Quad Citians Plan Journeys to See Pope during U.S. Visit, by Reggie Jarrell, Quad-Cities Online, April 15, 2008

Quad-Citians Plan Journeys to See Pope during U.S. Visit

By Reggie Jarrell
Quad-Cities Online
April 15, 2008

http://qconline.com/archives/qco/display.php?id=382766

Several Quad-Citians are traveling to the East Coast this week to see Pope Benedict XVI, anticipating encouraging words and personal spiritual growth during the six-day visit to the United States by the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Most Rev. Martin Amos, bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, will travel to Washington, D.C., with hopes that the papal visit revitalizes the nation's spirit.

Dr. Clement P. Cunningham sits inside his Rock Island home on Monday, April 14. Behind him is "Mother of the Church," a glass mosaic designed and executed by Sister M. Guala O'Connor. Dr. Cunningham is leaving for New York on Wednesday, April 16, to see Pope Benedict XVI during his first visit as Pope to the United States. More photos from this shoot
Photo by Robert Leistra

"He's not coming as the head of the Vatican, but as a pastor of our universal church," said Bishop Amos. "He's coming as the pastor, a shepherd to bring the Gospel to his flock."

The bishop expects "hope, faith, charity and love" to be among Pope Benedict's major themes, and he finds being in his presence an "awesome" experience with a certain "electricity." He has formerly met the pope and will be present Wednesday when the pontiff meets with bishops from across the country.

Dr. Clement Cunningham, Rock Island, also will travel to New York City this week for the papal visit. Over several decades, Dr. Cunningham has taken about 3,000 photographs of pontiffs, starting as a volunteer photographer for The Catholic Post newspaper of the Diocese of Peoria. Starting with Pope Pius XII in the 1950s, he also has met several popes.

Dr. Clement Cunningham of Rock Island has met a number of popes, including Pope John Paul II, who he is pictured here meeting with in March of 2004 inside the Vatican.

"We are looking forward to this," he said. "I think it's a program not just for Catholics, but for everybody."

The size and diversity of the pope's audience will make his message "worthwhile" for all, Dr. Cunningham said. He expects the pope to address sexual abuse and procedures that have been put in place to deter it.

Kevin and Maggie Schoonmaker, Moline, will take their five children to Washington, D.C., as a family pilgrimage to a "grace-filled" opportunity.

"This means a chance to share the excitement of the Gospel being spread around the country," said Ms. Schoonmaker.

The family began planning the trip before Christmas when they first learned of the pope's visit.

"There's a lot to do, and a lot to learn about our faith and our country," Ms. Schoonmaker said. "It's a once in a lifetime kind of experience."

Dr. Clement Cunningham of Rock Island has met a number of Popes, including Pope Paul VI who he is pictured here meeting with on November 25, 1964 inside the Vatican.

Along with personal growth, Ms. Schoonmaker looks forward to bringing something back.

"Hopefully we will get a good boost for our faith and bring it back and share it with everybody," she said. "The excitement, the blessings — to bring that back to the Quad Cities."

Heather Smith, Waterloo, would like to see the pope also meet with a cross section of abuse victims. Smith co-founded the Northeast Iowa chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

"There are still significant issues with cover-up, healing, responsibility, accountability and publicly naming pedophile priests," she said. "These are issues that definitely need to be addressed."