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Papal Mass at Bird's Hill Park 1984

I attended the Papal Mass at Bird’s Hill Park September 16 1984 in the company of my friend, colleague, mentor, Steve Prystupa, Chairperson of Multiculturism at the Manitoba Museum. I was photographing the event on the speculation that we would possibly use the photographs in the future. Steve was there to collect some of the souvenir/artifacts and to celebrate the Papal Mass. We even brought back some of the cardboard seats that were sold on site.

We parked in North Kildonan, checked out the souvenir stand and boarded a bus to the site in Bird’s Hill park. There were only about 10 people on our bus. It was later reported that attendance was far less than anticipated.

 

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Souvenir stand at bus pick up for Papal Mass at Bird’s Hill Park, Penner Foods parking lot, Henderson Hwy Winnipeg Mb

September 16 1984

Steve Prystupa at souvenir stand at bus pick up for Papal Mass in Bird’s Hill Park, Penner Foods parking lot, Henderson Hwy Winnipeg Mb

September 16 1984

Souvenir stand at bus pick up for Papal Mass in Bird’s Hill Park, Penner Foods parking lot, Henderson Hwy Winnipeg Mb

September 16 1984

Bus to Bird’s Hill Park for Papal Mass

The walk from the bus stop to the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

The walk from the bus stop to the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Souvenir salesperson at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Steve Prystupa (r) with souvenir salesperson at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Walking from the buses to the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Emergency vehicle at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Couple orienting at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Souvenir/program salesperson at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers and donation buckets at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Souvenir stand at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Stand selling folder boxes for seats at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Folding seats at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Knights of Columbus members at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Medical area at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd sections laid out at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Camera postion at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Bruce Hanks, photographer, at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Couple at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

People with banner for St Marys Parish Grand Forks at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Looking toward the main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Ushers and crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and barriers at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Security staff at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd assembled at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Security person at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Media tower at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Ushers at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Looking toward the main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd assembled at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers and crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers and crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Medical staff at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 161984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Media tower and crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers and medical staff at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd, volunteer and medical staff at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and section marker at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers and medical staff at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Pope mobile passing crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Pope mobile passing crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Pope mobile passing crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd and main stage at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd dispersing at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Medical center/meeting place at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd dispersing at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Volunteers at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Food concession stand at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Souvenir stand at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Site of the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Brinks employees collecting donation buckets at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Brinks employees collecting donation buckets at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Brinks employees collecting donation buckets at the Papal Mass site, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd walking to buses after the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Crowd walking to buses after the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

On the bus returning to Winnipeg after the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Buses for return to Winnipeg after the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

Steve Prystupa on bus returning from the Papal Mass, Bird’s Hill Park Mb

September 16 1984

4 Responses

  1. My father in law was a Knights of Columbus volunteer which meant we were able to camp there the night before. My mother sang in the massive choir. Yes the crowds were smaller than anticipated. I figured they made too muc effort to warn people of three hour drives from Winnipeg, parking mayhem etc. A lot of people simply chose to stay home and watch it on TV. In a word, the overhype scared a lot of people away.

  2. My brother and I biked there from North Kildonan. We would have been roughly the same age as my boys are now…13 and 11. It was a long way to go for something we didn’t understand. We stood in our assigned corral and shrugged when it was all done. Fortunately my dad drove up in his 78 Rabbit with a roof rack, so we didn’t have to bike back. I still have my souvenir program, God knows why. Thanks for sharing this…gave me a nice reminiscence.

    1. Thanks Glen… what a great story and a great dad… Big thumbs up to 11 and 13 yr. old you’se for making the trip.

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