La Crosse Diocese: Chance to see the pope in New York

The following letter was posted on the Diocese of La Crosse's Web site:

D i o c e s e o f L a C r o s s e

Office of the Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia
December 5, 2007
To: The Pastors and Parochial Administrators of the Diocese of La Crosse
Re: April 20, 2008 Solemn Pontifical Mass

Dear Brothers in Christ,

In his November 20, 2007 letter to the Bishop’s of the United States, His Eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York, proposed the tentative schedule of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, while he visits the United States (and in particular New York City) next April. As part of the itinerary, the Holy Father will visit Ground Zero on Sunday morning, April 20th to pray for the victims and heroes of the World Trade Center tragedy. Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Journey to the United States will culminate that afternoon with a Solemn Pontifical Mass at Yankee Stadium. Bishop Jerome E. Listecki has been invited to concelebrate the Pontifical Mass and, as a matter of collegiality, he desires to invite you and your parishioners to partake of this special occasion in New York City. Ever since the announcement of the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey, many requests for tickets to attend the Solemn Pontifical Mass have been received both at the Office of the Cardinal in New York and at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. Needless to say, space is limited.

Bishop Listecki has been asked to provide no later than January 1, 2008 an indication of the number of tickets the Diocese of La Crosse would like to request. I ask you therefore to submit to me by 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 28th a fairly accurate indication of the number of tickets your parish would like to receive. Only requests submitted by the pastors and parochial administrators of the Diocese of La Crosse will be considered. The Bishop will not accept solicitations directly from your parishioners. You will not necessarily be guaranteed the number of tickets requested, but this will serve as a valued figure in determining the number of tickets the Diocese will receive in toto. Upon receiving from the Office of the Papal Visit the final allotment of tickets, I will work diligently with Bishop Listecki and the College of Deans to distribute equitably the Diocese’s allocation of available tickets.

With sentiments of fraternal esteem and wishing you a blessed Advent season, I remain Yours sincerely in Christ,

Very Rev. Msgr. Richard W. Gilles, V.G.

Talk to your pastors if you want to go to see the pope!!!