Cardinal Rigali: Pope's visit to 'uplift' Americans

On the eve of Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in the United States, Cardinal Justin Rigali yesterday predicted that the pontiff would use his five-day visit to Washington and New York City to "encourage and uplift" the American people.

"We can expect, with this pope, a wonderful rapport with the people," Rigali told a morning news conference.

He said he did not think Benedict would directly address sensitive political issues, such as the United States' occupation of Iraq, during his stay, but instead come "to present principles," such as peace and to "proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Benedict is scheduled to arrive tomorrow evening at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where President Bush, his wife, and Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the papal nuncio to the United States, will welcome him.

The pope meets tomorrow with Bush at the White House and will meet with Catholic and other religious leaders for two days before departing Friday for New York, where he will address the United Nations.

He will celebrate a public mass at Nationals Park on Thursday and at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, after which he returns to Rome.

The visit will not take him to Philadelphia, but he is expected to acknowledge the anniversary of the creation of the Diocese of Philadelphia 200 years ago this month, along with three other dioceses.

Rigali will be among the cardinals and bishops who will accompany Benedict on his stay, the first for Benedict since he was elected pope three years ago.

Rigali remarked that he was no stranger to papal visits, since he spent many years in Rome as head of the Vatican's English-translation office and accompanied Pope John Paul II on dozens of trips to English-speaking nations.

He recalled that it was John Paul's celebrated visit to the United States in 1979 that brought him, then a monsignor, to Philadelphia for the first time.

"I never knew I would [one day] be here" as archbishop, he said.

Asked if Benedict's personality is markedly different from John Paul's, Rigali acknowledged that Benedict has a reputation as a professor but also possesses "a great deal of human warmth."

"The people themselves will judge" Benedict's pastoral manner, Rigali said, but he added that the pope is coming "as a friend and a father."