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	Pope's Visit Comes during Surge of Nort Texas Catholicism By Jeff Brady WFAA April 11, 2008 http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/localnews/news8/stories/wfaa080411_jh_popevisit.54565451.html [with video] DALLAS -- The Pope's visit to the US comes during a surge in North Texas Catholicism. In the last 15 years, the Dallas Diocese has quadrupled to almost a million members. "In the Diocese of Dallas alone, over 3,000 people entered the Catholic Church, entered the Catholic Church this Easter," said Bishop Kevin Farrell, Dallas diocese. North Texas Catholics eagerly anticipate the first Papal visit to the US since 1999, with several hundred from the Diocese planning to attend. Bishop Kevin Farrell says he knows of no specific message the Pope will bring to American Catholics, other than hope and peace. However, a Vatican official said this week that Benedict "will try to open a path of healing and reconciliation.." between the Vatican and American victims of clergy sex abuse. "I think the heart of the Holy Father, and the heart of all bishops goes out, and all priests and all people, goes out to these victims," said Bishop Farrell. Dallas was the epicenter of the Catholic sex scandal in 1997, during the civil trial of Father Rudolph Kos, convicted of molesting altar boys in several Dallas parishes. But for now, Bishop Farrell and other North Texas Catholics expect Pope Benedict's first visit to the US to be more about hope in the future - than heartaches of the past. "People in the US are searching for a new hope, a new way, for what they already know is there in their hearts, which is God," said Bishop Farrell. E-mail jbrady@wfaa.com
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