Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini
Cashing in on Francis
The Papal visit to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia has fallen prey to scalpers who scooped up a chunk of the free-but-scarce 10,000 tickets available to the public for several events.
One seller — James Fortner of Glassboro, N.J., — told the Wilmington, Del., News-Journal he worked for this.
“I figured if I’m sitting here, hitting refresh a thousand times, I might as well get paid for it,” said Fortner, who was selling tickets to various papal events on Craigslist for $100. “As far as I can see, it’s the American way.”
But is it the way of Pope Francis? Doubtful.
Colbert’s Catholic Night
The new host of CBS’ “Late Show” is getting lots of attention for his first few shows, especially for the Catholic faith he wears on his sleeve — as shown in interviews he has given, and in a moving sit-down he had Thursday (Sept. 10) with Vice-President Joe Biden, who spoke about the recent death of his son and his own faith.
Now, National Catholic Reporter notes Colbert is planning a an all-Catholic lineup for Sept. 24, when Francis arrives for a 36-hour stop in New York City.
Colbert will feature Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, a champion of immigrants and of the pope’s encyclical on the environment, journalist/activist Maria Shriver, comedian Jim Gaffiganand author — and out-and-proud gay Catholic — Andrew Sullivan. The Miami Herald said the archbishop is “working on his jokes.” The rest of them are probably set.
Modern M*A*S*H
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Pope Francis likens the Catholic Church to a“field hospital after battle.” Now, a historic Washington hospital is taking his name for its emergency room.
Providence Hospital, originally chartered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, will rename its emergency department the Pope Francis Emergency Care Center. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, will bless the newly named center on Friday, Sept. 18 — four days before the pontiff’s first U.S. visit.
“There is no Shepherd One! Stop using that phrase!”
When the U.S. media call the papal plane “Shepherd One,” it really fries veteran Vatican-watcher John Allen.
Allen, covering the papal trip for Crux, Boston Globe’s Catholic site, says we evidently like how it echoes the power and shimmer of glamour of the U.S. President’s ride — Air Force One.
But the airline that bring Pope Francis to America next week will be an ordinary Alitalia jet (the pope owns no plane) pulled out of routine service for a day, says Allen. It will have no fancy desks or electronics or meeting suites — just a VIP (as in Very Important Pontiff) in the front row of business class.
Pope Francis waves from the pope-mobile during his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday (March 19) at the Vatican. RNS photo by Andrea Sabbadini 
