A joyous return for Cardinal Bevilacqua
Little Rocco Palmo leaned from his pew at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul yesterday as newly elevated Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua approached in a long procession of priests.
This story was originally published on July 15, 1991.
Little Rocco Palmo leaned from his pew at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul yesterday as newly elevated Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua approached in a long procession of priests.
Bevilacqua spotted the beaming 11-year-old, smiled, reached for the boy's hand, and leaned down. "Are you going to be a cardinal someday?" Bevilacqua asked.
"Oh, yes," Rocco almost shouted. "Definitely."
Minutes after Bevilacqua passed, Rocco, of South Philadelphia, said "It's better than a million dollars, shaking the hand of a cardinal. He's a great guy."
Bevilacqua seemed to have that effect on nearly all who went to the basilica and managed to catch the new cardinal's attention and be touched.
Bevilacqua, elevated to cardinal June 28 by Pope John Paul II at a ceremony in Rome, returned to his cathedral to celebrate his first official Philadelphia Mass as a cardinal.
Nearly 2,000 people attended the Mass of Thanksgiving and cheered and clapped as Bevilacqua, archbishop of Philadelphia, entered the cavernous basilica and personally welcomed as many participants as he could reach.
Among those on hand for the historic occasion were Gov. Casey, Mayor Goode, U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford and other invited representatives of state and local government.
Beyond the invited guests, the majority of those who packed the church were from the South Vicariate of Philadelphia, which takes in all parishes south of Allegheny Avenue.
There are six vicariates in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including North and South Philadelphia and each of the four suburban counties. Bevilacqua will host members of each of the other five vicariates in coming Sundays.
Altogether, 72 churches were represented at yesterday's ceremonies.
Joseph Connor, a member of Our Lady of Victory in West Philadelphia, said: "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. This is our new cardinal. He was a great bishop and he'll be a great cardinal."
With Connor was Maria Mitchell and her 5-year-old daughter, Darlene. Darlene had watched last month's ceremony on television and had wanted to see Bevilacqua ever since.
"She's been talking about it since he was made cardinal. She kept saying she wanted to see him. And she did. He touched her hands and face," Mitchell said.