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.

The partially finished altar for the papal Mass sits in the Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception where is will be placed after the Mass on Sept. 23.

In just over one month, media will arrive on campus eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis.

Today, TV crews in satellite trucks arrived at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to film the arrival of the altar at which the Pope will celebrate Mass.

Designed by Catholic University architecture students last spring; it was delivered by Deacon Dave Cahoon, a carpenter and deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington.

Deacon Dave and a crew moved the large piece of furniture up the east steps of the Basilica and inside the building. It is on these steps that the Pope will celebrate Mass on Sept. 23, overlooking the CUA Mall.

In the original design by the architecture students, the altar was to be made out of marble to match the interior of the Basilica. But because the altar will have to be used outdoors for the Pope’s Mass and then moved indoors, where it will remain in use in the Great Upper Church, it was decided that it should be built out of lighter materials and faux painted. Artists will apply the faux painting while the altar is inside the Basilica in order to ensure it matches the marble already in place there.

Carlos Hernandez works on the altar that will be used by Pope Francis as he celebrates Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in September.

More than two dozen reporters swarmed Carriage Hill Cabinets in Frederick, Md., Aug. 17 to get a glimpse of the altar furniture that will be used by Pope Francis in Washington, D.C., in September. The furniture was designed as part of a competition among CUA students in April. The winning designers — recent architecture graduates (pictured above, from left) Ariadne Cerritelli, Matthew Hoffman, and Joseph Taylor — patiently participated in four hours of interviews Monday afternoon while also trying to take quick breaks to talk to the builders and see their designs coming to life.

The furniture is being built by Deacon Dave Cahoon, a carpenter and ordained deacon for the Archdiocese of Washington, with assistance from Doug Fauth at Carriage Hill Cabinets. Assisting Deacon Dave — both in building the furniture and in the media event Monday — were other local craftsmen including Lawrence Wroten, who carved the papal seal onto what will become the back of the Pope’s chair, and Karen Kouneski, who is working on the mosaic that will be installed in the center arch of the altar. Deacon Dave’s employee Carlos Hernandez continued working on the altar through much of the media event.

Cerritelli and Hoffman are continuing with master’s degree studies at CUA this fall. Taylor is working for an architecture firm in Annapolis, Md.

To view stories resulting from this media event, visit In the Media.