Pope Francis Visit to Catholic University in Washington, DC, 2015 » Lisa Carroll

Encountering Pope Francis: Nelson Minnich

Lisa Carroll — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 16:41:16 +0000

Several Catholic University faculty members have personally encountered Pope Francis. Below is one in a series of stories on their encounters.

As a member of the Pontifical Committee of Historical Sciences, Nelson Minnich, professor of Church history and editor of the Catholic Historical Review, has stayed several times at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the organization holds meetings, and Pope Francis resides. “I have seen Pope Francis regularly at meals in the cafeteria there, where he serves himself at the morning and evening buffets,” Minnich says. On April 12, 2014, Minnich attended a papal audience for members of the committee. He said to the Holy Father in Italian, “May the Lord help you to continue the good work!” The Pope responded, “Let us pray!”

Minnich dedicated the centennial issue of the Catholic Historical Review to Pope Francis and sent him a personal copy with an attached letter. Pope Francis (through his secretary) responded to Minnich, saying “His Holiness assures you and your associates of a special remembrance in his prayers. It is his hope that the fine tradition of scholarship reflected in the pages of the Centennial Issue will continue to inspire your service to the Church’s growth in understanding of her rich spiritual history.”

Are you a CUA student, faculty, or staff member who has encountered Pope Francis? Would you like to share a photo and story with us? Contact us at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Press Conference Highlights Preparations for Papal Visit

Lisa Carroll — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:26:01 +0000

Cardinal Donald Wuerl addresses the media at a news conference on the University Mall.

This morning, dozens of reporters assembled on the University Mall for an inside look at the preparations that are underway for the Sept. 23 Mass on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during which Pope Francis will canonize American missionary Blessed Junípero Serra.

The reporters stood in the very spot where 25,000 people will gather in six days for the Mass. Before the press conference began, reporters got to witness staff members from the Office of Facilities Maintenance and Operations remove a light pole that stood in the way of the view of the East Portico of the Shrine.

Catholic University President John Garvey; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and University chancellor; and Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, took a brief tour of the work underway on the Shrine, including a close-up inspection of the roof and stage that will be the visual centerpiece of next week’s Mass.

During the press conference, President Garvey, Monsignor Rossi, and Cardinal Wuerl all noted the work three CUA architecture students did to design the altar furniture that will be used during the Mass.

With Cardinal Wuerl at the news conference were, from left, Chieko Noguchi, director of media and public relations for the Archdiocese of Washington; John Garvey, president of The Catholic University of America; and Monsignor Walter Rossi, rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

“We’re providing the nave for the Mass,” Garvey said. “We’re best of neighbors with the Shrine.”

Garvey noted that on Sept. 23, 500 students from CUA will serve as volunteers and that approximately 6,000 members of the University community would be in attendance.

Cardinal Wuerl said he was hopeful that the sky on Sept. 23 would look “every bit as blue” as the sky this morning.

“Can you envision a better place for this Mass?” he asked.

Wuerl also spoke a bit about the “Francis effect” during the press conference.

“He [Pope Francis] has a way of touching people,” Wuerl said. “We are finding that so many young people especially are touched by Pope Francis.”

Although Wuerl said his office has received requests from approximately 10 times more people than there are spots available at the Mass, he thanked the media present for their role in bringing the Mass to those who will not be able to attend in person.

“Because of the ability you have to reach people all over the world, there will be millions of people assisting in this Mass.”

> Watch press conference video

Members of the media form a semicircle around Cardinal Wuerl on the University Mall.

#WalkwithFrancis: Jessica Lau

Lisa Carroll — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 17:56:37 +0000

In the days leading up to Pope Francis’s visit to the United States in September, Catholic University is highlighting the work members of the CUA family are doing in the community. The #WalkwithFrancis initiative coincides with the “Share the Joy, Walk with Francis” theme for the D.C. leg of the Pope’s visit.

Below, Jessica Lau, a third-year CUA law student, reflects on the work the Columbus School of Law’s Legal Services Society does with the New Orleans Public Defender Office every year. Over the course of a week, law students assist local public defenders in meeting some of the legal needs of their most impoverished clients.

At Catholic University we are taught that there exists a path to the common good. The school encourages us to use every effort we can to work together, create new relationships, and to demand of everyone kindness, dedication, and love in order to reach the common good.

Every year in May the law school’s Legal Services Society goes to the New Orleans Public Defender Office in an attempt to bring light and hope to those who have been marginalized and branded by society as a ‘criminal.’ In a joint effort, students work with attorneys, investigators, family members, and defendants in an attempt to allow each client to experience kindness, dedication, and some sort of social justice to which they are entitled. In this week spent attempting to assist those who have been labeled as poor, undeserving, or malicious, many students come to learn the injustices of the world, but also the strength of their faith and hope in the world to change its current state. The experience of being in New Orleans is a profound and shocking experience. Moreover, it is the exact type of experience that strengthens one’s commitment to serve others, and to serve without judgment or limitation. An experience that makes one realize that if we stand for only some, we in fact stand for none.

Want to share how you #WalkwithFrancis? Send us a photo via email hidden; JavaScript is requiredor tag your submissions #WalkwithFrancis on Twitter or Instagram. If you are a member of the CUA community, please also send a few short sentences describing the type of service you do (for the Church, in the neighborhood, anywhere) and what #WalkwithFrancis means to you. We will feature some submissions on CUA’s website and social media.

The Archdiocese of Washington also has launched a #WalkwithFrancis pledge campaign, which encourages D.C.-area residents to take a pledge to follow the example of Pope Francis by serving in their community however they can. The pledges will be gathered via social media and on WalkWithFrancis.org. Thousands of the pledges will be compiled into a book that Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington and chancellor of Catholic University, will present as a gift to the Holy Father during his visit.

For more information on the archdiocese’s campaign or to make a pledge, go to WalkwithFrancis.org.

Construction Begins on Campus for Papal Visit

Lisa Carroll — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 19:31:31 +0000

The parking lot behind McMahon Hall is usually filled with cars belonging to students, faculty and staff, but over the next couple of weeks, the lot will be filled with equipment needed to prepare for Pope Francis’s Sept. 23 visit to Catholic University.

The equipment that arrived in the lot and on the east side of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception this morning provides some of the most visible signs to date of the impending changes coming to the campus.

Over the next nine days, Showcall Inc., an events production company with which Catholic University has partnered, will be on campus to build key structures for the canonization Mass of American missionary Blessed Junípero Serra. A stage and roof will be built on the east steps of the Basilica. A stage for the choir will be built nearby. A riser that will hold more than 350 members of the media will be erected near Pryzbyla Plaza between Shahan and McGivney halls. LED video walls will be installed near the stage so that the 25,000 ticketed guests will be able to see the Mass.

Showcall will set up chairs for the congregation that will assemble in the area surrounding the steps of the Basilica, including the 3.6-acre University Mall.

Stay tuned to popeindc.cua.edu for more information about preparations underway on campus.

CUA Service Day Draws Hundreds

Lisa Carroll — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:41:38 +0000

In preparation for Pope Francis’s upcoming visit, students, faculty, staff, and alumni from Catholic University participated in “Serve with Francis Day” on Sunday, Sept. 13, in the Washington, D.C., area.

President John Garvey joined students at the Franciscan Monastery on Serve with Francis Day.

Approximately 530 people spent the day serving at locations such as Carroll Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Catholic University’s community garden, Archbishop Carroll High School, and the Franciscan Monastery, where University President John Garvey helped with work in the garden.

The day of service was part of the Office of Campus Ministry’s programming tied to Pope Francis’s Sept. 23 visit to the University’s campus. Under the theme “Walk with Francis: Joy of the Gospel,” Campus Ministry is inviting members of the CUA community to “Walk with Francis” through events related to prayer, learning, and service. The events are tied to the Archdiocese of Washington’s #WalkwithFrancis initiative, which encourages D.C.-area residents to take a pledge to follow the example of Pope Francis by serving in their community however they can.

Pope Francis will celebrate Mass on Sept. 23 on the East Portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. During the Mass, Pope Francis will canonize American missionary Blessed Junípero Serra. The congregation will assemble in the area surrounding the steps of the Basilica, including the 3.6-acre University Mall.

#WalkwithFrancis: Alexis Park

Lisa Carroll — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 19:57:56 +0000

Below, Alexis Park, a first-year law student, reflects on the Columbus School of Law’s Community Service Day, which is part of Orientation Week for incoming law students. On Aug. 20, a large number of new students, current students, faculty, and staff fanned out across northeast Washington, D.C., for several hours of service and fellowship. There were opportunities for service at five local sites: St. Anthony Catholic School, Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School, the Armed Forces Retirement Home, Carroll Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and Ronald McDonald House.

One of the main reasons why I chose the Columbus School of Law is that it encourages its students to answer their callings to live lives of service to others. As a 1L student, I loved starting my law school experience with a delightful visit to the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The visit involved making thank you cards and distributing them to the residents. I was struck with the realization that service is an integral part of life. Service seamlessly entails forming relationships and being fully present with others. The experience brought me joy as I listened to the history of the establishment and bonded with fellow students over card-making. Being in a class with other individuals who desire to live for others is so uplifting. While interacting with the residents, it did not feel like I was ‘serving’ other people. As we exchanged pleasantries and stories, I felt like I made some new friends. Serving is not merely to make the world a better place. Rather, it also grounds us in that we, as human beings, are made to love and to be loved.

For more information on the archdiocese’s campaign or to make a pledge, go to WalkwithFrancis.org.

Potbelly Milkshake Sales Benefit Campus Ministry

Lisa Carroll — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 18:12:03 +0000

The Potbelly Sandwich Shop at Monroe Street Market, across the street from The Catholic University of America, is selling a special papal milkshake in preparation for Pope Francis’s visit to campus on Sept. 23.

For every “papal shake” sold at that location, 50 cents will go to benefit CUA’s Office of Campus Ministry mission trips. The milkshake will be sold until Sept. 27.

Danielle Flood, the AmeriCorps VISTA representative in Campus Ministry, says the idea for the milkshake benefit came from a similar treat being sold at Potbelly locations in Philadelphia. Campus Ministry reached out to the Potbelly at Monroe Street Market to see if they could launch something similar. Flood said the managers at that location were eager to develop a special milkshake for Catholic University.

Campus Ministry staff members were invited to Potbelly earlier this summer for a milkshake taste test. They settled on a strawberry-Oreo-flavored shake.

“This milkshake is a way to expand the papal visit to those outside the Catholic University community,” said Flood. “We wanted people from Brookland and other nearby neighborhoods to feel like they could experience a little bit of the visit in a unique way.”

Campus Ministry is also selling #WalkwithFrancis T-shirts to benefit mission trips. For more information about Campus Ministry and its mission trips, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Papal Visit Book Discussion Series

Lisa Carroll — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 19:31:03 +0000

In preparation for Pope Francis’s visit on Sept. 23, the Barnes & Noble bookstore at The Catholic University of America is hosting a Papal Visit Discussion Series. The series will be led by a variety of authors who will discuss their books and present different perspectives on topics relating to faith and understanding. Guests who attend three of the six sessions will be entered to win a prize.

Thursday, Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m.
William Mattison, associate professor of moral theology at The Catholic University of America
Introducing Moral Theology
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 6:30 p.m.
Christina Cox, founder of the National Museum of Catholic Art and Library
Catholics in Washington
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.
Andreas Widmer, director of entrepreneurship at The Catholic University of America
The Pope & The CEO
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m.
David Flynn, author
Search for the Alien God
Thursday, Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m.
Patricia Daly-Lipe, author
Patriot Priest
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 6:00 p.m.
Paul Dykewicz, author and writer
Holy Smokes! Golden Guidance from Notre Dame’s Championship Chaplain

For more information check out the CUA B&N Facebook page under Events: https://www.facebook.com/BNatCUA/events?key=events.

Meters Removed in Preparation for Papal Visit

Lisa Carroll — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 18:36:30 +0000

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, several parking meters were removed from the lot between the University Mall and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The meters were removed for appearance and safety reasons in anticipation of Pope Francis’s Sept. 23 visit to campus. That day, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass on the East Portico of the Basilica. During the Mass, Pope Francis will canonize American missionary Blessed Junípero Serra.

New parking meters will be installed after the visit.

Campus Ministry Invites CUA to #WalkwithFrancis

Lisa Carroll — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 16:45:38 +0000

In preparation for Pope Francis’s Sept. 23 visit to campus, Catholic University’s Office of Campus Ministry will hosts a series of events with the theme “Walk with Francis: Joy of the Gospel.” Campus Ministry is inviting members of the CUA community to “Walk with Francis” through events related to prayer, learning, and service.

The events are tied to the Archdiocese of Washington’s #WalkwithFrancis initiative, which encourages D.C.-area residents to take a pledge to follow the example of Pope Francis by serving in their community however they can.

Below are details about the events.

Pray

Tuesday, Sept. 8
8 p.m., The House, Caldwell Hall
House Mass with veneration of a relic of Blessed Junípero Serra
The veneration of a relic is an act of faith that honors the memory of the saint whose intercession is implored.

Tuesday, Sept. 15
5:10 p.m., Caldwell Chapel
Our Lady of Sorrows Mass
This Mass will be offered in Spanish and will include veneration of a relic of Junípero Serra.

Tuesday, Sept. 22
5:10 p.m., Caldwell Chapel
Votive Mass for Our Lady of Mercy
This Mass will be offered in Spanish and will include veneration of a relic of Junípero Serra.

Throughout September
University Prayer Cards
Before Pope Francis’s visit, Campus Ministry will distribute University Pope Francis prayer cards. The Pope Francis Five Finger Prayer serves as a guide for personal prayer before the visit.

Learn

Saturday, Sept. 12
7 p.m., Hartke Theatre
“Joy of Loving” multimedia dance-drama
In this performance, Nrityalaya, a traditional Indian dance company, will showcase Mother Teresa’s legacy of love and compassion for the needy, mercy to the “poorest of the poor,” and devotion to education. Tickets are required.

Wednesday, Sept. 16
10 p.m., The Cellar, Caldwell Hall
Pope Trivia Night
Students will be quizzed about how much they know about Pope Francis. Free food will be available at the event.

Thursday, Sept. 17
3:45 p.m., Monsignor Stephen P. Happel Room, Caldwell Hall
Junípero Serra: Apostle of California
Rev. John T. Ford, C.S.C., professor and coordinator of Hispanic and Latino programs in the School of Theology and Religious Studies, will discuss Serra’s life and the founding of California missions.

Thursday, Sept. 17
5 p.m., Caldwell Auditorium
Follow Francis’s Footsteps: The Pope’s Guide to Modern Life
Faculty from Catholic University will address questions about Pope Francis and the Catholic Church, exploring topics such as poverty, peace, theology, and encyclicals.

Sunday, Sept. 20
6:30 p.m., St. Vincent’s Chapel
Documentary and Discussion: The Francis Effect
Followed by Mass
Rev. Thomas M. Rosica, C.S.B., CEO of Canada’s Catholic TV channel Salt + Light, and Sebastian Gomes, producer for Salt + Light, will lead a discussion and share their documentary The Francis Effect, which takes a critical and in-depth look at how an ancient institution is rapidly changing under the leadership and vision of Pope Francis. Father Rosica will preach at the Mass that will take place at 9 p.m. in St. Vincent’s Chapel.

Serve

Sunday, Sept. 13
9 a.m., Caldwell Auditorium
Serve with Francis Day
This day provides an opportunity for members of the CUA community to serve at sites throughout Brookland and other D.C. neighborhoods. More information can be found here.

Throughout September
Service Opportunities
There are several opportunities throughout September for students to participate in weekly service events. A full listing of service opportunities can be found here.

Throughout September
Office of Campus Ministry, Caldwell Hall
#WalkwithFrancis T-Shirts
Campus Ministry will be selling Walk with Francis T-shirts to commemorate Pope Francis’s upcoming visit to Catholic University, and to raise money to help support CUA’s mission trips.