HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM NEVADA

WASHINGTON -- Seven-year-old Ricky Gordon, just a few weeks away from making his First Communion in the Catholic Church, had handled his pencils and crayons with care over the past week as he composed a birthday card to Pope Benedict XVI.

On the card, Ricky carefully traced and colored in the Mother Mary and the papal seal. Inside the folded construction paper, he placed a note asking the pope to bless his upcoming sacrament, and to bless his mother, who is preparing to have a baby.

On Wednesday morning, Ricky and members of his family from Henderson and Boulder City were on the grounds of the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican Embassy in the nation's capital, ready to greet Benedict on his first visit to the United States as pope.

When Pope Benedict emerged, the Gordons were standing alongside children from a local parish who sang out "Happy Birthday" in German and Latin. To everyone's surprise, the pope on his 81st birthday walked over and greeted the schoolchildren.

That's when Ricky offered his gift.

"I made you a card," Ricky said. "Happy birthday."

Pope Benedict bent over and blessed Ricky.

"I love you," the pope told Ricky in English. He then blessed the family.

For Catholics, a personal encounter with the pope, the spiritual leader of 1.1 billion people, is a life event.

While young Ricky seemed unfazed, the adult Gordons -- father Rick, grandmother Carole and aunt Karen -- were still moved several hours later while discussing the experience. Ricky's mother, Tami, back home in Henderson, saw it live on television and broke into tears.

"We were all able to touch and hold his hands," said Karen Gordon, a marketing representative for University Medical Center.

"It was an unexpected joy," said Rick Gordon, an attorney at the Las Vegas firm of Snell & Wilmer LLP. "It was an overwhelming experience for all of us today."

The Gordons were among 13 parishioners from the Las Vegas Catholic diocese who made a pilgrimage to Washington this week to see Pope Benedict, according to the office of Bishop Joseph Pepe. Another dozen were headed to New York, where the pope will spend the weekend.

Jeff and Sandra Graffio's encounter with the pope in Washington was more chaotic.

The Graffios, from Henderson, hoped to catch a glimpse of Pope Benedict on Wednesday afternoon near Catholic University, where Jeff's brother Rob studies canon law.

But Jeff Graffio, a building inspector, said hecklers with megaphones "were spewing hate about the Catholic Church" as the crowd waited and when the pope appeared.

"I wouldn't say it was disappointing," Graffio said. "It was still pretty exciting, but it was really, really crowded and the people with megaphones were just spewing out."

The Graffios obtained tickets for the mass that Pope Benedict will celebrate today at Nationals Park, the city's new baseball stadium, and were looking forward to a more spiritual experience.

"It will be more of a closed-door event," Jeff Graffio said. "We are looking forward to it."

The Gordons, the Graffios and other Southern Nevada visitors had an inside contact in Washington who helped them plan their visits.

The Rev. Gregory Gordon, Ricky's uncle and the founding pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Henderson, accepted a position last spring to become one of four local secretaries in the Vatican embassy under Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the pope's ambassador to the United States.

Father Gordon, along with other embassy staff, was enjoying special access to Pope Benedict during his stay in Washington. The Nevadan shared the altar when the pope celebrated Mass at the private nunciature chapel early Wednesday.

Father Gordon also accompanied the pope to the White House ceremony where he was greeted by President Bush and dignitaries that included Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign, and Nevada Rep. Jon Porter.

When he was introduced to Pope Benedict at breakfast, Father Gordon said he tried to gauge a reaction when he told the pontiff he was from Las Vegas.

"I don't think it was a negative reaction, but it seemed by the look on his face that he knew of Las Vegas," the priest said with a laugh. "He asked if there were strong parishes in Las Vegas. I told him, 'Yes there are. There are strong parishes, and they are large ones, too.' "

By Steve Tetreault

Stephens Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON

Seven-year-old Ricky Gordon, just a few weeks away from making his First Communion in the Catholic Church, had handled his pencils and crayons with care over the past week as he composed a birthday card to Pope Benedict XVI.