Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 9, 1995 TAG: 9510090143
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BALTIMORE LENGTH: Medium
On the final day of his fourth U.S. pilgrimage, the pope celebrated Mass from an altar in center field, the location 100 years ago of a saloon run by Babe Ruth's father.
``Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought,'' John Paul said, warning of the dangers of a permissive society lacking a moral foundation.
The scoreboard at Oriole Park displayed the message, ``He is here,'' as the rock group Boyz II Men serenaded the pontiff touring the baseball stadium in his popemobile. The stadium had not rocked to such cheers since Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record of playing in 2,130 straight games.
``This is No.1,'' said Walter Gentile, an Orioles usher. Ripken's record-breaking game last month? ``That's No.2.''
Later, the popemobile took John Paul in a two-mile parade that police said was witnessed by about 350,000 people. He then joined 19 people in a soup kitchen for a lunch of chicken and rice casserole, peas, carrots and chocolate chip cookies.
John Paul bent down and kissed the foreheads of six children at the center. One child, Baltimore Cardinal William Keeler said, called the pontiff ``Uncle Pope.''
At the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, the pope challenged Catholics to defend ``against those who would take religion out of the public domain and establish secularism as America's official faith.''
Also on his schedule was a meeting with Vice President Al Gore before boarding a plane for Rome.
John Paul delivered his stadium message in America's oldest Catholic diocese, established in the 16th century by English Catholics fleeing persecution.
The message was aimed at pushing Roman Catholics to raise their voices in the public policy debate, and to promote what the church holds as moral truths.
``Can the biblical wisdom which played such a formative part in the very founding of your country be excluded from that debate?'' John Paul asked.
by CNB