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CNN Sunday Morning

Pope Expected to Arrive in Outdoor Mass in Toronto

Aired July 28, 2002 - 08:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: At any moment now, the pope will be arriving at an outdoor mass in Toronto, and that will bring close to a week of World Youth Day festivities. We head back to CNN's Frank Buckley now for a live update. Hi, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Thomas. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pope John Paul II. He was expected to arrive by helicopter right at this hour, but as we take you outside to give you a view of some of the people who are gathered here, we will give you a set of what the weather conditions are like here. It is raining severely. It rained overnight and, once again, we are experiencing a downpour. It's possible that the pope's helicopter has been delayed as a result. We are not sure. But he is not here on time, and pretty much this pope has been on time for most of the events.

Joining us once again, John Allen, from the "National Catholic Reporter." John, anything to read into the fact that the pope's helicopter is a little late here?

JOHN ALLEN, "NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER": Yeah, Frank, I would read into it that it's raining today. What we don't know yet is they've made the judgment that because of the rain, it would be safer to bring him on land, that is in a motorcade. Of course, as you know, we just saw a few moments ago a motorcade coming by. It's possible they may have decided the land route.

But believe me, this is his 97th trip outside of Italy; it's 235th trip outside of Rome. These guys know what they're doing, and they will make a judgment based on what the safest thing is in terms of getting him here and getting him here as quickly as they can.

BUCKLEY: Let's talk about the pilgrims. That's how these young people are being described. They've come from all over the world, some 170 nations, to Toronto for this World Youth Day activity. They have endured some incredible conditions overnight, but that's part of what it's about?

ALLEN: Yeah. Anybody who has ever read "The Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer knows what the spirit of a pilgrimage is. It's not supposed to be easy. You know, it's supposed to be an experience of sacrifice, of ardor, of discomfort, and the notion is that it's a journey. And in that sense, it's a metaphor for human life. You know, human life is a journey to God. That's the Christian understanding.

And so the fact that these kids are getting rained on and they are standing around in mud and in the cold awaiting the pope, in a sense, is all part of the experience. And you know, my guess is that none of that is going to matter a whole lot when the pope gets here, and you know, all of that enthusiasm sort of washes through the crowd.

More to the point, it's more to tell mom and dad about when they get back home.

BUCKLEY: We are watching different scenes here. The World Youth Day choir and these young people singing. Give us a sense of the grandness of this mass. Up to a million people here. What can we expect?

ALLEN: Well, you know, the liturgical, and that's the word for the sort of ritual and ceremony of the church, the liturgical rhythm is that Friday, every Friday is a reminder of good Friday, that's the day on which Jesus died. So you remember the via crucious (ph) celebration that they had here in Toronto, where they are in a very somber, quiet, solemn way processed through the streets of the city.

But last night's vigil, it's holy Saturday, it's waiting to see -- it's when Jesus is in the tomb. It's a time of quiet, introspection, reflection. Sunday is the day of resurrection, so it's supposed to be a day of joy, where all that pent-up doubt and worry and confusion is released. And so I think the tone you are going to see this morning is much more upbeat, it's much more joyous, it's much more happy.

And so I think there is going to be singing and motion and, obviously, of course, you know, with the cold and the rain we are seeing here this morning, these young people could use a little bit of enthusiasm. And so I think you are going to see them get fired up for the pope.

BUCKLEY: With the pope's health, suffering from Parkinson's disease, 82 years old, severe arthritis, a number of other ailments, how much participation can we expect to see from the pope in mass?

ALLEN: Well, you know, when the pope was elected in 1978, he was 58 years old, and the man would stride on stage and he would be, you know, dynamic and energetic and bouncing all over the place and would command to the audience that way.

Now, this is a much more limited man. He's had to learn a whole new symbolic vocabulary for communicating with these crowds. But he's pulled it off. I mean, you know, you will notice this morning that the slightest wave of his hand, the slightest nod of his head, three or four words will bring this crowd alive. I mean, he knows that people are hanging on his every gesture and every word.

BUCKLEY: John Allen from the "National Catholic Reporter" will be with us throughout the morning. Again, we are awaiting the arrival of pope John Paul II -- Thomas. ROBERTS: All right, Frank. Hopefully, the rain will let up and let everyone enjoy the day. Frank Buckley live for us in Toronto, thanks very much.

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