Alfonse D'Amato

Pope Francis is an inspiration and a model for peace

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Long Island friends, take note. Believe it or not, the hottest ticket in town isn’t the Mets. It’s Pope Francis.

After arriving in Washington on Tuesday, the Holy Father was scheduled to make his way to New York City on Thursday for a two-day visit. He will spend time praying with students in East Harlem, visiting the United Nations and ground zero with other religious leaders, and saying Mass at Madison Square Garden. More than 90,000 New Yorkers applied to a lottery for tickets to the pope’s procession through Central Park, and a lucky 40,000 were rewarded with two tickets apiece.

Eighty-eight percent of American Catholics think the pope is doing a good job. What is he doing right?

Francis isn’t your traditional pope; he is truly a symbol of conscience worldwide. He is meeting with leaders of all faiths at ground zero because he understands that bringing different faiths together is a powerful symbol of peace throughout the world.

Since his selection, attendance at papal events has tripled, to 6.6 million per year. He is the pope of the people, and well on his way to restoring order and, some say, modernizing the Catholic Church. When you listen to him, you immediately hear that he is a man of empathy, devoted to the economically disenfranchised around the world.

He famously got rid of flamboyant papal accessories, such as giant gold crosses and rings that most popes wear, and replaced them with a simple white overcoat and scarf. The humility and humanity he has displayed are revolutionary.

Our last pope, Benedict, was a staunch traditionalist. His replacement is a man who cracks jokes with cardinals and thrives on personal contact with the enormous crowds that line up to hear him speak. In my opinion, this is the breath of fresh air that the Catholic Church desperately needed.

The pope’s visit will pose a tremendous challenge for the New York City Police Department. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton has already stated that it will be “the largest security challenge the department and city have ever faced.” If there is any force that can secure an event as massive as this, however, it’s the NYPD.

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