Sunday, April 20, 2008

Continue bearing joyful witness to Christ our Hope...



That's the Pope talking at the Presidential Podium Lectern. You can see the top of the Great Seal of the United States!
With great affection I greet once more the priests and religious, the deacons, the seminarians and young people, and all the faithful in the United States, and I encourage you to continue bearing joyful witness to Christ our Hope, our Risen Lord and Savior, who makes all things new and gives us life in abundance.
Arrivederci, carissimo Papa. You have taught us so much. And brought us so much joy. And hope! Buon viaggio!

4 comments:

St. Izzy said...

That Great Seal is on a lectern, NOT on a podium. You stand behind a lectern; you stand on a podium.

(Although incorrect usage is now changing the meaning of the latter word. More's the pity.)


Izzy
who also refuses to admit the demise of whom

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

I'm enough of a purist to stand corrected.

(I also refuse to admit the demise of "whom")

Even as I realize that in a living language, this is but tilting at windmills ... :)

St. Izzy said...

BTW, I love the way Papa Bene widdles his fingers when he stretches his hands out in blessing to the crowd. I think I heard one commentator refer to his playing "air piano," but to me it looks like he's combining blessing with wiggling fingers in greeting. Or like he's shaking blessing dust off his fingertips at the crowd.

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

Raymond Arroyo mentioned that on EWTN the day he landed, or soon after. I've mentioned it on here before too. (And yes, it's so cute!). And when we were in Rome, at the audience, we ALL remarked on it.

Blessing dust ... heh. :)