An Early Sighting of Pope Francis

Victor Nakas, left, associate vice president for public affairs, and Frank Persico, vice president for University relations and chief of staff pose with the Pope Francis cutout.

Faculty members approaching the entrance to the Great Room of the Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center last month found Pope Francis with his hand raised in greeting.

Could it be? After all, the Pope’s not supposed to be at Catholic University until Sept. 23 when he’ll say a Mass on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception overlooking the University Mall.

The professors, who were headed to the Great Room for the annual spring faculty luncheon, quickly realized that this pontiff was actually made of cardboard. While waiting to get into the Great Room, many of the professors as well as members of the University staff took turns for a photo op with Pope Francis.

The cutout sparked conversations about the Pope’s upcoming visit as well as memories of previous visits to Catholic University by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 and Pope John Paul II in 1979.

Frank Persico, vice president for University relations and chief of staff, and Victor Nakas, associate vice president for public affairs, posed with the cutout. Nakas held a small piece of black slate with the words, “#CUA loves the Pope.”

Again, as they did in 2008, Persico and Nakas are helping with the University’s preparations for the upcoming papal visit. This September will mark Persico’s third time seeing a pope at Catholic University. In 1979, he served as a volunteer usher when Pope John Paul II spoke in what is now the Edward M. Crough Center for Architectural Studies.

Among the faculty who stepped up to have their picture taken with the cutout was Shavaun Wall, professor of education, who also was present for the talks by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict. Rev. Mark Morozowich, now on sabbatical after serving as interim provost for the past academic year, and Sharon Christman, professor of music and head of the music school’s Vocal/Opera Division, also stopped by for a photo op with Pope Francis.

When it was time for William Mattison, recently named interim dean of theology and religious studies, to stand next to the cutout, he changed the message on the slate to read: “#CUA Loves Papa Francesco!” Later, he explained that he had recently returned from teaching in Rome, where most of the Pope’s followers refer to him by his Italian name.

Catholic University faculty members have fun posing with a cutout of Pope Francis.