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| Catholics flock to St Patrick's Cathedral in New York to say farewell to pope | Catholics flock to St Patrick's Cathedral in New York to say farewell to pope |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Many people walking up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan's shopping district appeared most interested in worshipping mammon at designer boutiques, but a steady trickle of them stopped to enter the city's St Patrick's Cathedral on Thursday to pray for events unfolding across the Atlantic. | Many people walking up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan's shopping district appeared most interested in worshipping mammon at designer boutiques, but a steady trickle of them stopped to enter the city's St Patrick's Cathedral on Thursday to pray for events unfolding across the Atlantic. |
| At a special mass held to mark the last day in office of Pope Benedict XVI several hundred New York Catholics were told to pray for his still unknown successor and give thanks for his reign. | At a special mass held to mark the last day in office of Pope Benedict XVI several hundred New York Catholics were told to pray for his still unknown successor and give thanks for his reign. |
| Bishop Gerald Walsh led the ceremony and paid thanks to Benedict's time in office, which ended in a shock decision to resign – something that has not happened in the Roman Catholic Church for six centuries. | Bishop Gerald Walsh led the ceremony and paid thanks to Benedict's time in office, which ended in a shock decision to resign – something that has not happened in the Roman Catholic Church for six centuries. |
| But Walsh seemed unmoved by the unusualness of the event as he paid tribute to Benedict's "worldwide travels at an advanced age." He instructed those gathered to: "Pray for the needs of the church, pray for Pope Benedict and we pray for those who will elect his successor." | But Walsh seemed unmoved by the unusualness of the event as he paid tribute to Benedict's "worldwide travels at an advanced age." He instructed those gathered to: "Pray for the needs of the church, pray for Pope Benedict and we pray for those who will elect his successor." |
| That attitude was matched by those in the pews where few people expressed anything but acceptance of the once-in-the-last-600-years event. "He's like everyone else. Once you get a certain age you don't want to work anymore," said Horacio Ochoa, a 57-year-old computer worker who comes to St Patrick's every working day of the week anyway. | That attitude was matched by those in the pews where few people expressed anything but acceptance of the once-in-the-last-600-years event. "He's like everyone else. Once you get a certain age you don't want to work anymore," said Horacio Ochoa, a 57-year-old computer worker who comes to St Patrick's every working day of the week anyway. |
| Vesna Cabraja, a 49-year-old businesswoman from Queens, said she understood why the pope was standing down from his office. "He is too old. He looks tired. If I was his age I would choose to do the same," she said. | Vesna Cabraja, a 49-year-old businesswoman from Queens, said she understood why the pope was standing down from his office. "He is too old. He looks tired. If I was his age I would choose to do the same," she said. |
| Meanwhile John Davies, 83, said he had no concern at all about the remarkable ructions that have stunned close observers of the Vatican. "It is going to church that is important. It just good to be here," he said. | Meanwhile John Davies, 83, said he had no concern at all about the remarkable ructions that have stunned close observers of the Vatican. "It is going to church that is important. It just good to be here," he said. |
| The mass was held as Benedict fulfilled his last duties as pope and pledged his "unconditional reverence and obedience" to whoever succeeds him. He also addressed concerns that the debate over his surprise decision and the need to choose a new leader could divide the church by calling for unity. | The mass was held as Benedict fulfilled his last duties as pope and pledged his "unconditional reverence and obedience" to whoever succeeds him. He also addressed concerns that the debate over his surprise decision and the need to choose a new leader could divide the church by calling for unity. |
| Those remarks came after some high profile church figures, such as George Pell, an Australian cardinal and archbishop of Sydney, made comments that were seen as critical of his decision. But such sentiments were not common on the ground in New York. Walsh paid repeated tribute to Benedict's life and work and reserved any harder words for the challenges the religion faces in terms of growing secularism and the breakdown of traditional nuclear families. | Those remarks came after some high profile church figures, such as George Pell, an Australian cardinal and archbishop of Sydney, made comments that were seen as critical of his decision. But such sentiments were not common on the ground in New York. Walsh paid repeated tribute to Benedict's life and work and reserved any harder words for the challenges the religion faces in terms of growing secularism and the breakdown of traditional nuclear families. |
| "He will face many challenges," he said of whoever will be next pope – perhaps unwittingly acknowledging that one challenge might be that the pope's identity is unknown but his sex is not. | "He will face many challenges," he said of whoever will be next pope – perhaps unwittingly acknowledging that one challenge might be that the pope's identity is unknown but his sex is not. |
| Certainly signs of the changing times that every religion faces in adapting to the modern world could be seen in and around St Patrick's. Banners hanging down outside the building reflect the difficulties – and perhaps opportunities – of lying in the heart of a city not exactly known for its religious fervour. | Certainly signs of the changing times that every religion faces in adapting to the modern world could be seen in and around St Patrick's. Banners hanging down outside the building reflect the difficulties – and perhaps opportunities – of lying in the heart of a city not exactly known for its religious fervour. |
| "In a city that never sleeps, everyone needs a place to pray," one read, perhaps optimistically. In a nod to modern mores that might appeal to church reformers another banner suggested passers-by check out St Patrick's on Facebook and Twitter. "Follow us @stpatsnyc." it said. Echoing the rampant commercialism outside, yet another urged people to visit the cathedral gift shop to buy souvenirs. | "In a city that never sleeps, everyone needs a place to pray," one read, perhaps optimistically. In a nod to modern mores that might appeal to church reformers another banner suggested passers-by check out St Patrick's on Facebook and Twitter. "Follow us @stpatsnyc." it said. Echoing the rampant commercialism outside, yet another urged people to visit the cathedral gift shop to buy souvenirs. |
| But among worshippers there was little sign of dissent or dissatisfaction. Cabraja explained that she had few strong opinions about who should be the next pope as she was willing to accept the will of the church whatever that should be. However, she did have one suggestion: "they should choose younger popes," she said. | But among worshippers there was little sign of dissent or dissatisfaction. Cabraja explained that she had few strong opinions about who should be the next pope as she was willing to accept the will of the church whatever that should be. However, she did have one suggestion: "they should choose younger popes," she said. |
| But Ochoa remained more old school. When asked whom he would like to see as a new church leader, he was looking to the past for inspiration. "I want another John Paul II maybe. I thought everything of him. He was exactly what a pope should be," he said. | But Ochoa remained more old school. When asked whom he would like to see as a new church leader, he was looking to the past for inspiration. "I want another John Paul II maybe. I thought everything of him. He was exactly what a pope should be," he said. |
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