. After all, Joseph Ratzinger is known for defending the Roman Catholic Church’s most traditional values. He travels a lot, but he doesn’t change.

Actually, Pope Benedict doesn't travel that much, especially compared to John Paul II. More importantly, it's so obvious that Ramos must be an angry Catholic or former Catholic who would rather rant about his dislike for the Church and her teachings than try to actually report on something of substance. After all, if Ramos is really interested in the Pope entering into "debate" with those who disagree with the Church on this or that issue, he might consider taking a look at Benedict's three-year-old papacy—especially the writings produced by the Pope—and note that it has been, in many significant ways, a papacy of debate and dialogue. Benedict, in other words, has been continually interacting with and responding to ideas and beliefs that often differ from his own, including those coming from Islam (see the Regensburg address), secularism (ditto, and Spe Salvi), Judaism (see Jesus of Nazareth), the academy (the Sapienza lecture), cafeteria Catholics and non-Catholics (see Deus Caritas Est), and so forth and so on.

But Ramos is not only not interested in paying attention to what Benedict actually says and does, he falls back on the same old tired clichés that flow thoughtlessly from chronic chronological snobbery and inchoate thought:

Perhaps it’s a matter of age. John Paul II was elected pope when he was 58 years old. Benedict XVI -- who was described by Mahoney as “very intelligent but always humble” -- began his papacy at 78. And save exceptional cases, men that age, whatever their religion, generally don’t change the principles that have guided them throughout their lives.
That is why Benedict XVI will not be the pope of change. And, if his attire is any indication, it is more likely he will ratify the values of the past.

For more of Ramos' rantings, see this April 18, 2005, column (see how many empty clichés you can find!), written on the cusp of the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

Oh, and for those who are curious: No, I don't have any audio proof that I am a coloratura baritone. But, hey, I don't need proof: I'm just a coloratura baritone blogger, not an off-key reporter.

Joseph Pearce giving talks in northern California this weekend

Noted literary biographer (and fabulous speaker) Joseph Pearce will be giving three talks and having two book signings in northern California this Thursday through Saturday. He will be talking about his soon-to-be available book, The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome:

SHAKESPEARE’S AMAZING SECRET
The Overwhelming Evidence for His Catholicism

William Shakespeare is perhaps the greatest writer who ever lived. He strides like a colossus across the modern age, surpassing all others and surprising each new generation with the wisdom that emerges from his work. Famous, yet almost unknown, this great man of history is also one of the most elusive. Why? Who was he really? What did he believe? Can we understand his plays and poetry if we don’t know the man who wrote them? Joseph Pearce, acclaimed literary biographer, says that most books and biographers of the Bard have gotten him totally wrong. They misread the man and misread his work. Now Shakespeare’s biggest secret can be revealed. A secret that has been largely hidden for some four hundred years. A secret that will send shock waves of panic through the secular fundamentalist academy. And bring great joy to the Catholic world.

Pearce’s exhaustive research and meticulous study of the details and facts on the life of the Bard lead to the inescapable conclusion that Shakespeare was a believing Catholic who lived in very anti-Catholic times. The world’s greatest writer was a believing Catholic! His work is full of undiscovered Catholic meaning. He knew personally some of the saints of the Church who were martyred for their Catholic faith. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the evidence for Shakespeare’s Catholicism. Discover why the Bard’s Catholic faith is causing panic among the liberal elites in the school system. Discover how Shakespeare can be a powerful weapon to win converts to the Catholic faith.

Come hear best-selling literary biographer, Joseph Pearce, author of the just-released book, The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome, speak here in Northern California!

TALKS:

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 7:30 PM
St. Augustine Episcopal Church
(No Charge—Donations taken)
3825 Cincinnati Ave, Rocklin, CA
(near Sacramento)
Directions: Hwy. 80 to 65 North (Towards
Marysville)—left on Sunset—left on Cincinnati

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 7:30 PM
Trinity Grammar & Prep
(No Charge—Donations taken)
2055 Redwood Rd., Napa, CA
(two blocks west of Hwy. 29)

SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 7:30 PM
Our Lady of Peace Church Hall
(tickets $10)
2800 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara
(off Hwy. 101 at Great America Pkwy.)

BOOK SIGNINGS:

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2 - 4 PM
Easters Catholic Bookstore,
5441 Palm Ave., Sacramento (just west of
Auburn-Garfi eld intersection)
Info—call Easters at 916-338-7272

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 12 NOON - 2 PM
Glad Tidings Bookstore,
6700 Santa Rita Rd., Pleasanton, CA
Info —call Glad Tidings at 925-847-9787

For more info, download this promotional flyer (PDF format).

Also, visit The Quest for Shakespeare website.

Has Catholic News Service now become Liberal Protestant News Service?

Yesterday, the day after Pope Benedict XVI concluded his well-received visit to the U.S., the Catholic News Service ran a piece featuring comments from seminarians. So what seminary did CNS choose to feature?

Catholic students at one of New York City's most prominent schools of theology said Pope Benedict XVI's visit did not soften some of their concerns about his papacy and the future of the U.S. Catholic Church.

The students at Union Theological Seminary, a nondenominational graduate school of theology with Protestant roots and a home for Catholic academics who have run afoul of the Vatican, praised Pope Benedict's pastoral gifts and his ability to energize the Catholic faithful.

But they also said the visit will not lead to what they feel are much-needed reforms within the church and expressed concern that the U.S. church's current and future needs are not likely to be addressed any time soon. <snip>

Catholic students are a minority at Union but one of the largest single denominational groups at the predominantly Protestant school.

Although Union is still perhaps best-known for being the midcentury intellectual home of such leading Protestant theologians as Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich, since the 1970s the school has been known as a leading center of study in the United States for black and feminist liberation theologies. The prominent black theologian James Cone, for example, has taught at Union for more than three decades.

But Union also has had a long tradition of hosting well-known Catholics. Liberation theologians such as Peruvian Dominican Father Gustavo Gutierrez have taught for short terms at Union, which has ties with Columbia University. Catholic scholars not associated with liberation theology, including the late biblical scholar Sulpician Father Raymond Brown, have also been permanent faculty at Union. [emphasis added]

Good grief, what a joke. Christopher Blosser (who brought the story to my attention) comments upon the piece and concludes:

Catholic News Service identifies itself as "the primary source of national and world news that appears in the U.S. Catholic press," however with the disclaimer that "while created in 1920 by the bishops of the United States, is editorially independent and a financially self-sustaining division of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops."

I wonder if "editorially and financially independent" is to the USCCB what "plausible deniability" is for the President, when the CIA does a black operation? Honestly, I would have normally expected this backstabbing tripe from the likes of the National Catholic Reporter.

Read Blosser's entire post.

"To be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays."

From Benedict's homily, given yesterday at Yankee Stadium, and which focused on faith in Christ, authentic freedom, ecclesial unity, and gratitude:

"Authority" … "obedience". To be frank, these are not easy words to speak nowadays. Words like these represent a "stumbling stone" for many of our contemporaries, especially in a society which rightly places a high value on personal freedom. Yet, in the light of our faith in Jesus Christ - "the way and the truth and the life" - we come to see the fullest meaning, value, and indeed beauty, of those words. The Gospel teaches us that true freedom, the freedom of the children of God, is found only in the self-surrender which is part of the mystery of love. Only by losing ourselves, the Lord tells us, do we truly find ourselves (cf. Lk 17:33). True freedom blossoms when we turn away from the burden of sin, which clouds our perceptions and weakens our resolve, and find the source of our ultimate happiness in him who is infinite love, infinite freedom, infinite life. "In his will is our peace".

Real freedom, then, is God's gracious gift, the fruit of conversion to his truth, the truth which makes us free (cf. Jn 8:32). And this freedom in truth brings in its wake a new and liberating way of seeing reality. When we put on "the mind of Christ" (cf. Phil 2:5), new horizons open before us! In the light of faith, within the communion of the Church, we also find the inspiration and strength to become a leaven of the Gospel in the world. We become the light of the world, the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13-14), entrusted with the "apostolate" of making our own lives, and the world in which we live, conform ever more fully to God's saving plan.

Read the entire homily.

• The Essential Nature and Task of the Church | From God and the World
• Faith in the Triune God, and Peace in the World | From Europe: Today and Tomorrow  
• Why Do We Need Faith? | From From What It Means to Be a Christian
• Vatican II and the Ecclesiology of Joseph Ratzinger | Maximilian Heinrich Heim | Introduction to Joseph Ratzinger: Life in the Church and Living Theology.
• The Courage To Be Imperfect | Fr. D. Vincent Twomey, S.V.D. | The Introduction to Pope Benedict XVI: The Conscience of Our Age
• The Theological Genius of Joseph Ratzinger | An Interview with Fr. D. Vincent Twomey, S.V.D.

"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?"

Benedict XVI talks of "unchanging justice" at the U.N.

From the Pope's talk at the U.N., given earlier today:

Experience shows that legality often prevails over justice when the insistence upon rights makes them appear as the exclusive result of legislative enactments or normative decisions taken by the various agencies of those in power. When presented purely in terms of legality, rights risk becoming weak propositions divorced from the ethical and rational dimension which is their foundation and their goal. The Universal Declaration, rather, has reinforced the conviction that respect for human rights is principally rooted in unchanging justice, on which the binding force of international proclamations is also based. This aspect is often overlooked when the attempt is made to deprive rights of their true function in the name of a narrowly utilitarian perspective. Since rights and the resulting duties follow naturally from human interaction, it is easy to forget that they are the fruit of a commonly held sense of justice built primarily upon solidarity among the members of society, and hence valid at all times and for all peoples. This intuition was expressed as early as the fifth century by Augustine of Hippo, one of the masters of our intellectual heritage. He taught that the saying: Do not do to others what you would not want done to you "cannot in any way vary according to the different understandings that have arisen in the world" (De Doctrina Christiana, III, 14). Human rights, then, must be respected as an expression of justice, and not merely because they are enforceable through the will of the legislators.

Read the entire text on the USCCB Papal Visit site.

Related Ignatius Insight.com articles and book excerpts:

• Faith in the Triune God, and Peace in the World | From Europe: Today and Tomorrow | Joseph Ratzinger
• Pope Benedict XVI On Natural Law | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• Benedict on Aquinas: "Faith Implies Reason" | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• Secularity: On Benedict XVI and the Role of Religion in Society | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• "Always More Than Is Seen": Benedict XVI on the Meaning of Man | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• The State Which Would Provide Everything | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.
• What Is Catholic Social Teaching? | Mark Brumley
• The Illusion of Freedom Separated from Moral Virtue| Raymond L. Dennehy

Benedict at CUA: "Only in faith can truth become incarnate..."

From ZENIT, an initial report on the Pope's address at Catholic University of America:

Thus, the Pontiff said, a school's Catholic identity is "a question of conviction -- do we really believe that only in the mystery of the Word made flesh does the mystery of man truly become clear? Are we ready to commit our entire self -- intellect and will, mind and heart -- to God? Do we accept the truth Christ reveals? Is the faith tangible in our universities and schools? Is it given fervent expression liturgically, sacramentally, through prayer, acts of charity, a concern for justice, and respect for God's creation? Only in this way do we really bear witness to the meaning of who we are and what we uphold."

"From this perspective one can recognize that the contemporary 'crisis of truth' is rooted in a 'crisis of faith,'" Benedict XVI continued. "Only through faith can we freely give our assent to God's testimony and acknowledge him as the transcendent guarantor of the truth he reveals."

Papal pondering

Though Catholic institutions should witness to the truth of Christ, Benedict XVI affirmed, it is also observable that people are reluctant to entrust themselves to God, he said.

"It is a complex phenomenon and one which I ponder continually," the Pope confessed. "While we have sought diligently to engage the intellect of our young, perhaps we have neglected the will. Subsequently we observe, with distress, the notion of freedom being distorted.

"Freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in -- a participation in Being itself. Hence authentic freedom can never be attained by turning away from God. Such a choice would ultimately disregard the very truth we need in order to understand ourselves."

Read the entire article. "A Penitent Blogger" has the entire text of the talk.

Benedict XVI meets with victims of sex abuse scandal

UPDATE: Three of the victims who met with Pope Benedict XVI appeared on CNN. This story from CNN.com has some of their remarks about that meeting (thanks, Lauren, for the link).

John Allen, Jr., apparently broke the story:

In an unexpected and essentially unprecedented move, Pope Benedict XVI met quietly with five victims of clerical sexual abuse this afternoon at the Vatican’s embassy to the United States, located in Washington, D.C.

Prior to this afternoon, no pope had ever met with victims of sexual abuse by priests. That omission has been oft-cited by critics of the church’s response to the crisis as an indication that Rome and the papacy are out of touch with American realities, or in denial about the magnitude of the problem.

All five victims who met with Pope Benedict today are from the Boston area, and sources told NCR that Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston played a role in arranging their encounter with Pope Benedict. In the end, however, those sources say, it was the pope’s choice to take the meeting.

At least some of the victims plan to make a public statement later this afternoon.

The Vatican has issued a statement saying that the meeting took place, and one of the victims who took part, confirmed the meeting for NCR shortly after it concluded.

Read the whole story.

Obviously it is a huge story. And, not surprisingly, reaction so far has been mixed. ABC News ran this headline: "Victims: Pope Benedict Protects Accused Pedophile Bishops." The Boston Globe reports:

But David Clohessy, the national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said in a telephone interview, "It’s a very long-overdue small step forward, especially if it leads to reform. Talk can produce change or complicity. We hope it's the former. But the cold, hard reality is no child is safer tomorrow than they are today.''

Others were more sanguine. Carolyn E. Stys, a lay Catholic who grew up in Milton but now lives in Virginia, e-mailed after reading about the meeting to say how delighted she was. "I was not a victim but very much affected by the crisis,'' she said. "This goes a very long way to make up for Cardinal Law. Kudos to Cardinal O’Malley for his efforts."

More to come, I'm sure.

Pope's homily focuses on the Holy Spirit, supernatural virtue of hope

The Holy Father's homily, given today in Washington, D.C., from the USCCB's Papal Visit site:

In today's Gospel, the risen Lord bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and grants them the authority to forgive sins. Through the surpassing power of Christ's grace, entrusted to frail human ministers, the Church is constantly reborn and each of us is given the hope of a new beginning. Let us trust in the Spirit's power to inspire conversion, to heal every wound, to overcome every division, and to inspire new life and freedom. How much we need these gifts! And how close at hand they are, particularly in the sacrament of Penance! The liberating power of this sacrament, in which our honest confession of sin is met by God's merciful word of pardon and peace, needs to be rediscovered and reappropriated by every Catholic. To a great extent, the renewal of the Church in America depends on the renewal of the practice of Penance and the growth in holiness which that sacrament both inspires and accomplishes.

"In hope we were saved!" (Rom 8:24)." As the Church in the United States gives thanks for the blessings of the past two hundred years, I invite you, your families, and every parish and religious community, to trust in the power of grace to create a future of promise for God's people in this country. I ask you, in the Lord Jesus, to set aside all division and to work with joy to prepare a way for him, in fidelity to his word and in constant conversion to his will. Above all, I urge you to continue to be a leaven of evangelical hope in American society, striving to bring the light and truth of the Gospel to the task of building an ever more just and free world for generations yet to come.

Those who have hope must live different lives! (cf. Spe Salvi, 2). By your prayers, by the witness of your faith, by the fruitfulness of your charity, may you point the way towards that vast horizon of hope which God is even now opening up to his Church, and indeed to all humanity: the vision of a world reconciled and renewed in Christ Jesus, our Savior. To him be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Read the entire homily.

I didn't see the Mass on television. Life is a bit crazy here at the Olson household at the moment, so I'm catching most everything after the fact, focusing on reading what the Pope has said. But it sounds as though there has been a lot—a lot!—of discussion about the music played at the Mass. Amy Welborn is clearly annoyed by what she heard:

The core problem with this liturgy was that it had such a heavy performance vibe to it. Commenters have called it a “review” and I think that’s apt. I don’t want to make the multiculturalism the center of any critique myself. I don’t think that’s the point. The point is that, for example, after the Holy Father intoned the Doxology at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, what happened next? A solemnly chanted “Amen” fitting in with what he had just done?

No - we get freakin’ trumpets - the same trumpets that preceded all three of the Mass parts used from the Mass of Creation.

There was a bombastic, almost frenzied sensibility, as various musical styles were pulled in, Cantor A was replaced by Cantor B and every Mass part had to be introduced by overwhelming musical stylings of someone.

I am not sure how, exactly, one could pull of a Mass in a stadium with 50,000 or so people without making it big in this sense. I don’t know if there is a bigness possible that would pull everyone present into the ritual while at the same time respecting the fact that this is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, not Talent Night At St. Hippodrome’s. Someone can, perhaps enlighten me on that score.

She writes more here. The New Liturgical Movement blog has this to say (and Fr. Z. offers commentary here):

In the name of "multiculturalism," the Pope was subjected to music more suitable to dingy dance halls than Churches. The Psalms of David were distorted to the point of ear-splitting dissonance. The congos, pan flutes, meringue rhythms, the jazz and blues and rock, the swaggering vocals, the puffed-up soloing, went beyond even the most pessimistic predictions.

And the Sacred Music for the  New Millennium blog offers an apology to the Holy Father.

The Washington Post has a rather curious piece about the music and the reaction to it; it ends with this comment about "guitar Masses":

In defense of guitar Mass, was it really so bad? It was the soundtrack of a lot of social justice efforts. The St. Louis Jesuits stuff conjures up, for many, memories of food banks and felt banners, of youth group carwashes and, more nobly, martyred nuns and priests in Central America. Maybe that was the problem for some churchgoers? The groovier music really was of its time, and came with an agenda?

"What about silence?" wonders Day, the music professor, 18 years after he wrote "Why Catholics Can't Sing."

If he has any prescriptive at all for Mass music, he says, "it would be to cool it. Pick plain, simple music. Plain, square hymns with reasonable accompaniment. And listen to silence occasionally."

Yet another reason I am thankful to be able to attend a Byzantine Catholic parish. We don't have fights about who plays guitar, or how many people should be in the orchestra. There are no instruments. And there is not place for that weird nostalgia that informs the "guitar Mass" movement (if that's the right term for it). Personally, I don't like going to Mass or Divine Liturgy and hearing '60s guitar music, or '80s drumming, or 21st-century rock licks. And one simple reason—apart from the significant theological issues involved—is that I can hear that stuff anytime and anywhere; it is the soundtrack of our culture. Going to Mass should be different because it is should be clearly distinct from cruising in the car, dancing at a wedding reception, or attending a rock concert. Okay, so I'm talking the choir; enough of that for now. I'll just leave this brief quote from then-Cardinal Ratzinger:

On the one hand, there is pop music, which is certainly no longer supported by the people in the ancient sense (populus). It is aimed at the phenomenon of the masses, is industrially produced, and ultimately has to be described as a cult of the banal. "Rock", on the other hand, is the expression of elemental passions, and at rock festivals it assumes a cultic character, a form of worship, in fact, in opposition to Christian worship. People are, so to speak, released from themselves by the experience of being part of a crowd and by the emotional shock of rhythm, noise, and special lighting effects. However, in the ecstasy of having all their defenses torn down, the participants sink, as it were, beneath the elemental force of the universe. The music of the Holy Spirit's sober inebriation seems to have little chance when self has become a prison, the mind is a shackle, and breaking out from both appears as a true promise of redemption that can be tasted at least for a few moments.

• Music and Liturgy | Joseph Ratzinger | From The Spirit of the Liturgy
• Cardinal Ratzinger on Liturgical Music | Michael J. Miller (July 2000; Homiletic & Pastoral Review)