IN THEORY:

Pope Benedict XVI recently visited the U.S. on a six-day pilgrimage to address difficult issues, including controversial ones such as immigration. How do you think he did?

?

Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit will have a lasting impact. The Holy Father spoke with gentleness and love, bringing to us a message of “Christ Our Hope.” He is aware of our nation’s many challenges, and his addresses looked at both problems and solutions.

When he was elected Successor to Peter three years ago, he held general audiences in the Vatican who saw swelling numbers of pilgrims in attendance. It quickly became evident that people came to see Pope John Paul II, but to listen to Benedict. (This shows that everyone is given different gifts.)

The record number of people who attended the events in Washington D.C. and New York were not disappointed. They found a man without bells and whistles who does not desire to draw others to himself but to Christ.

As he said during his April 30 audience, “To this Church [in the U.S.], which now faces the challenges of the present, I have had the joy of announcing anew ‘Christ Our Hope’ of yesterday, today and forever.”

Father Stephen Doktorczyk

St. Joachim Church

Costa Mesa

?

Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the Holocaust survivor who leads the synagogue, greeted Benedict. Schneier, 78, lost his family in the Nazis’ Auschwitz. Schneier has headed the synagogue since 1962.

Monsignor Malloy characterized the pope’s appearance thusly: “By this visit...His Holiness wishes to express his goodwill toward the Jewish community.”

This is the pope’s second visit to a synagogue as pontiff. On his initial papal trip abroad, in August 2005, Benedict visited a synagogue in Cologne, Germany.

What we have here is a Charles Dickens novel, “A Tale of Two Cities.” The two cities in contrast are not London and Paris, but a city in Germany and a city in America. Unlike the Dickens novel, which portrayed two men, Charles Darnay and Sidney Carlton, here is one man. The pope has been transformed from his days growing up exposed to the Hitler Youth Movement to become the most powerful man in the religious world. I take great pride in that the world of his youth has now blossomed into a better age in his old age. His trip to America was a good one.

Rabbi Marc Rubenstein

Temple Isaiah

Newport Beach

?

The pope has always held an air of super-human status to me; in his visit, however, he demonstrated a humanity that makes me feel more connected to him.

He acknowledged the pain and outrage of the controversy over pedophilia and the church, publicly denounced it, and reassured us of his stance to protect the people. He complimented our founding principles that allowed a pluralistic society to exist, encouraging us to continue inter-religious dialogue. He even mentioned his upbringing in Nazi Germany, further humanizing his own journey and bridging connections in a raw and agonizing memory for the world.

I am thankful the pope addressed the president in regards to immigration and his desire to see an end to the violence in the Middle East and Africa.

I think the pope’s visit was one of hope. I hope we listen to his Christian call for unity in the face of political and religious divisiveness and work toward a world where each human is respected, safe and free.

Rev. Sarah Halverson

Fairview Community Church