Pope Benedict XVI certainly showed rock star quality as more than 47,000 people waved small yellow and white papal flags as he entered the new Nationals Park to celebrate Mass during his visit to Washington, DC. Women screamed, men hollered and kids whooped as the pope, seated high in the pope mobile, was driven in front the audience. I have never seen anyone receive a reception quite like this.

I was one of the 47,000 who received tickets to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with the pope on April 17. I am a member of the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Ward 7, and I requested two tickets from our priest, Father Gregory Butta, who only had about 60 tickets for his parish. Traveling by Metro before 7:30 a.m., I took my 14-year-old son for what seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

My excitement was twofold. Besides seeing the pope, I would also get an opportunity to see the new stadium. Impressive.

The event was like a concert. Crowds stood in lines to buy food, socialized with each other, walked around the stadium or listened to performers such as Denyse Graves and the four choirs. The atmosphere was one of anticipation, excitement, but not really solemn reverence.

But by 9 o’clock, as the procession of clergy started, some of that began to change. Pope Benedict came into the stadium around 9:45 a.m., and his presence definitely brought out emotions. One man was taken off the field on a stretcher; and a woman was sobbing as the pontiff waved at the crowd. The Mass started with a welcome by Archbishop Donald Wuerl, who said that the pope’s presence was a “blessing for all of us.” We receive “spiritual renewal as we look to you for renewed inspiration and what you bring to us,” Wuerl said.

The Mass was very much like what we, Catholics, celebrate at church on Sundays. Pope Benedict delivered the homily on the forgiveness of sins, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the unity of the Catholic faith with the “common rich diversity of the Catholic community.”

“I come to America to proclaim this day of Pentecost that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah, sitting on the right side of his Father,” said the pontiff from his chair. Much like the rest of his trip to the United States from April 15 to 20, the pope addressed the sexual abuse by Catholic priests.

“The church in America suffered because of sexual abuse by man,” he said. “Children are loved deeply, and our greatest treasure must be in a safe environment. The effort to protect children must continue.” He urged congregants to “love your priests” and pray for a conversion in the church, for hope, for joy, for strength and forgiveness of sins. The audience was still as he spoke. We hung to his every word.

I witnessed a true miracle when everyone had to move from his or her seats to take Holy Communion. This was done in 20 minutes. I am still amazed.

That day is forever part of me, from the warm, sunny day to the camaraderie I felt with others.

But as I walked out the stadium with a renewed sense of faith, I was disappointed that we were bombarded by protesters denouncing the pope, Catholicism and those of us attending Mass. Although I didn’t let it get to me, it was inappropriate.