Archbishop Requests
Archbishop Lucas enjoys attending events, presiding at sacramental ceremonies and meeting with the people in the archdiocesan parishes. To request the Archbishop’s presence at your confirmation, liturgy, or event, please select from the following:
Electronic Request Form Print Request Form
Please note it is preferable for these requests to be submitted twice per year: in January for events in August through December, and in July for events in January through June.
VATICAN REQUESTS
Papal Audience and Mass Requests
The Holy Father resumed his public General Audiences with the possibility for pilgrims to participate in person in May of 2021. Since then he has been holding his General Audience each Wednesday in the courtyard of San Damaso, in the Apostolic Palace.
Due to the unpredictability related to the pandemic, the Papal Calendar for 2021 has not been published. It is currently being updated on a week-to-week basis, and the most up-to-date version can be found here: www.pnac.org/visitorsoffice/papal-calendar/. Pope Francis' General Wednesday Papal audiences and the Sunday Regina Caeli and Angelus prayer and greetings were being live streamed on the Vatican News website - https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html. At the conclusion of His events and liturgies, whenever the Holy Father imparts his Apostolic blessing, the faithful watching and participating are still able to receive the Holy Father's Apostolic blessing through the means of the media. This blessing, of course, extends to themselves, their loved ones who are sick, and any religious objects they desire to have blessed.
At this time, the Vatican is accepting requests for Papal events or liturgies in September or later.
Held on Wednesdays when Pope Francis is in Rome, attending a Papal Audience and Mass gives you the chance to see the Pope and receive his special blessing. If you plan to visit Rome and would like to request tickets for a Papal Audience, The Office of the Archbishop will make the request for you. Please submit a request either by email or in writing to the Office of the Archbishop and include:
- Your name
- Contact information
- The date of your request
- The name of your parish
Please send all Papal Audience requests via email to bjsetter@archomaha.org or by mail to:
Office of the Archbishop
2222 N. 111th Street
Omaha, NE 68164
Pilgrims might also be interested to know that the seminarians of the Pontifical North American College have once again begun to give free tours in English of St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. Tours of St. Peter’s are generally offered on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:15 p.m. and tours of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls on Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. However, the seminarians are also happy to try to accommodate other requests from groups as possible. More details can be found at the Visitor's Center website, www.pnac.org/visitorsoffice/popular-rome-tours/.
Papal Blessing Parchment Requests
A Papal Blessing is the Pope’s official blessing on parchment – a certificate with hand painted calligraphy, a papal seal and signature. These requests are meaningful to commemorate milestone anniversaries, reception of the sacraments and other important events for baptized Catholics. The circumstances for which a Papal Blessing can be obtained is listed on the website of the Office of Papal Charities, who takes care of these requests.
To request a Papal Blessing, please visit https://www.elemosineria.va/papal-blessing-parchments/. Instructions for obtaining a Papal Blessings are detailed there. You will be asked to make a donation to the Office of Papal Charities to cover their costs, with any remaining proceeds applied entirely to works of charity undertaken by their office daily in the name of the Pope in service of the poor.
The Office of the Archbishop is happy to assist you with your request. Please contact bjsetter@archomaha.org for assistance.