Bells for Benedict

It may have confused some people, but at 4:00 pm this afternoon, our church bells started ringing, and they rang at full peal for ten minutes. There was no mass to get ready for, but there was a special event. Along with church bells around the country, our bells rang to announce that Pope Benedict XVI had landed in the United States. Yesterday, I received an e-mail from our Vicar General asking all churches to ring there bells at the time of the Pope's scheduled landing in Washington, DC, to welcome him to our country. Papal visits to the United States are rare, and they are certainly something to celebrate. The Catholic Church is alive and well in this country, and this week, we welcome our chief shepherd on his first Pastoral Visit to this land.