POPE Benedict XVI celebrated an open-air Mass in Glasgow, attended by tens of thousands of people in 2010. The Irish News was among the world's media in attendance. Marie Louise McConville shares her memories of the historic papal visit.
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SEEING Pope Benedict XVI in Glasgow 12 years ago remains one of the highlights of my career.
It had not been an assignment I had asked for but having heard repeated stories about Pope John Paul II's visit to Ireland in 1979 and the once-in-a-lifetime scenes it had created, I had been keen to make some papal memories of my own.
But as I set off early on the morning on September 16, 2010, I had no idea of the experience which lay before me.
And while my memories of the visit have faded a little over time, what I vividly remember is the joy.
After a 10-hour journey by boat, bus, train and foot, I and the other 349 Irish pilgrims who had travelled with The Irish News Readers Holidays group, were met by a sea of Scottish and papal flags as we finally neared Bellahouston Park.
A magnificent celebration awaited us as we arrived, our tired and weary bodies suddenly boosted by the carnival of faith before us. Suddenly, there was a sense of belonging, a sense of togetherness and a sense of hope.
And when the Pontiff arrived among the crowds, I remember feeling this sudden sense of inner peace. The truth is, as a firm member of the Pope John Paul II fan club, I had always regarded Pope Benedict as a bit more stern.
Addressing the 65,000 people gathered, during the open air Mass, he warned of the threat of "aggressive forms of secularism". He also called on lay people to promote their faith.
"Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility," he said.
I don't mind admitting that during the Mass, my opinion of the then 83-year-old somehow softened, I could see the human being and not just the stricter facade. And as we left the park later that day, I wasn't the only one who felt this way.
I remember one fellow pilgrim telling me: "He’s not as stern-looking in person, is he?," before she added: "He’s a handsome man", which made me chuckle.
We were all lucky to have been there that day because just a few years later, in February 2013, Pope Benedict stepped down.
I left Bellahouston Park that day carrying my pilgrim pack with a lovely sense of calm - I wish I could have bottled it. Now, those of us who were there that day at least have the memories and can reflect joyfully on a wonderful experience.
Rest in Peace Pope Benedict, you made an impact on my life that day and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. You managed to strengthen the faith of many at a time when Catholicism had found itself under huge strain. For me, it was a privilege, a special, personal journey and one which I will not forget.
