Pilgrims reflect on tears, cheers at ‘life-changing’ pallium Mass
Sarah and Greg Hempstead, members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis, are shown with Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin outside of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on June 29. The Hempsteads traveled to Italy to attend the pallium Mass with a group from Marian University in Indianapolis. (Photo by John Shaughnessy)
By John Shaughnessy
VATICAN CITY—Three days after her 22nd birthday, Marianne Holland received a special gift from Pope Francis.
After the pallium Mass on June 29 in St. Peter’s Basilica, Marianne began videotaping the procession as the pope and the 34 archbishops who had earlier received their palliums walked along the middle aisle of the church.
Standing with her brother, Joe, near the end of their row of chairs, Marianne couldn’t believe what happened as the pope neared her.
“When he was walking out, he looked right at me and gave me the sign of the cross,” said Marianne, her excitement radiating in her eyes and her smile. “I could be biased. He could have been looking at the crowd. I just felt very blessed.”
The member of St. Simon the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis paused, smiled brilliantly again and added, “It was the coolest experience of my life.”
The experience of Marianne—who was also with her parents, Michael and Dolores Holland—reflected the emotional reactions shared by many of the 80 pilgrims from the archdiocese who made a pilgrimage to Italy with Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin from June 25 to July 2. (See photos and updates from the trip on our blog)
Here are reactions from other pilgrims about the pallium Mass where Archbishop Tobin received his pallium—symbolizing his leadership of the archdiocese—from Pope Francis.
‘The simplicity and the meaning’
Even after 55 years as a priest, Father Frank Eckstein still experiences new dimensions of his faith. The pallium Mass was his first papal Mass.
“I’ve never been to one before, and I never thought I’d get to one. I was very impressed by the simplicity and the meaning of receiving the pallium.
“This was my first live view of Pope Francis. It was very moving. To me, Archbishop Tobin and Pope Francis are on the same page as far as personality,” Father Eckstein continued. “They both strike me as very humble men who are very approachable, and it’s very comforting to be in their presence. You don’t have the sense of Archbishop Tobin being a superior. You feel very comfortable with him.”
Tears of joy
After entering the Catholic Church two years ago, Anita Robertson cried tears of joy as she sat inside St. Peter’s Basilica for the pallium Mass.
“I was in awe, absolute awe, being in St. Peter’s. I’m handicapped, and I was right up near the altar. I was 10 feet from the pope as he was exiting.
“I’m a new Catholic. I went from being an Evangelical to a Catholic two years ago,” said Robertson, a member of St. Alphonsus Parish in Zionsville, Ind., in the Lafayette Diocese. “I’m absolutely thrilled with the fullness of the faith. To have studied all of it and then to be in St. Peter’s, it just made me cry.”
‘One of the coolest parts’
For seminarian Matthew Tucci, one of his favorite memories of June 29 happened before the pallium Mass as he waited outside in a long line to get into St. Peter’s Basilica.
“It was wonderful because all the people from around the world were there with their bishops,” recalled Tucci, a member of Holy Family Parish in New Albany who is receiving priestly formation at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. “One of the coolest parts was being in line with all the people. I was talking to them about the Mass and the pallium. It was a really great time to evangelize about the Church.”
Tucci had the same good feeling when he saw Archbishop Tobin receive his pallium—a circular band made from lamb’s wool signifying an archbishop’s role as the shepherd of his archdiocese.
“The only thing I could do was smile,” Tucci said. “I know the archdiocese is really blessed to have him. And it means a lot to hear that the pope has so much trust in him.”
‘The presence of God’
The emotion of being there for the pallium Mass—and seeing Archbishop Tobin receive his pallium from Pope Francis—still stayed with Melissa Findley as she headed toward a reception in honor of the archbishop.
“It was so powerful and moving,” said Findley, a member of St. Joseph University Parish in Terre Haute. “I just felt chills everywhere. I felt the presence of God was there.”
‘A life-changing event’
Mary Ann Van Note brought her binoculars to the pallium Mass, figuring she would need them to get a view of Pope Francis. So she was overwhelmed when the pope passed about five feet from where she and her husband, Bob, sat as he processed toward the main altar.
“The Mass was a life-changing event,” noted Mary Ann, a member of St. Pius X Parish in Indianapolis. “I got tears in my eyes and goose bumps when I saw the pope process in. I was right on the aisle.
“I had binoculars, too. I was watching him when he was presenting the palliums. He had a very broad smile as he was presenting the pallium to each of them. It just made you appreciate how happy he was for all of them to receive their palliums.”
‘We all cheered for him’
After the pallium Mass, Larry Dougherty had a sense of joy and pride as Archbishop Tobin came into view while processing from St. Peter’s Basilica with Pope Francis and the other archbishops who received their palliums.
“He knew where we were sitting,” said Dougherty, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Indianapolis. “He acknowledged we were there, made eye contact with us, and we all cheered for him.
“The pallium Mass was awesome. It was great to be in the presence of the pope and to witness Archbishop Tobin receive his pallium. It was a blessing to be there.” †
