Audience with Pope Benedict XVI — Presenting the Pope my music
Eight years ago in 2005, my wife came bounding into the room with some shocking news: “Cardinal Ratzinger has just been elected Pope!” Today, the news is no less shocking that, after several centuries, our times will see the first pope to resign his office. My mailbox this morning has questions from ‘what does this mean in the scope of the “end times”?’, to ‘will there now be a “black pope“?’, etc. Rather than elaborate or speculate at this time, the first thought that comes to mind is the unexpected meeting I had with Pope Benedict in October of 2006, and the way it all unfolded…. From a letter to my readers on October 24th, 2006:
DEAR friends,
I write you this evening from my hotel just a stone’s throw from St. Peter’s Square. These have been grace-filled days. Of course, many of you are wondering if I met the Pope…
The reason for my trip here was to sing at a concert October 22nd to honor the 25th anniversary of the John Paul II Foundation, as well as the 28th anniversary of the late pontiff’s installation as pope on October 22nd, 1978.
A CONCERT FOR POPE JOHN PAUL II
As we rehearsed several times over the course of two days for the event which will be televised nationally in Poland next week, I began to feel out of place. I was surrounded by some of the greatest talents in Poland, incredible singers and musicians. At one point, I went outside to get some fresh air and walk along an ancient Roman wall. I began to pine, “Why am I here, Lord? I don’t fit in amongst these giants!” I cannot tell you how I know, but I sensed John Paul II reply in my heart, “That is why you are here, because you are so small.”