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ANCHOR:
THE NEW NATIONALS STADIUM IS A GREAT PLACE TO PLAY BASEBALL, BUT ITS NOT EXACTLY THE FIRST PLACE THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PRAYER. NONE THE LESS, THAT'S WHERE POPE BENEDICT WILL DELIVER A MASS TO THOUSANDS WHEN HE COMES TO TOWN. OUR JACKIE CONGEDO HAS A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT A LOCAL EFFORT THAT'S HELPING TRANSFORM THE VENUE FROM STADIUM TO SPIRITUAL CENTER.
STORY:
HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS ARENA SUITABLE FOR A PAPAL PRESENTATION? RYAN MULLEN WOULD SAY, A LOT OF HAMMERING, SANDING, AND TIME.
"So you would say well over 100 hrs, easily," Congedo asked. "Probably, I don't keep track I just keep going," Mullen said.
RYAN IS AN GRADUATE STUDENT STUDYING ARCHITECTURE AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. THIS CONCEPT FOR THE PAPAL CHAIR, ALTAR, AND PULPIT WON HIM AND HIS PARTNER THE HONOR OF DESIGNING AND CRAFTING FURNITURE THE POPE WILL USE DURING HIS STADIUM MASS.
"We decided to go with something that was simple but elegant because if we did something too complicated, you wouldn't be able to see it from far away but we still wanted it to be something substantial not just stage furniture."
THE CONCEPTS TOOK SHAPE IN JANUARY AND THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED ONLY ABOUT A MONTH AGO. NOW IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN BEFORE THE POPE'S ARRIVAL AND THE PRESSURE TO FINISH IS ON.
"One of the biggest challenges is fitting everything into our normal school and work schedule cause we have to work on all this stuff in addition to all the classes we're taking," said Mullen, "It's always a little bit longer than you expect and we've hit a couple of problems."
SHOP SUPERVISOR RYAN MIKKIBBIN HAS OVERSEEN THE PROJECT FROM THE BEGINNING NOW HE'S HONORED TO BE LENDING A LAST MINUTE HELPING HAND.
"I myself am not religious, but its still a really awesome thing, to be building something for such a recognized person," he said.
AS A CATHOLIC, MULLEN SAYS THIS HAS BEEN A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY, SO MUCH SO THAT OTHERS HAVE ASKED FOR A SOUVENIR.
"One friend in particular asked that we save him some saw dust from the scraps of the altar," Mullen said.
BUT AS FAR AS HE'S CONCERNED, EXCITEMENT WILL HAVE TO WAIT TILL AFTER THE HARD WORK IS DONE.
"I can't really say anything about that, but I think when i'm actually at the mass and i've seen it, i'll tell you then," he said.
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