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Newlyweds meet Pope Francis

Honeymoon in Vatican City

Tara (Knight) Haney, a Mecca Township native, and Nick Haney of Cleveland, meet Pope Francis in Rome, Italy, shortly after their wedding last month. Photo special to the Tribune Chronicle

WARREN — Receiving blessings and sharing words and handshakes from Pope Francis was not only the highlight of Nick and Tara Haney’s European honeymoon — it might be the highlight of their travels for a lifetime.

The newlyweds, including Trumbull County native and 2009 Maplewood High School graduate Tara (Knight), visited St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican in Rome to attend the “sposi novelli blessing” for newlyweds when they were approached by Pope Francis.

During the emotional and moving exchange, the pope took the couple’s hands and asked them to pray for him.

“Because we were among the special couples we were seated in a special section with other couples from around the world to listen to the Pope, who was on the steps of the St. Peter’s Basilica speaking to the crowds at St. Peter’s Square. We were seated with 50 to 100 couples from Mexico, Singapore, Italy and other places. After we are placed by a railing so we can be blessed directly by the Pope,” Nick relayed. “Growing up in Ohio, it was amazing to be sitting next to couples from almost every continent. It was a worldwide unifying event.”

The couple now live in Cleveland, but they shared their experiences this weekend while they were in town visiting Tara’s parents, Dale and Leah Schmidt, of Mecca Township. They said they were married Nov. 3 before heading to Europe for 12 days, including stops in Italy, Ireland and other countries.

Tara said the Pope blessed and greeted each couple along the railing and the visitors had an opportunity to speak with him.

“We didn’t know we would be able to speak to him and be that close to him until that day,” Nick said.

“He reached out to each person in the front row,” Tara added.

She said she saw a woman holding a baby in the front row and thought it would be good to stand by them since she knew the Pope would bless and see the baby.

“Meeting him was very special to both of us. We both went to Jesuit schools,” Tara said. She attended John Carroll University in Cleveland, and Nick went to St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. Both are of the Catholic faith.

“Pope Francis is a Jesuit,” said Nick. When he spoke to pontiff, he said, “Ad maiorem Dei gloriam” which means “For the greater glory of God.”

“He smiled at me and grabbed my hand and told me to pray for him,” said Nick.

“He took my hand and said the same thing,” said Tara. She described the event, which is free of charge, as “amazing to be part of” and an experience that left them both very emotional and blessed.

Tara said as part of the visit and Pope’s blessing for newlyweds, the couple also toured the area of the tomb of St. Peter the Apostle, located under the main altar at the Vatican.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime event. We felt incredibly blessed to be able to experience that. We couldn’t believe it. It was amazing,” said Nick, the oldest of nine siblings from an Irish-Catholic family.

The two called their families in the United States right away, reaching them at 4 a.m. local time.

“I told my mom, and she started crying on the phone,” Nick said.

Tara had been wearing her wedding veil at the blessing, and images of the couple with the pope were captured by a photographer at the event.

“This was a great way to start off our marriage with the Pope giving us a blessing. It can’t get better than that,” said Nick.

Tara, a 2009 Maplewood High School graduate, received her bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University and master’s degree from Case Western Reserve in social work / public health. She works with Catholic Charities in Cleveland.

Nick, a graduate of St. Ignatius in Cleveland, is the son of Dave and Donna Haney of West Park Cleveland. He studied economics and political science in college and now works with Key Bank.

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