Pope Francis Takes on Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – Pope Francis was not expected until 4:45 Saturday afternoon, but that didn’t stop the thousands of fans and devotees to flock to Independence Mall, some as early as 6 a.m.
The day proved kind, with fair skies, pleasant temperatures and even a mysterious rainbow that sneaked between the clouds – that had some people blessing themselves.
The city of Philadelphia proved prepared to deal with the onslaught of people. With bridges closed to traffic, PATCO trains shuttled New Jerseyans and travelers from afar into and out of the city with organization.
Security was tight with uniformed personnel – Philadelphia police officers, state troopers, U.S. Marshals, TSA agents, National Park Service officers – plus sunglass-clad, wired Secret Service agents, rooftop sharpshooters and bomb-sniffing dogs, milling about.
Within the secured zone of Independence Mall, it was a city unto itself. Seemingly, it was one free of homelessness, bulky trashcans and even big-city rudeness. Instead, people seemed to be united in their papal excitement, where people shared essentials, chatted to strangers and a handful spontaneously burst into a rendition of “Amazing Grace” while waiting to clear security.
“I just felt everyone we met was full of joy,” said Kathleen Kelleher Cangialosi of Middletown who left her home at 4:45 a.m. with three friends to attend the event. “And the pope’s message really resonated with everyone who was there. Everyone was on good behavior and happy to be there.”

Kelleher says she found Pope Francis – his smile, his stamina and his statements – “amazing.” She said she has been glued to the TV listening to the pope’s message and watching activities throughout the week’s visit and hopes his message won’t be lost. “You try and maybe not judge people so harshly and look at people with a softer eye,” she said. “Sometimes we get caught up in our own lives and you don’t see the big picture. If we’re all a little bit kinder, then it’s a successful day.”
“There’s nothing like the Pope,” said Connie Wild of North Carolina who was part of a group with disabilities. “I’m excited about being in the presence of Pope Francis and recognizing all that he has done for us. Especially because he has elected to recognize everyone – the immigrants, the disabled, the deaf, the poor, everybody. His message is so awesome: it’s all about love and family. So he really does encourage us, he gives us a lot of hope for the day.”
A Jumbotron screen set up on the lawn of Independence Mall allowed viewers to watch some of the other pope-centered activities in Philadelphia, such as the morning Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul and the evening Festival of Families.
When Pope Francis arrived he addressed the crowds, many of them with the Hispanic community and immigrants for the Meeting for Religious Freedom – using the same lectern that President Lincoln used to deliver his Gettysburg Address.
In Spanish, the pontiff spoke about religious freedom, diversity and compassion and reminded immigrants to not be discouraged, hold onto their traditions and to be responsible citizens.
Mother and daughter Donna and Mary Callahan from Medford, New Jersey, came to hear Pope Francis’ message. A senior at Fordham University, Mary said she considered herself and her family very spiritual and was especially inspired by Pope Francis and the Jesuit message, “It’s so exciting that he’s a Jesuit pope,” she said. “The message of love and the philosophy of service…It’s something I value and how I see the world.”
Megan Mannix and Peter D’Antonio come from the Cherry Hill area of New Jersey and were waiting on line to see the Pope pass by in the Popemobile. “Most of our friends are leaving the city,” said D’Antonio, “and we were coming in.”
The young couple, who have been together since high school, will marry at the end of November, holding a reception across the street from Independence Mall.
“This is exciting because the church isn’t always as welcoming as we want it to be,” said Mannix, a 4^th grade teacher at a Camden Catholic school. And “that’s part of the excitement.”
She says her students have had fun talking about the pope’s visit. “They don’t understand the magnitude of his visit,” she said. “But they will.”
Suzanne Shur of Middletown described the day as heart-warming. “It was the overall feeling of everybody coming together, and the camaraderie and the peaceful feeling that the pope just gives people.
“I felt like his message was one of not judging other people and not holding people to some standard that doesn’t really apply to them. It’s not just about religion or being Catholic – or even having to go to church every Sunday – it’s more about taking care of the earth and all living things. That’s really what I was taking out of it.”
For Rosemary Rauh from Lincroft, part of a group that secured their event tickets through the Diocese of Trenton, said it struck her that she understood the oft-quoted description of Francis as a Pope of the People. “I realized the day really was all about people,” she said. “We spoke to so many people – whether they were cops, a bishop from Uruguay, a group from Puerto Rico, a family from Florida, a group of nuns from Nashville, and a couple from New Jersey. When thinking about it, people all over the world were here just to see this one man.”
Although Rauh said she wished she could’ve gotten a closer view of the pontiff, and found following the subtitles of his speech, which was in Spanish, intended for the Hispanic community a little hard to follow, she was especially thrilled to join Pope Francis as he led the group in the Lord’s Prayer – in English. “I was praying with the Pope,” she said. “How wonderful it is to be part of this!”