MH - I Confess

Excellent catch by Veritatis Splendor of a comment I'd seen as well by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus of First Things, writing in his Rome diary of the crowds waiting to see the Holy Father's body last week:

...And then a word about those millions of people, mainly young people, who came to the funeral last Friday. I have seen several accounts, and heard worldly wise reporters, describing the 'rock star' attraction of John Paul. In fact, the crowds, stretching more than three miles beyond St. Peter's, were wondrously solemn and prayerful. The Legionaries of Christ and other religious orders posted priests all along the way and there was a brisk business in confessions around the clock. One Legionary priest tells of his non-stop hearing of confessions--from five o'clock in the afternoon until six o'clock the next morning. The mayor of Rome said that not one serious crime was reported in the city during the days when millions were waiting up to 26 hours to view the body. That is hard to believe, but that is what he said."

And the line I like the best - isn't it a nice bookend to the prologue to John's Gospel?:

"John Paul went to the world and the world came to him, and they knew why
they had come. "