The Pope In America: It Was Woo-hoo-woo

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of desire for spiritual leadership. But it must be exercised in a personal way. The Pope's personal style has a good chance of succeeding." The Rev. William Sloane Coffin Jr., pastor of Manhattan's Riverside Church and a leading liberal Protestant clergyman, was reminded by John Paul's performance of a definition laid down by Phillips Brooks, a spellbinding 19th century Episcopal bishop in Boston. "Preaching," said Brooks, "is bringing truth through personality." In the case of John Paul II, man and message have become one. Bishop Daniel Cronin River, Mass., said the Pope was trying to create a sense of "oneness" among the nation's Catholics. "Here's a young and vigorous man. He's real. The way he engenders enthusiasm, it's as though the Holy Spirit has become visible"

John Paul had visited the U.S. twice before, in 1969 and 1976, and he began demonstrating his familiarity with the U.S and sure touch with its people, almost the moment his Aer Lingus 747 touched down at Logan Airport in Boston after Monday's flight from Ireland. Rosalynn Carter, acting as her husband's personal emissary, dressed in black suit and white blouse nervously delivered a graceful welcome: "You have lifted up the eyes of the world to focus on the enduring values of the family, the community, human rights and love for one another " The Pope kissed the soggy tarmac, planted two kisses on the cheeks of the Rev. Msgr. Charles Finn, at 102 the oldest U S priest, and said he would like to "enter every home, to greet personally every man and woman, to caress every child." Failing that, he said, "permit me to express my sentiments in the lyrics of your own song," and then, in his sturdy and serviceable English, quoted from America the Beautiful: "And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea."

Some 800 chartered buses had helped to bring an estimated 1 million visitors from all over New England to join 2 million Catholic Bostonians in this most Catholic of American cities to get a glimpse of the Pope. Many seemed not to mind that they got only a quick peek as his motorcade sped by. Whizzing through Dorchester on the way to town, he spotted a 6-ft. sign, hanging from the third floor of the home of Martin and Antania Olesch, that read, "Nie bojcie sie ofworzyc na osciez drzwi chrystusowi" (Don't be afraid to open the door wide for Christ).

At the 104-year-old Cathedral of the Holy Cross, about 2,000 priests and nuns rocked the rafters with cheers and the choir sang, "Ecce sacerdos magnus" (Behold the great priest). The Pope showed again how thoroughly he had been prepared for his trip by paraphrasing the words of John Winthrop, first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, written aboard the Arabella as the ship approached America in 1630: "We must love one another with a pure heart We must bear one another's burden." Said John Paul: "These simple words explain so much of the meaning of life— our life as brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Then John Paul did an utterly characteristic thing. Leaving the cathedral, he turned left at the foot of the altar and headed for the only wheelchair in the church and Jane De Martino, 26 paralyzed as the result of an accident that severed her spinal column. He