Brooklyn monsignors witness historic canonization

A whopping three million of the faithful congregated in Rome to get a glimpse of the ceremony in which Popes John XXIII and John Paul II were canonized. Among the 800,000 people who thronged St. Peter’s Square on that long-awaited day, were two spiritual leaders from Brooklyn.

Monsignor David Cassato of St. Athanasius Church arrived in Rome on Tuesday, April 22. Once the day of the canonization finally arrived, he described the experience as “absolutely incredible.” The streets, he said, were jam-packed with people. “Everyone was on the road. The streets were filled with young people singing, carrying banners,” Cassato said.

He also noted an abundance of Polish people carrying banners of Pope John Paul II, who was born in Poland as Karol Wojtyla. Cassato said that the city was bustling with activity.

“There were signs of faith, how people responded and all wanted to be there like one Catholic family and people of other faiths were there too,” said Cassato. “I think Pope John Paul would have liked it. He had great influence over other religions and power to communicate with them.”

This was the first canonization Cassato has ever attended. The most “powerful” moment of his entire trip, he told this paper, was during the mass of canonization when the relics of the two popes passed about 20 feet in front of him. During that moment, he said, “I prayed for all the people of Brooklyn that I left behind who were in need of healing, prayers and help.”

The ritual followed a very specific format, said Cassato. “There was a question and answer between the Pope and Cardinal in charge of the canonization. It started off with the lineage of saints, calling all saints to be present with us for this moment. Then the Pope said, ‘I now declare them saints,’ and there were 300,000 to 400,000 people applauding,” he said. “People were just ecstatic.”

Another Brooklynite who flew into Vatican City was Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor of St. Bernard’s Church. He arrived in Rome on Wednesday, April 23.

“I’ve never seen Rome so crowded with pilgrims,” he recalled. “It was the most crowded in churches, in streets, in the historical sites. Unbelievable.”

As a priest, Gigantiello said, it was a very exciting time because, while one is able to see the church alive with people from all over the world assembling there normally, it was even more so for such a historic occasion.

Gigantiello – who had previously met Pope John Paul II three times — arrived at the ceremony early and scored a good seat in the front section reserved for priests. “It was a beautiful view of the ceremony and the Holy Father,” he said.

A memorable moment for Gigantiello was when Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI took his seat and he had the opportunity to see Pope Francis greet another pope. “It was the first time I ever saw two popes embrace one another,” Gigantiello noted.

The weather cooperated, he added. “It was very cloudy, overcast, with a little bit of drizzle but the rain did hold off until the end of the day,” Gigantiello said. “When they brought out the relics, and processed them in, the sun came out for a few minutes. It was amazing — it was the only time the sun came out.”