Did I hear that right?

When I overheard this conversation last week on the shuttle to my building from the Metro, I almost couldn't believe my ears. I didn't think people actually talked like this outside the movies. But apparently somebody does.

Here are the snippets of the phone conversation. The names won't really make much sense because I wasn't actually taking notes. I typed this up when I got to my computer at work. It was just too priceless not to record. But it's what I overheard as another passenger, a young professional black man, was talking on his cell phone one morning.

So Storm and Quick are at the girl’s crib. They bounce from the crib to go to the store. To the PNC to localize it for ye.
Then Quick’s cell phone rings but he duzn’t hear anybody talkin’. It sounds like scuffling, like muffled movement. And then he hears this girl’s voice saying, ‘they’re fightin.’
So they bounce from the store and head back to his crib. They go up to the dude’s crib, up to his apartment. And there’s big guy on top of Quick….beatin’ him. So of course he jumps in ‘cause that’s his people.

They break it up or whatever and a course the police are called. And this dude’s arrested and charged with assault and robbery and sumthin else.

But it turns out that this dude was fightin’ with his girl and the fight got physical. Then she left the crib to go to this dude’s and then Quick followed her and kicked in the dude’s door. So the big dude was just defending his crib. This guy kicked down his door!

So it’s just ridiculous.

Still processing

So, it's been a week since the pope returned to Rome from his U.S. pilgrimage. And I had hoped by this time to post some thoughts/reflections/observations gleaned from personal experience and, especially, the pope's various public addresses. But I have to confess I'm still processing much of that.

I will say that I agree with the responses of many commentators who've said that Americans now feel like we've really gotten to know this pope. Prior to this visit, we knew him as he was portrayed in the media prior to his election as pope -- as the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog. Rather a gruff, unyielding caricature. And then, upon his ascendancy to the chair of Peter, we learned that this eminent theological scholar is actually quite shy. I remember noticing his stiffness and reserved manner in the early days of his pontificate.

But what I saw during his six-day trip to the U.S. was the gradual growth of a smile. I don't think I'd ever seen a real, genuine smile cross his face in any other public appearance....it always looked like this forced grin plastered on his face for the sake of manners and the cameras.

But during this trip, it warmed my heart to see him genuinely, warmly smiling on a number of occasions -- most involving greeting the general public. If there's one image that sticks in my mind, that's it.

Like I said, I'm still digesting the bulk of his speeches, but here are some one-liners, as it were, that have stuck out so far:

"Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted." (address to U.S. bishops, I believe)

"Those who have hope must live different lives." (homily, Nationals Park Mass)

"What is God whispering to you?" (address to seminarians and young people, NY)

More pope photos/resources

Because I'm very proud of the work done by my colleagues, check out the Catholic Herald's Web site for more photos of the pope's time in D.C.:

www.catholicherald.com

Click on the "more photos" link on the right to see more shots. (Disclaimer: the "more photos" site is hosted by a third party; the Diocese of Arlington is NOT responsible for the advertising on that site.)

Also, if anyone's interested in reading some of what the pope said this week, check out the Vatican's Web site for the trip for texts in English.

everybody wants to see the pope

Opening of Papal Liturgy

The popemobile cometh!

Pictures from Nationals Park Mass

I'm breaking my rule about blogging from work.

But check out my photos from yesterday:

www.flickr.com/stephaniekatherine

Make sure to click to the second page. I'm still working on getting the video up.

Mass with the pope

Suffice it to say, the Mass this morning at Nationals Park in Washington was glorious.

The weather was picture perfect for the third day in a row (This has to be some kind of record for the D.C. area....I seriously want to know who the Archbishop of Washington had on his team praying for the weather this week....must have been the Poor Clares or something). The ballpark was in fact an outdoor cathedral...that wasn't just some analogy coined by the media. It was indeed a very prayerful atmosphere. The liturgy itself was simply beautiful -- flawless -- not a glitch to be seen.

I got some pretty good photos of the altar, a few shots of the popemobile on its ride around the stadium, and some video. But those are currently still on my colleague's camera.

And besides, this is about all you're gonna get out of me tonight. I was up at 4 a.m. to make it to the stadium. So further commentary and, hopefully, some pictures, will have to wait till the weekend.

The pope's words

It's been said all week by Catholic commentators leading up to the pope's visit -- this pope is a pope of words. John Paul II was very much a pope of gesture -- camera ready and very hard to misinterpret. Benedict XVI, however, is at heart a teacher -- not quite as readily translatable in our multimedia world, but badly needed nonetheless.

I'm reading his most recent encyclical, "Spe Salvi" (On Christian Hope) as I type. I meant to read it before he arrived, but I was a little busy getting ready for his arrival. But I'm also trying to listen closely to his speeches, and find the text to read again later. All in an effort to really hear his message.

There was a passage in his remarks at the White House this morning that I really liked:

Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience – almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good (cf. Spe Salvi, 24). Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows, time and again, that “in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation”, and a democracy without values can lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46). Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent “indispensable supports” of political prosperity.
The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26-27).

--Source: USCCB

I've bolded the phrases I found particularly profound. I especially like the phrase -- "in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation," and a democracy without values can lose its very soul. It's a quote and paraphrase of the writings of John Paul II, but the words were particularly apt in that they were spoken this morning in the shadow of the White House and a presidential campaign.

I was also struck by the idea of "building a world ever more worthy of the human person." Wow. What dignity we have as human beings that the world must be made worthy of us by virtue of our sharing in the image of God.

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Well, D.C. rolled out the red carpet for the pope today, right down to the absolutely PERFECT weather (I'm serious, it really doesn't get any better than it was today) and the pothole-free popemobile route from the White House to the Vatican embassy (that's one way to get the D.C. streets fixed.)

The pope started his day with an adorable serenade of "Happy Birthday," in German no less, by a group of Catholic school students who were camped out across the road from the embassy's front door. To I think everyone's surprise (given the EXTREME security around him), the pope walked over to the group before getting in his car to thank them and shake some hands. I think he's been grinning from ear to ear all day.

At the White House, Papa B was treated to a beautiful rendition of the "Our Father" sung by opera star Kathleen Battle, and the President's Own along with their chorus offered a rousing "Battle Hymn of the Republic." The South Lawn of the White House was supposedly packed with about 9,000 people, all of whom spontaneously broke into yet another round of "Happy Birthday." It was clear that President Bush's speechwriters had done their homework as the president mentioned the need to fight against "the dictatorship of relativism" -- not only a key theme of this pope, but a quintesential phrase of Pope Benedict. The pope's remarks centered on the real meaning of freedom...full of lots of food for thought. (See related post.)

After the White House meeting, which I found out late today included a birthday cake and more singing, the popemobile made its first appearance. The streets were lined with people, but it looked like they were driving a little faster than most of us are used to seeing the popemobile move. In essence, it looked like a whole lot of people waited a long time this morning for all of about a 10-second glimpse.

This afternoon was the pope's meeting with the U.S. bishops at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Incidentally, if you've never been there, go. It's on the level of St. Peter's in size and grandeur. Anyway, I didn't expect his address to be televised, but was pleasantly surprised to find his face on the TV when I got home tonight. He addressed just about every major issue on the table -- clergy sex abuse crisis, immigration, combatting secularism and relativism, vocations, etc. At the end of his address, he even took questions -- albeit prepared questions that he had corresponding prepared answers to (I think he's chosen to stick to prepared texts in an effort to avoid misinterpretation of off-the-cuff remarks in the media).

But what struck me tonight was how happy he looked. Toward the end of the meeting, it looked like age and jetlag were taking a bit of a toll, but he was so clearly enjoying himself! He seemed to have a decided spring in his step as he was leaving the shrine and heading back to the car.

So tomorrow's the BIG day! Mass for 45,000 people in Nationals Park. I'll be up at an ungodly hour tomorrow morning to be sure I get to the stadium and make it through security in plenty of time. The weather's supposed to be postcard perfect again...a bit warmer than today. I've been tasked with trying to find local folks to interview since our reporters are confined to their assigned media places on the field. As part of that I'll have a digital camera with me, so I'll hopefully have some pictures to post!

Welcome, Pope Benedict!

The pope is here! The pope is here!

After months of anticipation, Pope Benedict XVI arrived today at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland 10 minutes ahead of schedule. And he stepped off the plane to be greeted not just by President Bush, Laura Bush and Jenna Bush, but clear blue skies, bright sunshine and a bit of a breeze. First time the weather's broken in the D.C. area in weeks!

We watched the papal arrival on TV in the office while trying to get this week's issue of the paper off to the printer. Granted, the TV was one of those rabbit-ear, black and white sets that won't work come next February, but the reception was better than what we were all able to get over our Internet connections.

It still strikes me to see the pope bounding down the stairs of an airplane and strolling across the tarmac. I'm too young to remember much of John Paul II's younger days. It just amazes me the energy this 80 (soon to be 81)-year-old has.

Anyway, the pope's safely tucked away at the Vatican embassy in D.C. and tomorrow starts the whirlwind of activity. I'm packing my patience for the Metro ride, and hoping to get to bed early tomorrow night ahead of the Mass at the stadium!

I'll keep you posted!

Pope Benedict XVI in the U.S.

As mentioned below, the pope is coming! He arrives in Washington Tuesday afternoon and will be here until early Friday morning. I'm not one of the credentialed media that will be traipsing around after the pontiff this week, but I work with two ladies who will be part of the pack. And, yes, I am one of the blessed 45,000 who has a ticket to the Mass at Nationals Park, so you can look forward to reading some firsthand accounts in this space.

If anyone's looking for some up-to-the-minute Catholic commentary on the visit, here are two good sites:

pope2008.com (blog maintained by the National Catholic Register)
American Papist (see the link on the right)

There's enough punditry and polls in the mainstream media right now to satisfy anyone's appetite for analysis of what this visit by the Holy Father may mean for American Catholics. Suffice it to say that most of what I've read of the pre-visit press has been decidedly negative -- Catholics don't agree with the pope; the Church in America is still reeling from the sex abuse scandal of 2002; young people are going to send the Church back to the 1950s, etc. Yes, we're a fiercely independent bunch, and yes, there are lots of us in this country that struggle with the demands of what the Church -- and therefore Christ -- asks of us. But I'm a little more hopeful than all that.

There's a lot of good going on in the Church now. I'm excited by what I see among my peers. It's about time we start living like Catholics, and stop being ashamed of what sets us apart. Our 2,000 years of tradition have a lot to offer a world that's lost its sense of the divine. Other groups with much louder voices, larger bully pulpits and deadlier strategies are flooding the airwaves and the culture with messages of hate, relativity and intolerance.

The world needs the message of hope that can only be brought by the truth of Jesus Christ. The truth that the Catholic Church has taught for centuries -- we have a God who loves us infinitely and desires only that we love him back, by obeying his laws and loving him in the people we see around us.

That, and nothing more, is what I expect to hear from Pope Benedict this week.

Daily giggle

I forgot to post about this last week. Here's a funny sight from the wilds of the D.C. area roadways.

I was stuck in traffic on I-66 westbound on a Friday night on my way out to my parents' house. We were at a crawl, as usual on that particular stretch. I was behind a white, older model pickup truck plastered on its back window and part of the tailgate with all manner of hunting stickers, fishing stickers and an assortment of "support the troops" ribbons.

Underneath the license plate and wedged on top of the hitch area was what looked like a 12-inch tall stuffed deer, positioned to look like it was sitting up. Can you say country boy? But wait, it gets better.

I didn't notice it at first, but every time the driver hit the brakes, something happened to the deer. It took a few times for me to really see it. The deer waved at me every time the driver applied the brakes. This deer was waving at me in traffic! One little front leg was flapping around in the air! I looked again, and a spot on its belly lit up, too, when the brakes went on...lit up bright red.

Every time the guy hit his brakes.

And who said Prince William County was becoming suburbanized...just an extension of the Fairfax County sprawl?

Not when there's those kind of people driving around on our roads! :)

The things you miss while on the subway train

I discovered today that you can miss a lot of what's going on in the world while you're on the subway train, riding the rails beneath the city.

No, I don't care about the latest disaster involving Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton. Or which primetime TV show has been shelved because of the writer's strike.

This morning, while on the Metro getting to work, I missed the news that Joe Gibbs was retiring from coaching...from his second tour as the head coach and all-around class act of the highest magnitude of the Washington Redskins.

Joe Gibbs was the coach of my hometown's football team almost my entire life (he only missed a year or so) up until his first retirement. And I remember the sadness then that the region had at his departure. I also remember the excruciatingly painful seasons that followed as the team floundered. And I remember the euphoria that accompanied the legendary coach's return.

And, today, when I walked into my office and the first words anyone said to me were, "Joe Gibbs resigned." This was coming from a rabid Redskins fan in my office. I thought she was pulling my leg. But, alas, she wasn't. She insisted that the Redskins was one subject she wouldn't dream of joking about.

And so it's true. Once again Washington bids farewell to its favorite coach -- a man you can't help but respect, the dictionary definition of a class act.

I'm glad to see him setting an example for what's really important in life. But I won't lie and say that the start of the season next fall won't be bittersweet.

The miracle of democracy

...or the miracle of the American republic if you want to get especially precise with the terminology.

Tonight, as I type in fact, thousands of Iowans are trekking through the snow and cold that is their winter habitat to divide themselves in groups in school libraries, gymnasiums, community centers, etc., to declare their allegiance to one man or woman whom they believe should have the opportunity to become the next president of the United States.

At the start of its election cycle, the world's only remaining superpower, the wealthiest nation in the world, calls the citizens of one state to stand up for their candidate, in front of their neighbors, family members and perfect strangers. The rest of us, or at least the 20-some percent of us who choose to participate in the primary election process, will get our chances to caucus or vote by secret electronic ballot over the next few months.

I love watching politics and government work. As a reporter, I had ring-side seats to two full sessions and one special session of the Maryland General Assembly, arguably one of the most colorful political bodies in the country. Local government I could take or leave. But state and national politics are simply fascinating. Granted, the making of laws and sausages are still two things I don't think anyone should be forced to watch.

And I am weary already of the relentless media coverage of the horse race --- all sound and fury signifying nothing --- and the thought of another 10 months of that is rather nauseating.

But election night never fails to get me.

Right now, thousands of Kenyans are fleeing for their lives because accusations of a stolen election there have erupted into ethnic conflict.

In Iraq a few years back, Iraqis risked death by heading to the polls. Their political leaders still live in fear of assassination.

And in North Korea, Cuba, Myanmar and other countries around the world, the people don't have a voice.

We do. It is a horrible shame that more of us don't exercise this right of our citizenship. And, yes, our political system has its faults. (I still don't see the point of the electoral college, but I'll save that post for later this year. And don't get me started on the amount of money it takes these days to run a successful campaign.)

But when it comes down to it, for 219 years, we've elected the new leader of our country without bloodshed or national uprisings or the outbreak of civil war. And even with an election cycle as unpredictable as this one (the tightest primary race in recent memory), we're not worried about violence or turmoil.

No matter which party you belong to, or what you think of this nation's political, moral or ethical stance, that's something to be proud of.

Good luck, Iowa! And God bless us, everyone.

Little Things #2

It's been kinda rainy and grey around here the last week or so. That's a good thing -- we need the rain. But you do get to missing the sunshine.

This afternoon I walked out of my office to get a sandwich for lunch, and was struck by a wonderful smell -- the smell of fall.

The fog from this morning had burned off, and while it was still a little overcast, the sun was trying to peak through. There were scattered patches of baby blue sky visible. And the trees -- at their peak for the last week or so with brilliant oranges, reds, golden yellows, rusts, plums and cinnamons -- were striking.

It was that combination of a little dampness and a lot of dry, decaying leaves that hit my nose and triggered a wonderful feeling. I was briefly reminded of all the years of jumping in the leaf pile at the bottom of the hill in our backyard when I was a kid after my dad had finally raked them all up, and before he hauled them into the woods.

The little things in life

I often find myself marveling at the joy that the little things in life bring. I can't tell you how many times I've been sitting around a table laughing at something that seems so silly, but the fact is, it really is the little things sometimes that bring a smile to our faces.

The latest one was this morning. It was raining a little, and typical of D.C. traffic, things were backed up. But I was marveling at the difference made by my new (as of last Saturday) windshield wipers on my car. After driving home Friday night in the rain, and noticing then that I probably needed to replace my wipers, it was wonderful this morning to have a crystal clear windshield!

Silly, I know. But it made me happy.

What are some of your "little things"?

A redeemed life

On my trainride in the mornings, I try to pray Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours (the Liturgy of the Hours is a prayer -- required of all Catholic priests and religious brothers and sisters, but perfectly recommended for regular folks, too -- that consists of excerpts from the Psalms, readings from the Bible and prayers of intercession).

The other morning, I was struck by a line in one of the Psalms, and it connected a whole bunch of other thoughts. The line was : "all the earth has seen the salvation by our God." The "salvation" the "earth has seen" is the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. And as Christians, we are baptized into Christ's saving death and rise again into new life as members of his body, the church. That's a free gift from God...a totally gratuitous gift. How different would the world be if we all really lived that reality? As people who have been redeemed?

I've been meditating a lot lately about baptism, mostly because it's come up in discussions in two Bible studies I'm participating in. At my parish, St. Mary's, there's a small group of young adults who are studying the First Letter of St. John. In that letter, the writer is encouraging the early Christians to live lives that are worthy of their baptism -- to love one another. I'm also part of an online study with a small group of fellow FUS grads. We've been reading St. Paul's letters to the Philippians and Colossians. This past week, we were just talking about how Colossians is like a mini-catechism, and for the people it was addressed to, it was speaking of a way of life that was still very new to them.

But there are a couple of places in that letter where St. Paul urges them to live lives worthy of the call they've received, to live like they have been raised with Christ.

What would that really look like if we took those words seriously? That was a really convicting thought.

We'd pay more attention to our fellow men

We'd be more generous with our money, time and talent

We wouldn't be so concerned with the next fad, or the bigger car, or with acquiring things

What would the world be like if we only recognized and truly lived God's gratuitous gift?

My life on the train

As life has dictated it, I am currently working about 40 miles away from home in Arlington, Va. If I were to actually drive to work, it'd probably be more miles than that considering the distance is 40 miles if you go straight through D.C.

But I'm not that crazy. I take the Metro and instead of gnashing my teeth in traffic and wasting expensive gasoline, I grab a seat for a 40-minute train ride, read my morning Washington Post, and gnash my teeth at delayed trains and PA systems that sometimes work.

It's not the ideal situation, but I love Annapolis too much to move, and, believe it or not, the traffic is still better east of D.C. than south of it in my native Northern Virginia. So, you do what you have to to keep body and soul together. And, besides, a trip on the Metro can actually be kind of entertaining.

Here's a sampling of some of the sights, sounds, and thoughts (real or imagined) of a typical morning on the train:

Finally, here's the train. Running 10 minutes behind this morning.
Hurry, get a window seat on the shady side of the car.
First station, Landover.
Clickety clack screek.
Let's see, what's going on in the world today.
Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise.
(muffled strains of some offensive rap song emanate from the earbuds of the passenger standing in the aisle four feet from me.)
Doors opening.
Geez, full train this morning. Guess I'll have to stand. Doors closing.
Clickety clack screek.
(A handful of other stops ensue, people cram into the car, including rowdy teenagers headed to some charter school or magnet program somewhere...they've got a long ride from southeast D.C. to who knows where in northwest.)
Next stop, Stadium Armory.
Hey, where you at? Huh? Wha'? I'm on the train. Hello? Hello?
Ah, what a beautiful morning. Pretty clear day, you can actually see the National Shrine over that hill behind the Pepco plant, and over there in the distance is the National Cathedral.
Attention customers. We'll be moving momentarily. There's a blue line train crossing in front of us.
And there's the Capitol dome and the Washington Monument. I love Washington!
(More stops)
Next stop L'Enfant Plaza.
(loud laughter) Stop it, man!
Why do those kids have to be so loud?
Hmmm....Maryland lost again.
What's at the movies this weekend?
Next stop, Metro Center.
Doors opening. Customers on the platform, please stand back and allow customers to exit before boarding the train.
Excuse me! Coming through! Excuse me!
Doors closing. Please stand clear of the doors.
Ouch! (as a woman's purse and elbow get caught in the car doors that do not bounce back like garage or elevator doors)
Hi, Trish? Hi, it's Chris. Would you tell Dan I'm on my way? The train's late; I'm still on the Metro. Thanks. (must be nice to have cell service underground.)
McPherson Square, doors opening on the right.
Ahhhh, room to breathe. (McPherson Square is one of the two major stops for federal and D.C. gov't. employees)
Clickety clack screek.
(more stops)
Next stop, Rosslyn, first station in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(It's generally pretty quiet through the rest of the ride)
Next stop, Ballston-Marymount University.
Excuse me, stand to the right please. (Why don't people get the whole stand to the right, walk to the left thing on escalators?)
Why didn't that lady have her fare card ready? She had 50-some feet to get it in her hand!
(Passengers exiting dodge passengers sprinting to catch the next inbound train, which is already packed.)
(Finally make it to street level...these days it always seems colder here than it was in New Carrollton.)