A group of 13 students from Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s trekked to New York this weekend to attend the Youth Rally with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday and the Papal Mass on Sunday at Yankee Staduim.

The students left the Inn at Saint Mary’s Friday evening and drove through the night until they arrived at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y., on Saturday morning, joining a crowd of over 25,000 people.

While waiting, the students heard brief performances by Kelly Clarkson, Three Graces and Father Stan, the rapping priest.

“It was amazing how people were just relaxing and enjoying the bright sunny day until the pope got there, and as soon as he arrived everyone was just drawn into his presence,” freshman Brittani Russell said.

When the pope arrived, he drove through the crowds in a bulletproof “pope-mobile” mounted on the back of a pick-up truck.

“Only in the USA would the pope-mobile be on a pick-up truck,” senior Bridget Higgins said.