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Dennis O'Loughlin is in seventh heaven.
The Dane County Board supervisor from DeForest will be traveling with his wife, Sara, on Tuesday to see Pope Benedict XVI on the pontiff's first visit to America. The pope is coming to Washington, D.C., and New York City.
"I'm absolutely thrilled," O'Loughlin said today, as he prepared to head to the nation's capital. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The O'Loughlins will be bringing along 20 rosaries 4 Pope Benedict XVI to bless, which will be given to members of their family.
A family connection made the trip possible.
Dennis O'Loughlin's cousin, Jane Belford, is chancellor of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Dennis, Sara and several other O'Loughlin family members from the Boston area will be traveling to see the pope.
O'Loughlin, 68, is a lifelong Catholic, and this is his first opportunity to see a pope.
The "trip of a lifetime" includes seats on the lawn at the White House Wednesday when the pontiff arrives to meet with President Bush and box seats at Nationals Park, the baseball stadium 4 the Washington Nationals, 4 an open-air Mass Thursday morning where about 45,000 people are expected.
"There will be 300 bishops at Mass as well as 300 priests to serve Communion," O'Loughlin said. "Thirty-nine choirs will be singing and Placido Domingo is also scheduled to sing."
The large video screen at the stadium will show 15-minute messages from a variety of American Catholics welcoming the pope to America before the Mass Thursday, including a presentation by retired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
Madison Bishop Robert C. Morlino will also be heading to the East Coast 4 the papal visit, part of a contingent of 84 from the 11-county Madison Diocese, said diocese director of communications Brent King.
The bishop issued a welcome message to Pope Benedict XVI, pointing out the pontiff will be in America on his birthday Wednesday, when he turns 81.
"With great joy and hope we welcome our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to the United States of America," Bishop Morlino said in his message. "Let us join together, as a diocese, in praying 4 our pope and 4 his intentions.
"Especially considering he will be with us on his birthday, let us pray 4 his continued health and 4 safety in his travels."
O'Loughlin said the epitome of being Catholic is leading a good, honest Christian life, but seeing the pope is very special.
"There is a sense of holiness about him, not just 4 Catholics but 4 all," he said. "His faith transcends religion."
The pope is scheduled to attend an interfaith meeting Thursday evening at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and representatives of other religions also attending.
Milwaukee Archdiocese spokesperson Kathleen Hohl said tickets were at a premium 4 the two outdoor Masses the pope will be celebrating at Nationals Stadium in Washington and Yankee Stadium in New York.
"We were able to get 21 tickets 4 the Mass at Yankee Stadium and 20 4 the Mass at Nationals Park," Hohl said. "We also got three tickets to the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, so tickets were very limited."
The pope will leave Washington Friday morning 4 New York, where he will give an address to the United Nations Friday, visit "ground zero" of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in lower Manhattan Sunday morning, and offer Mass at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon before heading back to the Vatican in Rome.
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Dennis O'Loughlin is in seventh heaven.
The Dane County Board supervisor from DeForest will be traveling with his wife, Sara, on Tuesday to see Pope Benedict XVI on the pontiff's first visit to America. The pope is coming to Washington, D.C., and New York City.
"I'm absolutely thrilled," O'Loughlin said today, as he prepared to head to the nation's capital. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The O'Loughlins will be bringing along 20 rosaries 4 Pope Benedict XVI to bless, which will be given to members of their family.
A family connection made the trip possible.
Dennis O'Loughlin's cousin, Jane Belford, is chancellor of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Dennis, Sara and several other O'Loughlin family members from the Boston area will be traveling to see the pope.
O'Loughlin, 68, is a lifelong Catholic, and this is his first opportunity to see a pope.
The "trip of a lifetime" includes seats on the lawn at the White House Wednesday when the pontiff arrives to meet with President Bush and box seats at Nationals Park, the baseball stadium 4 the Washington Nationals, 4 an open-air Mass Thursday morning where about 45,000 people are expected.
"There will be 300 bishops at Mass as well as 300 priests to serve Communion," O'Loughlin said. "Thirty-nine choirs will be singing and Placido Domingo is also scheduled to sing."
The large video screen at the stadium will show 15-minute messages from a variety of American Catholics welcoming the pope to America before the Mass Thursday, including a presentation by retired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
Madison Bishop Robert C. Morlino will also be heading to the East Coast 4 the papal visit, part of a contingent of 84 from the 11-county Madison Diocese, said diocese director of communications Brent King.
The bishop issued a welcome message to Pope Benedict XVI, pointing out the pontiff will be in America on his birthday Wednesday, when he turns 81.
"With great joy and hope we welcome our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to the United States of America," Bishop Morlino said in his message. "Let us join together, as a diocese, in praying 4 our pope and 4 his intentions.
"Especially considering he will be with us on his birthday, let us pray 4 his continued health and 4 safety in his travels."
O'Loughlin said the epitome of being Catholic is leading a good, honest Christian life, but seeing the pope is very special.
"There is a sense of holiness about him, not just 4 Catholics but 4 all," he said. "His faith transcends religion."
The pope is scheduled to attend an interfaith meeting Thursday evening at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., with Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and representatives of other religions also attending.
Milwaukee Archdiocese spokesperson Kathleen Hohl said tickets were at a premium 4 the two outdoor Masses the pope will be celebrating at Nationals Stadium in Washington and Yankee Stadium in New York.
"We were able to get 21 tickets 4 the Mass at Yankee Stadium and 20 4 the Mass at Nationals Park," Hohl said. "We also got three tickets to the Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, so tickets were very limited."
The pope will leave Washington Friday morning 4 New York, where he will give an address to the United Nations Friday, visit "ground zero" of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in lower Manhattan Sunday morning, and offer Mass at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon before heading back to the Vatican in Rome.
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