The honour of their presence was requested....

Was there an R.S.V.P?
What would you write?

Half of Rome accepts Cardinal Ruini's kind invitation, with pleasure.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/world/europe/21vatican.html?scp=2&sq=vatican

More than 100,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday in a show of support for Pope Benedict XVI after protests by scientists led him to cancel a university speech.
The people assembled in the square gave a roar of approval when Benedict, speaking after his weekly blessing, said, “I encourage all of you, dear academics, to always be respectful of the opinions of others, and to seek the truth and the good with an open and responsible mind.”
Benedict canceled a speech at La Sapienza University in Rome on Thursday after dozens of professors and students protested his invitation.
A Vatican spokesman said there were 200,000 people there, and the Italian news media reported that tens of thousands more watched video of the event outside the Milan cathedral and in Verona.
The protest at La Sapienza, one of Italy’s largest and oldest universities, was spearheaded by Marcello Cini, a professor emeritus of physics, who said that to have the pope preside over the start of a new academic year would be an “incredible violation” of the school’s autonomy.

Wish I'd been there....
I'm very disappointed, it doesn't look as if I can possibly go to Yankee Stadium in April.
Ah, well...