Keller said, “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The trip on the charter bus took 14 hours each way, but it was worth it.”
He explained that the group was first taken to the Saint Joseph Youth Rally where Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the 25,000 young people about vocations in the priesthood and to learn to pray silently and solemnly.
He was also present at the mass held in Yankee Stadium where 57,000 people were in attendance, including nearly 500 priests.
Keller said, “I was only a couple of hundred feet from the Pope as he circled the stadium in his ‘Popemobile.’”
He said his group was seated near the third base area while the message was delivered on the pitcher’s mound.
Among Keller’s treasured souvenirs from the trip are scarves of white and gold that were given to them to wave as the Pope passed by them.
He was also amazed at the sights in New York.
He said, “Imagine 3 million people living on that speck of land.”
Several of his photographs are of multi-story buildings.
He said, “I couldn’t imagine a Wendy’s that is two or threestories high.”
He said he was thankful for the opportunity to even be able to attend: “I was surprised that my brother Zack didn’t win the essay contest. He is the academic genius in our family.”
Keller said both Zack and his sister Ashley were excited about the opportunity that he was given.
In the future, he said he hopes to have a career as a meteorologist.
He said, “I’m interested in how things work.”
Ben is the son of Mike and Cristy Keller of Hamlet.