Waiting forThe Holy Father

In recent weeks, CNY asked a number of Catholics across the archdiocese about their expectations of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to New York, and what they were doing to get ready for it. Following are their responses:

Msgr. Donald M. Dwyer

Pastor, Our Lady of the Assumption parish, the Bronx Regional Vicar, East Bronx Vicariate

A high point of Pope Benedict's journey to America will be his pilgrimage to Ground Zero at the World Trade Center site on Sunday morning, April 20.

This site is sacred ground and seeing the Holy Father stand there in prayer and offer a blessing will be a great consolation to the families of the victims and to all Americans.

The searing images of the World Trade Center have penetrated our consciousness for these past 6 1/2 years. The pope's presence there will remind us that we are indeed Òone nation under God.Ó

Maggie Coyne

Senior, Albertus Magnus High School, Bardonia

As the future of not only our Church but the world as well, I think this is a tremendous opportunity for the youth to meet with the leader of our Church. We deserve the chance to be heard and recognized as full members of the Church, with opinions and faith just like anyone else and this youth day is providing us with this opportunity at last.

When my two oldest siblings were teenagers they were blessed to go to New York City to see Pope John Paul II and I always hoped I could one day say I was just as blessed. My day has come and I couldn't be more excited and thankful. This is a once in a lifetime experience.

Pope Benedict XVI has great hopes for a future filled with peace and it is up to my generation to make that happen. We must take his message to heart and prepare ourselves for what's to come. The youth day should be an amazing experience and I really hope it turns out to be an eye-opening, unforgettable one.

William Derby

Parishioner, Corpus Christi, Harlem

One thing that is true of our current world and our country is that there is a lot of division, and a severe lack of unity. The pope is the visible source and foundation of unity, and I hope and pray that he can bring unity to all the divided groups of people with whom he is going to meet.

The pope might be able to assist political leaders to become more open to the reconciliation, peace, fairness and love of God. I hope that the interfaith leaders will work together to focus more on their agreements and common ground than on their small discrepancies. Particularly, I hope they can come to a strong and persuasive consensus that peace and tolerance should be created and maintained in the name of their respective faiths, and in the name of right and wrong.

I also hope and pray that the pope helps to bring unity, reconciliation and love to all divided Christian groups, to the Catholic Church in America, and to many "fallen Catholics" who have left the Catholic Church for any number of sensitive reasons.

More importantly than vocally asking God to bring peace, unity, and love to the endeavors of the pope and the world, I hope to become increasingly open to bringing that peace, reconciliation, unity and love to my own world and my own house, and to develop a genuine concern in my heart for humanity that God will understand without my mentioning it. All this is much easier said than done.

Margaret McKenzie

Parishioner, St. Patrick's, Yorktown Heights

I happen to be reading one of the pope's books now and following the Catholic newspapers to prepare for his visit. I'm really looking forward to his visit. I'm praying for all the people going. I'm praying for all the children that will be at St. Joseph's Seminary. My church is asking for people to pray ahead to make this a blessed event. It's quite exciting. I think he is perfect for our time. We need people to call us back to

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