Iowa visit brought pope close to the soil and people who tilled it

Since Pope John Paul II has died, I remeber the one time he came to Iowa. I was in my first year of college. I'm not Catholic but I remember how excited everyone was when the visit was announced.

"For those who gathered in a dusty field or a tiny country church to hear and see Pope John Paul II, nothing else comes close.

More than 25 years later, the memories remain fresh of John Paul's visit to Iowa on Oct. 4, 1979. The pilgrims who rose before dawn to walk to Living History Farms remember the chilly weather. They remember the long wait for the pope to arrive. They remember his strong voice and his clear, accented English. They remember the colorful tapestry behind him, representing the four seasons of agriculture. They remember sharing communion with a multitude"