October 1979, Pope John Paul II, a field in Iowa

The actual Pope said Mass outdoors in Iowa in front of a gorgeous quilt under the bright October sky. The emphasis on the land and on a traditional woman's art made for a stirring backdrop to a very old ceremony. My parents and younger sister attended. Janet says they got to see the helicopter arrive (quite a thrill) then walked over to the hill. The sun was out but there was a bitingly cold wind. She and my father finally gave in to the weather and put big trash bags over their clothes to cut the wind. Then they sat down on the hill and Janet started to slide. There was giggling. My mother, a devout Catholic, had nothing to do with these shenanigans. Not in front of the Pope! Nikita Khrushchev, Pope John Paul II, and The Moon Landing. Quite a year for anniversaries.

Resources on the Pope's visit to Iowa. Many of these may not be checked out, but may be viewed at the Central Library.
Graphic Source: John Paul II Visits Rural America p. 59