SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR POPE BENEDICT’S US TOUR

Schedule of Activities

Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI

to the United States – April 15-20, 2008

April 15

4:00 p.m. – Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base

Pope Benedict XVI arrives at Andrews Air Force Base. He is greeted by President George Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush.

April 16

Pope Benedict XVI’s 81st Birthday

* 10:30 a.m. – Arrival of Pope Benedict XVI and South Lawn activities

* 11:15 a.m. – Pope Benedict XVI and President Bush meet for 45 minutes in private in the Oval Office

* 12:00 noon – Departure via popemobile – route to be determined

* 5:15 p.m. – Parade to the Basilica – Start location to be determined. At end of route, popemobile travels the circle in front of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

* 5:20 p.m. – Arrival at Basilica

* 5:30 p.m. – Vespers in the Crypt with the bishops of the United States.

* 6:00 p.m. – Address to the bishops by Pope Benedict XVI.

* 7:00 p.m. – Program ends.

April 17

10:00 a.m. – Mass at Nationals Park

The Pope will celebrate Mass at the new Nationals Park in Washington. This will be the first non-baseball event in the park, which opened March 31.

* 6:00 a.m. – Gates open; pre-Mass program begins

* 6:30 a.m. – Confessionals open

* 8:30 a.m. – The procession of clergy begins

* 9:30 a.m. – The Pope arrives at the stadium

* 9:35 a.m. – The Pope travels around the track inside the stadium in the popemobile

* 10:00 a.m. – Mass begins

* 12:00 noon – Mass ends; concession stands open

* 2:00 p.m. – All concession stands close

* 5 p.m. – Address to Catholic Educators at The Catholic University of America (CUA). Arrival and welcome via motorcade at east side of Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center.

* 5:15 p.m. – Pope Benedict XVI enters the hall.

* 6:15 p.m. – Departure – The Pope will enter the popemobile on the east (lower) side of the Przbyla Center and move through the campus of the Catholic University of America.

* 6:30 p.m. – Interreligious Gathering at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. Pope Benedict XVI will give an address.

April 18

* 8:30-10:00 a.m. – Movement to New York City

* 8:30 a.m. – Departure from Andrews Air Force Base.

* 9:45 a.m. – Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport (Diocese of Brooklyn). Cardinal Edward M. Egan, archbishop of New York and Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio, bishop of Brooklyn will welcome Pope Benedict. Two school children will present flowers to the Pope: Kaitlin Karcher, eighth-grader at Our Lady of Grace School, Gravesend, Brooklyn and Christopher Jordan, fifth-grader at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy, Ozone Park, Queens.

Dignitaries: Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See’s permanent observer to the United Nations; Bishop William F. Murphy, bishop of Rockville Centre

* Bishop Gregory John Mansour, eparch of Saint Maron of Brooklyn for Maronites; Bishop Manuel Batakian, eparch of Our Lady of Nareg in New York for Armenian Catholics; Bishop Thomas V. Daily, bishop emeritus of Brooklyn

* State and local government representatives

* 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Address to the United Nations at the United Nations

* 10:00 a.m. – Helicopter flight from JFK to Wall Street heliport in Manhattan

* 10:30 a.m. – Motorcade from heliport to United Nations headquarters

* 10:45 a.m. – Address to the United Nations

* 1:45 a.m. – Motorcade from the United Nations to the Residence of the Permanent Observer to the United Nations

Park East Synagogue

Pope arrives: 5 p.m.

* 6:00 p.m. – Ecumenical Prayer Service – Saint Joseph Parish: Saint Joseph Parish, 404 E. 87th Street, Yorkville, was founded in 1873 to meet the needs of German immigrants. The parish grew out of a community worshiping in the chapel of Saint Joseph’s Orphanage, established on the Upper East Side.

* 6:00 p.m. Greeting by Cardinal Edward M. Egan and Msgr. John Sullivan, administrator of Saint Joseph Parish. Inside an audience of 250 Protestant and Orthodox leaders and 50 Catholics involved in ecumenical efforts.

Program

* The Pope proceeds to the papal chair, in front of the altar

* Cardinal Egan sits to his right. Already in place is Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan, vicar general for the archdiocese, to the Pope’s left

* Bishop Dennis J. Sullivan greets the Pope

* Opening hymn: “Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether,” text by Percy Dearmer; music by Harold Friedell

* Prayer and Scripture reading (Ephesians 4:1-6)

* Address: Pope Benedict XVI

* The Lord’s Prayer

* Final blessing and hymn: “Now Thank We All Our God,” music by Johann Crüger

April 19

Third Anniversary of Pope Benedict XVI’s Pontificate

9-11:15 a.m. – Mass for Clergy and Religious at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the seat of the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Edward M. Egan. It is the largest decorated gothic-style Catholic cathedral in the United States and has been recognized throughout its history as a center of Catholic life in this country.

* 9:00 a.m. – Arrival and welcome at main entrance of Cathedral. The Pope will be welcomed by Cardinal Edward M. Egan and Msgr. Robert Ritchie, Cathedral rector. Participating in the Mass will be 3,000 deacons, priests and religious men and women from throughout the United States. At least two representatives from each diocese in the country will be present.

* 9:15 a.m. – Mass begins

* 11:15 a.m. – Mass concludes

Note: The Pope will process down the center aisle and up the south aisle before returning to Cardinal Edward M. Egan’s residence for lunch. He will not return to Fifth Avenue once he has entered the Cathedral.

* 4:30 p.m. – Blessing of Youth with Disabilities at Saint Joseph Seminary

On May 17, 1891, Archbishop Michael J. Corrigan laid the cornerstone of the present Saint Joseph Seminary in the Dunwoodie section of Yonkers, just a few miles north of New York City. The first scholastic year began September 21, 1896, with 98 students. The institution now serves men in formation for the priesthood; it has programs for those studying to become permanent deacons and a master of arts in religious studies for lay and clergy. Pope John Paul II visited on October 5, 1995.

* 4:30 p.m. – The Pope arrives via motorcade at the front of main seminary building. Cardinal Edward M. Egan and Bishop Gerald T. Walsh, rector of the seminary welcome the Pope. The Pope will enter the seminary and proceed forward to the chapel sanctuary. In the audience approximately 50 young people with disabilities and their caregivers.

Program

* Greeting and presentation

* The Pope blesses those present

* The Archdiocesan Deaf Choir performs

* The Pope departs out the front door of the Seminary to enter the popemobile

* Popemobile route: Popemobile will travel the circle in front of the seminary and proceed west to the “Lower Chidwick” and circle the field

* 5-6:30 p.m. – Rally with Seminarians and Young People at Saint Joseph Seminary

(Program Booklet)

Approximately 25,000 young Catholics from throughout the United States, including 5,000 seminarians will be in attendance at Saint Joseph Seminary, 201 Seminary Avenue, Yonkers.

* 12:00 noon – Concert begins. Concert activity ceases when the Pope arrives at seminary for the meeting with youth with disabilities. That meeting inside the chapel will be shown on screens to the rally crowd.

* 5:00 p.m. – Arrival, welcome, and rally

* The Pope arrives via popemobile at the rally stage

* Cardinal Edward M. Egan makes opening remarks

* Three youth speak

* 10 youth present gifts of dark bread, light bread, rice, unleavened bread and maize, representing the five continents

* Eight youth present birthday gifts to the Pope. They include the following: a spiritual bouquet; the book “Empire State Catholics: A History of the Catholic Community in New York State”; and images of six individuals who were born in or served in New York and have been declared saints, blessed or venerable by the Catholic Church: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Saint John Neumann, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, Venerable Pierre Toussaint and Padre Felix Varela.

* Address: Pope Benedict XVI

* Cardinal Edward M. Egan presents 15 young people to the Pope for a personal greeting

* The Pope blesses the crowd and departs to the popemobile, which takes him back to the motorcade in front of the seminary

* 6:30 p.m. – Rally concludes

April 20

9:30 a.m. – Visit to Ground Zero – Site of the Former World Trade Center. The Pope will visit the site of the September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, offer a blessing and greet representatives of the Port Authority, New York fire and police workers, those who survived the attacks, and family members who lost loved ones in the attack.

* 9:30 a.m. – The Pope arrives via motorcade. A welcome by Cardinal Edward M. Egan.

Program

* The motorcade travels down the ramp. The Pope and Cardinal Edward M. Egan leave the limousine and walk the remaining route alone

* The Pope kneels before a pool of water and candle, offering a silent prayer

* The Pope lights the candle, offers a prayer and blesses the ground and the guests with holy water

* Guests approach the Pope individually for a brief exchange

2:30 p.m. – Mass at Yankee Stadium

The 200th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s designation as an archdiocese (the nation’s first), as well as the birth of four other archdioceses: New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Bardstown (now Louisville) will be highlighted during the Mass.

* 9:00 a.m. – Gates open

* 12:00 noon – The pre-Mass concert begins

* 2:15 p.m. – The Pope arrives

* 2:20 p.m. – The Pope travels around the track inside the stadium in the popemobile

* 2:30 p.m. – Mass begins

* 5:00 p.m. – Mass ends

8-8:30 p.m. – Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport

Approximately 3,250 guests will bid farewell to the Pope in Hangar 19 of JFK airport.

* 8:00 p.m. – The Pope arrives via motorcade. Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio, bishop of Brooklyn, gives a welcome.

Dignitaries

* Cardinal Edward M. Egan, archbishop of New York

* Bishop William F. Murphy, bishop of Rockville Centre