Thursday evening in D.C., Friday in NYC

Thursday evening Mike and I enjoyed a great meal on the Potomac waterfront in Georgetown then visited with friends who were kind enough to take us by the Apostolic Nunciature in route back to our hotel in Chinatown. The Nunciature is the D.C. residence on Embassy Row of the Papal Nuncio, the Vatican's diplomat to the U.S., where the Holy Father spent the night. The residence is directly across the street from Vice President Cheney's residence at the Naval Observatory on Massachusetts Avenue.

Mike was quoted in an AJC article on the papal visit on Thursday, April 18th titled "Major-league Mass" by Bob Dart.

Pope Benedict left Washington from Andrews AFB about 8:30 a.m. Friday morning and arrived at RFK in New York just after 10:00 a.m. The pope addressed the United Nations General Assembly at about 11:00 a.m.

Mike and I departed D.C. about 12:30 p.m. and were met in New York at LaGuardia by Mike's father Tom. After a short visit at his home in Queens, we attended a family gathering in Suffolk County on Long Island. Tom then treated us to a fantastic Italian meal at Pasquele's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Saturday morning, the Holy Father will travel down 5th Avenue in the popemobile very near our hotel in route to St. Patrick's Cathedral where he will celebrate mass with clergy from around the country.

A few pics from CUA and the National Shrine: