UNH Expert Says Popes Visit Has Purpose Seen As Way for Catholics to Reconnect with Faith, by Jason G. Howe, Foster's Daily Democrat, April 10, 2008

UNH Expert Says: Pope's Visit Has Purpose
Seen As Way for Catholics to Reconnect with Faith

By Jason G. Howe
Foster's Daily Democrat
April 10, 2008

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/GJNEWS_01/622960426

DURHAM — Pope Benedict XVI will visit the United States next week for the first time as pontiff in what one local scholar said is a move to "humanize" the papacy here.

Michele Dillon, a Catholic scholar and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, believes the Pope's visit — although unlikely to be met by the throngs of youths that greeted Pope John Paul II — will help American Catholics reconnect with their faith.

"Every Catholic will be listening

AP photo A U.S. flag is seen as Pope Benedict XVI is driven through the crowd during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday. The pontiff is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., and New York during his upcoming April 15-20 U.S. trip.

for some reference to their favorite issue and for affirmation of their viewpoint. Obviously, not all will be satisfied. In general, we should expect Pope Benedict to cover the core life issues from stem cells and abortion to the death penalty," Dillon said. "And New England Catholics will additionally be listening for acknowledgment of the church's failures regarding the sexual abuse of children by priests."

On that point, Dillon was surprised Benedict decided not to visit Boston, or at least the Archdiocese of Boston, she said Wednesday.

"For whatever reason, he chose not to," she said. "It's all the more important that he provide a heartfelt apology, now that he's on U.S. soil," Dillon said.

Benedict is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. on April 15 and depart on April 20. During that time, he will address masses at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., and Yankee Stadium in New York City, along with addressing the United Nations in New York.

"This is a much, much more low-key papacy than the John Paul papacy," Dillon added. "The Catholic Church has always believed it is speaking as a moral voice to all, what they call, 'people of good will,' particularly in a time with so many major issues."

Those issues include the natural environment, abortion, war, poverty, hunger and financial disparity, to name a few, she said.

"His talk at the U.N. will be a reference to moral challenges of globalizations, particularly with the great disparity between rich and poor nations," she said.

AP photo Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges the crowd during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday. The pontiff is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., and New York during his upcoming April 15-20 U.S. trip.

His visit coincides with the third anniversary of his confirmation.

It will also be key to give non-Catholics a chance to hear Benedict — who previously headed The Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith.

"The Catholic Church has long considered non-Catholics a significant audience. Given the political, economic and cultural dominance of the U.S. in global matters, Pope Benedict will especially want to underscore certain ethical tenets of human and civic society, and perhaps challenge the United States to take a stronger global leadership role in creating a more just world society," Dillon said.

Although Pope Benedict does not have the appeal to youth like the charismatic Pope John Paul II, Dillon believes there is a core group of young people, such as those who have traveled to Europe for international Catholic youth events, who will want to see him.

"Many young American Catholics today share the Vatican's views, such as on abortion — though not so much on gay rights — and many will be attracted to seeing and hearing Pope Benedict, not because of his personality, but because he is the head of the Catholic Church," she said.

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he is driven through the crowd during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican Wednesday. The pontiff is scheduled to visit Washington, D.C., and New York during his upcoming April 15-20 U.S. trip.

Dillon has written extensively on Catholicism in the United States and elsewhere, and has been especially interested in the institutional and cultural processes that enable Catholics, who selectively disagree with aspects of Catholic teaching, to remain loyal to Catholicism. She also has examined the political engagement of the Catholic Church, and of other churches and activist organizations in public moral debates in different western countries. She is the author of "Catholic Identity: Balancing Reason, Faith, and Power."

"This is a time of spring, rebirth and such," she said. "In that way, I think he's hoping this will be another new beginning for the church."