Will the Pope’s visit have lasting impact?

I’ve been asked that question as a journalist covering the papal visit all along, from before he arrived through his apostolic journey (out of the Washington studio at the terrific Heritage Foundation) to this very day, on Relevant Radio this morning. It’s a good question, considering the imapact Pope Benedict XVI had on America all of last week.

Funny, I was just thinking about this yesterday, that nature of the media and news reporting. A story that may seize the public consciousness, like the Terri Schiavo ordeal, the lost miners story (who were never found), the China Olympic boycott demonstrations, so many others….what happens when the cameras go away? Long before those demonstrations were started by the Tibetan monks, for instance, there were lots of compelling reasons to srutinize China’s bid for the Games and command world attention to their human rights violations and religious persecutions, selectively, certainly against Catholics. But that burst of attention comes and we watch and comment and then it’s on to something else. Usually politics.

Pope Benedict’s visit to America was different, I think. His presence represented the higher realm of our existence, his message transcended politics and world affairs, culture and academia, though he spoke to all these. His address at the United Nations was the real roadmap to peace and dignity for all people in the world, as noted here and here.

That’s one way the message and impact will endure, to live up to the pope’s challenges and to spread that encouragement to others. He has such clarity about truth and truth excites. It enlivens, illuminates, shows falsehood for what it is. Freedom is ordered to truth, he said again and again. Spreading that message keeps it moving with the power it inherently has. Talking about it in writing and on the air waves and at speaking engagements is my part in it.

The good news is, other voices far more powerful and influential than mine are doing the same. Look at what Rush Limbaugh said on his show yesterday.

I said earlier that the pope knows more about American history than a lot of Americans do.  He does love this country, and he knows more about what’s happening here cultural, the challenges the country faces than a lot of Americans do.

(I said the same thing last week on Relevant Radio in our special coverage. Especially after hearing him refer to our history and values and unique character in all his addresses.)

Limbaugh went on to play this clip from the pope at St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, where he addressed about 25,000 wildly cheering, enthusiastic young adults.

[Pope Benedict:] Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good. In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere. And in truth’s place — or better said its absence — an idea has spread which, in giving value to everything indiscriminately, claims to assure freedom and to liberate conscience. This we call relativism. But what purpose has a “freedom” which, in disregarding truth, pursues what is false or wrong? How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life?

[Rush Limbaugh:] Now, this to me, I found this fascinating, when he was talking about the concept of freedom here.  Let me, ladies and gentlemen, focus on this.  He starts by saying, “Some today argue that respect for freedom of the individual makes it wrong to seek truth, including the truth about what is good. In some circles to speak of truth is seen as controversial or divisive, and consequently best kept in the private sphere.”  What this means is, truth is arrived at in a black-and-white way. Good and bad, good and evil, arrived at in a black-and-white way.  The relativists don’t want there to be any bad; they don’t want there to be any wrong.  Therefore, there can’t be any good. There just IS.  You are free to do whatever you want, and anybody who condemns you is to be called on it.  Now, the concept of freedom is not that.  That is not what freedom is.  Not in terms of our founding and not in terms of the way the pope was speaking about it here, because freedom — you know, we are all born as young little savages.

Which is the doctrine of original sin, in other words.

 He’s talking here about the moral relativism of nothing being wrong and nothing being evil.  If you choose to do it, it’s okay.  And then he proceeded to spell out the destruction that lies ahead for people who chose this path, choose this path, or who are taught this path.  “But what purpose has a ‘freedom’ which, in disregarding truth, pursues what is false or wrong? How many young people have been offered a hand which in the name of freedom or experience has led them to addiction, to moral or intellectual confusion, to hurt, to a loss of self-respect, even to despair and so tragically and sadly to the taking of their own life?” Because nothing has meaning.  Because there was no truth.  There was no good and evil.  So people are desperately seeking for meaning, and you’re not going to find it if you’re unwilling to be open to truth; if you’re taught to reject it because it’s somebody’s discrimination against you or somebody’s judgmentalism against you.  I thought this was… Well, most of what the pope said over the weekend was profound.

What the pope said all week in his visit to America was utterly profound. It’s still being unpacked for its riches. And it’s impact will continue to reverberate in everyone who heard it, and everyone who still hear it from them. As long as they’re open to truth.

Addition: At the end of the Rush Limbaugh transcript, there’s this clip he aired of Pope Benedict’s farewell words at JFK Airport, followed by the radio host’s reaction.

POPE:  My visit this morning to Ground Zero will remain firmly etched in my memory, as I continue to pray for the souls who died and for all who suffered in consequence of the tragedy that occurred there in 2001.  For all the people of America and indeed throughout the world, I pray that the future will bring increased fraternity and solidarity as well as a mutual respect and a renewed trust and confidence in God, our Heavenly Father.  With these words, I take my leave. I ask you to remember me in your prayers and I assure you of my affection and friendship in the Lord.  May God bless America! (wild cheers and applause)

RUSH: (laughing) Is that not great?  That is just great. Did you hear that applause erupt?  Here’s somebody… I mean, “God bless America” is said by rote all the time by people.  It is interpreted as by rote, just perfunctory.  When he says it, you know he means it.  It sounds special.

It is special. At last Friday’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, President Bush tried to describe how special Pope Benedict’s presence was and his words were on the South Lawn at the White House. And he shook his head, searching for words. The White House Press Secretary’s Office transcribed it:

“For those of you on the South Lawn — who saw the South Lawn ceremony live, it was — what an unbelievable — it was just such a special moment. (Applause) And it was a special moment to be able to visit with the Holy Father in the Oval Office. He is a humble servant of God. He is a brilliant professor. He is a warm and generous soul.

He is courageous in the defense of fundamental truths. (Applause.) His Holiness believes that freedom is the Almighty’s gift to every man, woman and child on Earth. He understands that every person has value, or to use his words, “each of us is willed, each of us is loved, [and] each of us is necessary.” (Applause.)

The Holy Father strongly believes that to whom much is given much is required — and he is a messenger of God’s call to love our neighbors as we’d like to be loved ourselves.

I’ve seen how American Catholics are guided by these truths. One of the blessings of being the President is I get to see firsthand how people are motivated by the fundamental truths articulated by the Hoy Father.

Yes, his visit will have lasting impact. And he left America all the more blessed for having had him with us.