Two of my favorite things. . .

. . . Pope Benedict XVI and New York City!

Arriving at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The Pope, NYC, St. Patrick's Cathedral. . . sigh. Awesome.

One of my favorite moments in New York was going to mass at St. Patrick's (on the feast of St. John, for extra awesomeness value). It wasn't planned. We didn't know the mass times, we were just there sightseeing, and then all of a sudden, I heard the announcement for the start of mass and I pushed my way back through the crowds like a madwoman to the guy at the rope letting people in for mass. He was all Mr. Stern-faced, sick of tourists: "You can only go in if you're staying for mass," and I was like, "Dude! I'm totally staying for mass, this is amazing! Squeeeee!!!1 I can't believe I'm here doing this! asldkfjadkdjs;lfdjafldssjfa!" Mass was reverent and beautiful, but it was totally weird that while we were there celebrating the Eucharist all these people were going around the side altars of the church sightseeing and flashing pictures. It was beautiful and bizarre at the same time.

Speaking of beauty. . .

The Pope saying mass at St. Patrick's.

My Pope and my country! Woo hoo!


The spires of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral are dwarfed by the skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline, yet in the heart of this busy metropolis, they are a vivid reminder of the constant yearning of the human spirit to rise to God.
(from The Pope's homily at the St. Patrick's Cathedral mass, April 19, 2008)