Pope Continues Pace of Travels

BBC Religious Affairs Reporter Jane Little narrated a June 19 story about the Pope, whose recent visit to Austria showed that John Paul II is still the most mobile Pope in history. As she spoke, images of the Pope's many recent travels were shown.

“It is hard for many to keep up with this Pope's travel itinerary.... The 78- year-old John Paul shows no signs of slowing down, determined to preach to as many of the world's 1 billion Catholics as possible.

“He has now visited more than 100 countries and has, according to one estimate, circled the world 27 times in the ground he has covered.... His favorite destination outside of Europe has been Latin America where he has been to every nation.

“Many of his visits have been on saint-making missions and to rally the faithful,” but often with political consequences, she said.

His visit to Cuba, “was a publicity coup for a man who after 20 years in power, has raised the political profile of the Church, and his own as a champion of human rights.”

As for the future?

“The Pope has already announced plans to visit Croatia, Mexico, and his native Poland, and hopes to visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land to celebrate the new millennium,” she reported.

Cardinal Schˆnborn: ‘A Man on the Move'

“When Pope John Paul II's plane landed in Vienna, a prelate in cardinal's red raced down its back stairs and bounded up the front ramp to officially welcome the Pope to the Austrian capital,” said a June 24 Associated Press story.

“It seemed only natural that it was Cardinal Christoph Schˆnborn, the archbishop of Vienna — clearly, a man on the move.”

The report said that, though a cardinal since only February, and young at 53, Cardinal Schˆnborn is already expected to find a place in the Vatican and is even considered among the more likely candidates for next Pope.

As Vienna's archbishop since September 1995, said the article, “he has shown himself to be open, articulate, and courageous” in a very difficult situation.

At a press conference associated with the Holy Father's visit, Cardinal Schˆnborn surprised reporters by answering questions in fluent English, Italian, and French as well as his native German.

“I hope the Pope's visit will show that the Austrian Church is alive, not without problems, but full of vitality,” he said.

Cardinal Schˆnborn was born in Czechoslovakia “to a noble family of Austrian descent,” said the article. They had left their native land in 1945 to escape the communists.

A Dominican, he was educated in Austria, Germany, and France. He has been a priest since 1963 and a bishop since 1991. An expert in Catholic theology, he edited the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“[Cardinal] Schˆnborn's friends point out that he has another important quality: being able to laugh at himself.” At one point in his dealings with reporters, said the report, he mocked his own seriousness, pausing and asking, “Am I being too pious?”

When In Rome, Mormons Sing from Catholic Hymnal

Featuring Catholic soloist Robert Breault, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed a truly memorable concert just outside the Vatican in Rome recently, said a June 24 Church News report. The show, and its enthusiastic reception, demonstrates the power of the arts, and the importance of the Catholic Church's rich artistic heritage.

“The choir's [June] concert in Rome is being touted as one of its best and one that conquered the hearts of its audience. So well received was the choir that many in the audience stood, cheered, applauded, and called out for more songs.

“It seemed that the audience didn't want the choir to leave, and evidence that the choir touched their hearts was found in the tears that many wiped from their eyes, especially during the singing of Come, Come, Ye Saints and I Am a Child of God. The first verses of both were sung by guest tenor soloist Robert Breault, professor of voice and director of opera at the University of Utah.”

“Breault stepped onto the stage of Academia Santa Cecilia, located near the Vatican — the center of his own Catholic roots — to also perform the tenor solo in the Gloria from Puccini's Missa di Gloria, or Mass of Glory. He sang with such tender yet exultant conviction that the audience seemed convinced that he was exactly where he wanted to be, singing just what he wanted to sing.”

Breault was happy to sing with a choir of a different faith — they are the best he has performed with, he said — particularly since they were singing Catholic pieces, according to the report.