The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States held special meaning for the Paluch family. The family tradition of service to the Church, well established by Margaret and Chester Paluch, continues in the next generation in Mary Lou Paluch Rafferty, the current owner of the company. The papal visit exemplified this.

Mary Lou offered to print the 55,000 Mass booklets for the liturgy at Nationals Stadium in Washington, DC, as a gift. Chicago news station found out about the printing project and covered the story. The coverage gave local Catholics a special link to the papal visit most would only witness via television or the Internet.

Mary Lou delighted in the arrival of tickets to the welcome ceremony on the White House lawn and the papal Mass at National Stadium: “The news coverage in Chicago began the day before my planned departure and continued to elevate with each passing moment. Once I was settled at my hotel. Fr. Eugene Hemrick took me on a tour of DC. You could feel the excitement! Papal flags were hanging everywhere and of course the blockades lined the curbs ready to hold back the crowds when the Pope mobile would parade the streets in the upcoming days.”

Another wonderful privilege during the papal visit was the invitation to composer and performer John Angotti of our music division to participate in the concert  prior to the liturgy on April 17. John, a dynamic singer-songwriter and musical missionary, shared his gifts with those gathered before the liturgy in Washington, DC, singing “Stand in the Light” and “Feed My Lambs.” John’s response capture his emotion: “To be asked to sing at this event with Pope Benedict is the greatest musical event of my life. I am humbled to just be there to celebrate the Risen Christ in word and deed, song and sacrament.”

Mary Lou and John spoke to their anticipation in television interviews with the national media. In Mary Lou’s words, “Talk about excitement building – I had goose bumps and butterflies as we walked through the loading dock and were standing right next to the altar! I don’t know how John kept his feet on the ground knowing he would be singing from that sight the following morning.”

Wednesday morning Mary Lou joined 10,000 guests on the White House lawn in singing “Happy Birthday” to Pope Benedict during the official welcome. Another early morning Thursday found Mary Lou soaking in the amazing sights and sounds: “John, as usual, did a fabulous job. I roamed the crowds fro the next hour or so filling up with emotions as I watched others gathering for this momentous event. I couldn’t believe I was standing there on the baseball field excited waiting for the Pope mobile to parade around the warning track and for the Mass to begin, a Mass I will never forget.” To add to the joy, when Pope Benedict processed to the altar for his first mass in the U.S., it was to music arranged by WLP composer Paul French. Richard Proulx’s concertato setting of Lucien Deiss’ “All the Earth” was used as a communion song and Mike Ha’ys “Trilingual Intercessions” was used at the both the Washington and New York liturgies.

As Pope Benedict processed out of the stadium, he passed so near Mary Lou that she suddenly became aware of the presence of security guards lining up at the center aisle, adding emphasis to the drama, pageantry, and importance of this moment in history. “But, all of this is not really what I came home with,” Mary Lou reflected, “I was truly inspired by not only being there for all of the excitement, but listening to the pope. He himself seemed truly touched with being in the United States. From his opening words at Andrews Air Force base on Tuesday to his parting words in New York on Sunday night, he was so inspirational and thought provoking. He spoke to the Catholic Church to unite and to recapture the ‘primary vision of evangelization to nurture a living relationship with Christ Jesus, our hope.’ He did not leave us with words only for the Catholic faith, but for all religious leaders, the youth, and those in-between. He met with victims of sexual abuse, and spoke to survivors of the Holocaust and 9/11. IN a very powerful and ecumenical speech, he asked the United Nations to be respectful of the ‘rights’ of all people. It was a very meaningful trip and hopefully words I will continue to live by. There is always someone to help – the sick, the poor, and homeless. There is always some good each of us can do. It is our responsibility to be respectful of others, be morally responsible, and to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.”

The Paluch family celebrates the powerful and positive impact of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States and is grateful for the privilege of having been part of these great days of evangelization and new hope.

Vocations and Prayer

The Catholic Magazine on Vocation Ministry

April - June 2008, #72 Vol. XVII No. 2