December 18, 2007

Limited number of tickets available for Papal visit

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec has written to pastors and youth leaders of the Diocese of Buffalo, informing them that a limited number of tickets will be available for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to New York City in April 2008.

Tickets will be available for a youth and seminarian rally scheduled for Saturday,

April 19, at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers. Buses will depart from Buffalo early on April 19, returning early on April 20. There will also be a limited number of tickets available for the Papal Mass on Sunday, April 20, at Yankee Stadium. Buses will depart from Buffalo early on April 20, returning early on April 21.

“Once tickets have been allocated to the Diocese of Buffalo, an equal distribution will occur,” Bishop Kmiec said. “At this time, we do not know how many tickets will be made available to our diocese.”

Ticket requests for the papal visit must be submitted through parishes in the eight counties of Western New York by Jan. 18, 2008. Due to security reasons, tickets are non-transferable.

Priests and deacons from the diocese will have the opportunity to distribute Holy Communion during the Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium. For further information, interested priests and deacons should contact Father Peter Karalus, pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in Langford, at 716-337-2686 by Jan. 18.

Questions about the youth rally should be directed to Father Karalus and Daniel Greer, diocesan youth director (716-847-8789).

The Holy Father will be visiting New York City and Washington, D.C., April 15-20. This marks his first visit to the United States since being elected pontiff almost three years ago.

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