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Pope John Paul II prays during Mass for World Mission Sunday, Oct. 22, in St. Peter' s Square. The San Francisco St. Mary's Cathedral choirs (below) sang for the event and were placed about 30 feet from the Pontiff. The Pope said the Church' s missionary efforts must be based on service,not domination. The annual Mission Sunday collection was taken in most local parishes last weekend.
Cathedral choirs sing at St. Peter 's on Mission Sunday By Vivian Dudro Special to Catholic San Francisco ROME - After singing in churches in Venice, Florence and Assisi the choirs of San Francisco' s St. Mary's Cathedral experienced a "harmonic convergence" Sunday as they sang before a crowd of 150 ,000 people during a papal Mass in St. Peter's Square. It was World Mission Sunday and Catholics from every corner of the earth had flooded the square to celebrate the occasion with Pope John Paul II. Beginning with colorful songs and dances from throughout the world and ending with a procession of missionaries from many lands, the celebra tion was a visual and musical display of the universality of the Church with participants from such far-flung places as China, Africa, Latin America and the Philippines.
The choirs of St. Mary's fit perfectly with the event. "I liked how it was a worldwide celebration ," said choir member Tessa Kamau , 13. "And I liked how we had the best seats in the house," added her 11-year-old sister, Malaika, who received a smile from the Holy Father after vigorously waving to him from the choir stall situated about 30 feet from his outdoor altar. Choir members were enthusiastic about their proximity to the Pope. Stephen Walsh, the cantor at St. Mary's Cathedral, found himself shedding tears during the Mass. "I did not expect to be so moved ," he said , explaining he had never before felt a personal connection to this Pope. When John Paul II was a younger , more vigorous man, it was possible to attribute such a phenomenon to his charisma. But now that his hands tremble, and his voice quavers, and his head rests upon his staff , one must look elsewhere CHOIR, page 10
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More than 40,000 parishioners of the Archdiocese of San Francisco are expected to fill Pacifi c Bell Park tomorrow for the Jubilee Mass 2000 celebration. Tickets are required and have been distributed through parishes. (see photos on page 3)