2008 will be known as the last season for buying Yankee tickets at the old Yankee Stadium. It’s hard to know what final baseball moments will transpire in the coming season to bring remembrance and awe to New York residents. But for many, 2008 will be remembered as the year that Pope Benedict XVI came to the stadium to perform mass.

The visit is being hailed as a hit. Or perhaps a more appropriate term would be: a public relations success.

This visit marked a huge effort by the Vatican to rebuild the church after six years of scandal over alleged sexual abuses. Benedict’s approach was pointed: He took the issue head on, bringing up the subject from the very beginning of the visit. He met with victims of the abuse and attempted to reconcile those that have been hurt and offended, bringing them back into the fold. He also met with victims of the September 11th attack.

The German born theologian is known for taking a hard line on many conservative Christian issues. He doesn’t have the same charm that Paul VI and John Paul II had. But he won over the crowd with an intimate, one on one, eye to eye view of the his flock. He seemed to communicate a feeling of real love to his followers, making this a helpful trip for the church and his ministry.