Brian and Cathy Reynolds

Archdiocese of Louisville’s Chancellor Dr. Brian Reynolds and wife Cathy

receive communion from the Holy Father

by Kathy Ellington

On April 20, 2008 Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium to mark the bicentennial of the dioceses of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville, which was founded as Bardstown. These four dioceses were erected from the Baltimore diocese, which became the nation's first Catholic archdiocese. Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York, Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, and Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of Baltimore concelebrated the Mass.

The delegation from Louisville included priests, seminarians, religious and lay faithful. They came by buses and cars, planes and trains. Dr. Brian Reynolds, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Louisville, and his wife Cathy were two members of the delegation.

Yankee Stadium was filled to the rafters with an adoring audience from all 195 dioceses in the United States. They had all come to see and hear the Successor of Peter.

Dr. Reynolds said of the Mass, “We found the entire Mass very prayerful but it also had a kind of family reunion feel to it as Catholics from across the country gathered in one voice.”

Only fifty people were chosen to receive Communion from the Holy Father. Dr. Reynolds said they were invited a few weeks before the Mass to receive communion from Pope Benedict. “Receiving the Eucharist from our Holy Father was a wonderful experience for Cathy and me. It was both exciting and spiritually moving. It was such an honor!”

About 530 priests including several priests from the Archdiocese of Louisville distributed Holy Communion. Dr. Reynolds said “The Communion Rite was a very personal moment when it was less about being with 65,000 people and more of a personal encounter with the Pope and with the Lord.”

Sadly, the Holy Father’s pilgrimage to the United States has come to an end but will not be easily forgotten by many of the faithful and never forgotten by Brian and Cathy Reynolds.

Pope Benedict has given us much to think about. He has given us much to do. He has also given us hope.

“Christ our Hope”