Although Pope Benedict XVI --- as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger --- has previously visited the United States, his April 15-20 trip to Washington, D.C., and New York City is his first here as pope. It will be --- as are most such visits --- tightly scheduled with official meetings and multiple liturgies, two in baseball stadiums.

While these are expected elements in any papal visit abroad, would it not have been appropriate for the trip planners to have scheduled some time for Pope Benedict to engage in a dialogue with families, with youth, with the elderly, and with some of the people in the pews? And although the pope will offer hope to American Catholics in his various addresses here, will his words --- in an election year --- be criticized by both the left and the right in this country?

This installment of Viewpoints addresses these issues.

A visit scheduled down to the minute
By Liz Quirin

A brief look at Pope Benedict XVI's schedule in the United States makes one thing absolutely clear: He won't have time for a hot dog or a cup of coffee from a street vendor in New York or Washington during his visit. Every minute has been timed down exactly from one event to the next.

Most of the time he is here --- April 15 when he touches down at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington to April 20 when he boards his plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York --- he will be giving speeches or meeting with officials of the church, Catholic universities, other religions and the government.

Sandwiched in with those meetings will be a speech at the United Nations, a Mass at Nationals Park in Washington and one in Yankee Stadium.

Not much down time and no time with "just folks" have been scheduled. While this isn't the pope's first visit to the United States --- he came as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. That title alone would make the everyday folks curious about who he is and what he has to say to them.

A recent Religion News Service interview with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Vatican ambassador to the U.S., broached that very topic. Archbishop Sambi said, "There are people who consider him a man of very solid principles, extremely rigid, inflexible ... but it will be enough to see him and to listen to him to discover a man of great human sensibility, ... of great capacity to feel the difficulty of another."

Sounds like somebody we should all want to get to know better. That usually takes place through dialogue. However, during this trip the pope's conversations will be one-sided.

Personal time with the laity is scheduled to be greeting a variety of groups of people and waving to the faithful along his travel routes.

While this visit gives us a chance to see and hear Pope Benedict in person, I wish he would have scheduled some time to engage in a dialogue with families, with youth, with the elderly with some of the people in the pews, people who want to believe the church's leaders are truly Christ's earthly representatives, especially the successor to Peter.

In the past -- Pope John Paul II visited these shores five times during his papacy --- pontifical visits elicited strong emotional reactions, especially from youth who were drawn to the former pope like a magnet, even during his last visit when he stopped in St. Louis for a brief time on his return to Rome from Mexico City.

The man gave flesh and bones to the word "charisma," even as his health failed. Pope Benedict is not and has not fashioned his pontificate on that of his predecessor, but a little attention to more personal contact with the folks could produce far-reaching results and leave lasting memories here.

Alas, the schedule has been set, checked and probably rechecked. In our post-Sept. 11 world, no one takes safety and security for granted, nor can they.

Maybe after he delivers one of his speeches or homilies here, we could gather a few friends together, roast a few hot dogs or vegan burgers and talk about the meaning and importance of the pope's words. In the end, it's really all about our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the church, and our service to one another.

Liz Quirin is editor of The Messenger, newspaper of the Diocese of Belleville, Ill.

Proclaiming hope, facing criticism
By Tom Sheridan

Diplomacy is the art of making nice to those who disagree with you. Expect President George W. Bush to be diplomatic April 15 when he welcomes Pope Benedict XVI to Washington. For that matter, expect the pope to be diplomatic as well.

Diplomacy is necessary because the pope has become increasingly critical of the violent aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. This is nothing new; Pope John Paul II opposed the invasion from the start.

Some Americans, of course, will see this as religious meddling that's fueling anti-war fervor in an already contentious U.S. presidential election campaign.

But pope and president, following the rules of diplomacy, will still smile for the cameras on the White House steps the day after Pope Benedict arrives on his first papal visit to the U.S.

Exactly what Pope Benedict will say during his several talks and homilies on U.S. soil is unknown. Some commentators have suggested that he will soften the "hardball" image he often presented as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Others wonder if he'll scold segments of the U.S. church. New York Cardinal Edward Egan, however, has said he expects the pope's message to be one of hope.

But certainly the pope's past comments on the war, life and cultural issues will carry current weight, especially as American Catholics judge presidential candidates on those same topics.

The pope's insistent voice on Iraq will surely please anti-war Democrats, while other comments --- especially those on the dignity of life and how Catholics should form their consciences --- will play well to Republicans.

Nevertheless, this pope will play it down the middle, echoing the U.S. bishops' mandate for the church in this election year. U.S. ambassador to the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon has said she expects Pope Benedict to touch broadly on politics, though not in a partisan manner.

Still, the papal visit will almost certainly rub some people wrong.

For instance, whatever the pope says about the appalling clergy sex abuse crisis which has plagued the American church this decade --- if he says anything --- will please some and not go far enough for others.

The address at the United Nations is another flashpoint. The pope is expected to focus on traditional Catholic themes of life, freedom, peace and justice, said Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican ambassador to the U.N.

Noble ideals, certainly, but coming from the man perceived by many to be the world's leading moral authority they will seem condemnatory to some. This is especially true when they touch on abortion, human trafficking, war and terrorism.

Archbishop Migliore said the pope is also likely to speak on behalf of people passed over by economic prosperity, those who make up, he said, the "bottom billion." This would surely include refugees and other immigrants, another touchy --- and potentially political --- subject in this country.

Before Pope Benedict leaves for home, America's Catholics will experience the pomp and ceremony of another papal visit. They will parse the pope's words, hear a message of faith and consider their connection to a church that is larger than one nation or one people.

Despite the almost certain bumps in the road, that's the primary role of the papal visitor to these shores: To give a sense of hope, to remind people of the centrality of faith, of the assurance of the love of God and to call them to better respond to that love.

But it won't be without criticism.

Tom Sheridan is former editor of The Catholic New World, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and a deacon ordained for the Diocese of Joliet. He writes from Ocala, Fla.