It was Sunday, September 13th, 1987. The humidity was about 60% that day, and the mercury hit 92.0° F, but it was the moment that San Antonio had waited for . . . the first visit by a pope to the Alamo City. By the time he arrived in San Antonio that morning as part of his eight-city visit to the United States, Pope John Paul II had already visited over 60 countries around the globe. He referred to himself as “The Pilgrim Pope” and many made the pilgrimage to the Alamo City to see and hear him.
The day began when Pope John Paul II touched down at 10am at Kelly Air Force Base aboard his Trans World plane, named “Shepherd 1.”
Pope John Paul II arrives in San Antonio. Note the pilot taking his own photo through the cockpit window…mysa.com
He was greeted on the tarmac by such dignitaries as Archbishop Patrick Flores, Texas Governor Bill Clements and his wife Rita and San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros and his wife Mary Alice. He descended the stairs to the strains of “La Negra” from the mariachi band on hand to greet him, and he took the time to visit with them.
Photo: San Antonio Express News
From the airport he was whisked away to the largest outdoor mass so far on his tour, where 350,000 worshippers joined him at the service. The venue for the late morning Mass was a 144 acre site, and today this is the campus of John Paul Stevens High School on Potranco at Westover Hills.
Photo: Part of the crowd at the mass…San Antonio Express News
Garbed in green robes that were symbolic of hope and growth, the Pontiff told the worshippers, “Your history registers a meeting of cultures, indigenous and immigrant, sometimes marked by tensions and conflicts, yet constantly moving toward reconciliation and harmony.”
Photo: San Antonio Express News
He went on, “People of different races and languages, colors and customs, have come to this land to make it their home. You are thus a symbol and a kind of laboratory testing America’s commitment to her founding moral principles and human values.”
Photo: San Antonio Express News
Following the mass, the Pope’s motorcade made its way to Assumption Seminary on Woodlawn Avenue.
Photo: Author
He enjoyed a break and lunch with Texas bishops, who presented him with a painting of the San Jose Mission and a stetson hat.
Pope John Paul tries on a stetson hat to the amusement of Archbishop Alfred Flores and Father Michael Boulette…San Antonio Express News
Following the lunch, the day continued as the Pope, aboard his Mercedes “Popemobile” traveled 4 1/2 miles downtown to the Municipal Auditorium, now the Tobin Center, where he gave a 30 minute address to 5,000 people at the National Catholic Charities Convention. Part of this event was a song from former members of the “5th Dimension” Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Upon leaving the auditorium, the “Popemobile” wound its way downtown for an historic drive past the Alamo.
Photo: San Antonio Express News
The tour then continued along Commerce Street to the San Fernando Cathedral.
Photo: Author
Upon entering the cathedral, the pope saw a plaque unveiled that commemorated his visit.
Photo: Author
The Holy Father made his way through the cathedral to applause and singing, and then spoke in both English and Spanish to 600 aspiring priests and nuns from all over the United States and Mexico who had been invited to the event. To widespread laughter he began, “You must be patient…it is a long speech”
Pope John Paul spends time in prayer in the San Fernando Cathedral….San Antonio Express News
A six foot high statue of Pope John Paul II was unveiled in the San Fernando Cathedral on All Saints Day 2012. The statue was sculpted by Iwona Kosciuch.
Photo: Author
The Pope’s motorcade, led by the “Popemobile” then traveled to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and plaza on El Paso Street where he gave an address in Spanish on the importance of parishes. The 3,000 parishioners who had gathered there greeted the pope with cheers and shouts of “Viva el Papa !!”
Photo: Author
Photo: Author
The Pope emphasized the importance of family as “the basic unit of society and of the church” and called on parishes to commit themselves fully to serve families “especially in the face of so much breakdown of family life in society.”
Pope John Paul praying at Our Lady of Guadalupe Plaza…mysa.com
He concluded his address with a final cheer, “Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe.”
Robert Aguirre, the JPII San Antonio Visit Project Manager told Robert Rodriguez & Angela Sealana on “Journeys of Hope” on the Guadalupe Radio Network,
“ The really interesting thing about Pope John Paul II was that he was much more comfortable in the Hispanic community than in the English community. He was more comfortable speaking Spanish than he was speaking English. So, he was just right at home on the west side, and that entire visit was conducted in Spanish. It was just an incredible visit that was filled with such a spirit I guess because of its location on the west side. It was an extraordinary moment…it was one that was unforgettable.”
Photo: Author
This was followed by an audience with Polish Americans at the Archbishop’s residence at Assumption Seminary near Woodlawn Lake.
Photo: Author
Photo: Author
The residents of Panna Maria had hoped that John Paul II would visit their historic town, just 50 miles from San Antonio, but unfortunately there was no time in the pope’s hectic schedule. Instead, 1,000 residents of Panna Maria were invited to participate in a private papal audience on the grounds of the seminary.
Pope John Paul addressed the crowd in Polish, broke into an impromptu Polish song “Mary, the Queen of Poland” ( where everyone joined in ) and moved among the gathered group with greetings and blessings.
This was the final event in a hectic day for the pope in San Antonio, and it was here at the Assumption Seminary that Pope John Paul II spent the night.
Archbishop Flores shows the bed that Pope John Paul used on his overnight stay in San Antonio…San Antonio Express News
Early the next morning he departed from Kelly Air Force Base at 8am at the end of a 22 hour visit to the Alamo City. It has been estimated that over a million people came out to see the pope in San Antonio on that day.
Pope John Paul departs from San Antonio….Houston Chronicle
Additional stories:
- At the end of this grueling day of events and speaking engagements, the pope spent the night in an apartment at the Assumption Seminary. A meal had been prepared for him, however, he told the organizers that all he really wanted to eat was an apple…..and that’s all he had.
- Three days before the pope’s visit, 70-80 mph hurricane force winds ripped through the Westover Hills area and destroyed the 10 story high scaffolding that was already in place for the altar at the forthcoming mass. Luckily, tragedy was averted because the workers had already been removed from the structure prior to the wind storm hitting, but the damage bill was estimated at $100,000.
Photo: San Antonio Express News
- The venue for the late morning Mass was a 144 acre site, and today this is the campus of John Paul Stevens High School on Potranco at Westover Hills. This monument, to mark a spot near the altar site, was dedicated in September 13, 2007. It sits on the southeast corner of Stevens High School, just off Potranco Road, on Dugas Road.
Photo: Author
Photo: Author
- Those that came out to catch a glimpse of the Pope tried all methods for a better view…including the popular “Popescopes.”
Photo: San Antonio Express News
Sources:
Del Rio News Herald
Los Angeles Times
mysanantonio.com
Odessa American
polishheritagecentertx.org
Paris News
Baytown Sun
pilgrimcenterofhope.org
San Antonio Express News
KSAT-TV
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