Pope Preparations
Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to report live outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue here in New York, to preview the security measures that will be taken to protect the Pope. It will be an impressive undertaking by the NYPD, Secret Service, and Vatican Swiss Guard, which will join together and provide “360 degrees” of security around the spiritual leader.
After hearing from our security experts about bomb sniffing dogs, roof top snipers, hovering helicopters, divers in the waters that surround Manhattan, and armored limos, one thing is clear, the Pope’s visit to the Big Apple will be a well protected one.
The Pope has a full agenda here in New York, with visits scheduled at the United Nations, Ground Zero, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Joseph’s Church and Yankee Stadium. I am thrilled to be a part of our Fox News team coverage, and will be doing live reports from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers Friday and will also be doing Pope reports Saturday (location yet to be determined) . I have been looking forward to this for a long time, and am honored to be in the company of our religious correspondent Lauren Green, Religion Contributor Father Jonathan, and our Rome Bureau correspondent Greg Burke. Full disclosure: I am not Catholic, so a lot of what I am researching for my assignment is new to me, which makes it such a thrill. I feel like I am studying for a big exam, that I can’t wait to take.
After I wrapped up my security preview Sunday, I wanted to check out the St. Patrick’s Cathedral gift shop, where I have heard Pope Benedict Memorabilia has been flying off the shelves, like T-shirts, pins and customized rosaries.
Several of Pope Benedict XVI’s Books were also on display, including “Joseph and Chico”
And, one of the most coveted items, has been the Pope coffee mug, it was sold out when I first went to the store, but the store got some back in stock yesterday…
Laura Ingle has been with FNC since 2005, and was also a
correspondent for FOX’s syndicated news magazine program, “Geraldo
at Large.” Ingle has covered major criminal cases and natural
disasters, including the Scott Peterson and Michael Jackson
trials, wildfires, mudslides, and Hurricane Katrina. She most
recently covered Pope Benedict’s visit to New York and the
Manhattan crane collapse that killed seven. She was formerly a
radio reporter and news anchor with KFI-AM 640 in Los Angeles and
with KFBK-AM 1530 in her hometown of Sacramento. She is currently
based in New York.
Your funny, I like this blog, its like a person kind of on our side like an on lookers view, great job, but I’m Catholic, and its really the true faith, because as it says in the bible there will be false prophets, and wrong ways, but if you go in the church and you feel God, and pray, then you will know God is real, and will help you in anyway. I’m 19 and “I’m planning on becoming a priest, and I’m on fire for God, and I almost died last year and God let me live he saved my life, he let me know that he’s real, I questioned my Catholic background though, I wasn’t sure if it was the right church, with all thats happened in my life, but The Catholic faith has all the aspects, unlike any other church. So yeah, and the thing I find funny is that if you actually asked God what is best than you will find out. ~~
Laura,
This will be an exciting time for you — a terrific opportunity to listen, learn and share.
One thing I am surprised has not made the news is the number of American Catholic youth who will be attending World Youth Day in Australia this July. Our Holy Father will be there and I hope and pray he has the same impact on our youth as Pope John Paul II had.
Hopefully the US will be in line to host a WYD event again in the next decade or so. It is a truly a life-changing experience for our young people.
Good luck with your reporting, Laura. I still remember when John Paul II came to Los Angeles. I was fortunate to attend the Mass at Dodger Stadium. The whole city was excited, and I would imagine NYC and DC are too. Looking forward to watching the coverage on FNC.
What is world youth day? That sounds nice, and in Australia, wow
This is truly a man of God. He is here to bring peace on earth. Lets all welcome Pope Benedict to our Nation.
Do they have Pope Soap on a Rope at the gift shop
World Youth Day?! Wow! Won’t that be great. Catholic priests in charge of a stadium full of children.
Reformed Catholic, Your comment is unnecessary and in poor taste. This is a once in a lifetime event for many people and millions are excited about it. Yhe last thing needed is your inappropriate sarcasm.
I think the USA (I am in London UK) should be proud of itself for the wonderful welcome you have given the Holy Father. The Muslims must now realise that the USA is not only christian but also would welcome them if they wern’t so fanatical.
I am a practicing Catholic and am doing a prayer called the Divine chaplet of which Our Lord gave to St. Faustina to say for the whole world.
I would suggest to You Laura as your report is so wonderful that perhaps you should just say once - the Divine Chaplet. You will realise that the Catholic Church is the only religion that was started by Christ. There are bound to be bad priest - and don’t forget Jesus came like a doctor to heel the sick and one of the apostles betrayed him. this is what has happened in the church - These priests betrayed the church but the Holy Father is adamant that the seminaries will be protected from any more men who are peodophiles are not getting in.
Thankyou America for your wonderful welcome to the HOly Father.
I think the last comment ‘do they have Pope Soap etc’ was unecessary. Most priests are very faithful to Catholic doctrine. Watch EWTN sometime boy and you will see for yourself
ursula London UK
Welcome, Pope Benedict.
The Holy Father’s visit to our nation will prompt many responses. Some will mention the sad abuse scandal (and, like one blogger here, be dumb and bigoted enough to generalize it to the whole Church) and a few will use it to otherwise Catholic bash. Knocking the regilion that is the faith of more Americans than anyother is one of the last seemingly acceptable places for outright bigotry in our society and in the media. For the rest of us–whether the faithful or even just admirers of a holy man–let’s soak in the inspiration of his presence, intellect, and greatness.
Laura:
Congratulations on being assigned to cover Pope Benedict! I will be interested to hear your views and read the articles from your non-Catholic perspective. I believe you will be changed by the whole experience. Enjoy your time with the pontiff.
I like Ursulas comment, I too have prayed the Divine Mercy Novena, and I feel a strong force everytime I say it, and I also prayed the Novena, ( A novena is a nine day devotional to God, when you pray a prayer for nine days only, based on a bliblical, act) ~Love God~