Local residents enjoy papal presence

St. Thomas the Apostle Church parishioners woke up early Thursday to catch a glimpse of one of their own performing for Pope Benedict XVI.

They weren't disappointed.

John Angotti, who is regularly a part of the Naperville church's services, sang a couple of prayers before the first public Mass of Pope Benedict's U.S. pilgrimage.

More than 45,000 people filled Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., as the pope presided over the service. Angotti was about 50 feet from the famous visitor.

"When it first started and he came out, I was in tears," Angotti said. "It was just a great day all the way around."

Many U.S. residents, including people with ties to DuPage County, traveled to the nation's capital to hear the pope speak during his five-day visit.

Robert Frazier, co-director of liturgy and music at St. Thomas the Apostle, said members got up early to watch the television coverage and find Angotti.

"We're just very excited that he was there sharing his gift at the Mass," Frazier said. "And we're just very proud and thrilled for him."

Frazier said he also was excited for the church because it had a representative present at Thursday's event.

"It's a very exciting time to have the pope here in this country visiting us," he said. "It's a very uplifting time for the church."

Angotti has spent the last two years as a visiting artist for St. Thomas the Apostle. As part of his duties, the 44-year-old Memphis resident has made monthly visits to Naperville to perform at the church.

Singing before the pope's Mass was a moving experience for Angotti.

"It was a great opportunity just to be a part of that whole part of our culture, part of our faith," he said. "It was part of an emotional thing and kind of spiritually uplifting when the pope came in."

Lori Carlson says she had similar emotions a day earlier when she stood on the White House grounds and saw Pope Benedict and President George Bush speak.

"It was an intriguing experience," the 58-year-old Glen Ellyn resident said Thursday. "Everybody was really in a fantastic state of mind and the pope was received so warmly."

Carlson, who was invited to Wednesday morning's arrival ceremony through U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, described it as "a unique event."

"Obviously, something like this doesn't happen every day," she said.

Carlson said she enjoyed the apparent unity between Pope Benedict and President Bush.

"They were so united in many of their thoughts that it was refreshing," she said. "Everyone around you totally appreciated the words of the president because they knew that many of the things he said were so in line with the pope."