Love is our mission - Commemorative Edition

LOVE

is our

mission

Pope Francis challenges U.S. to strengthen families, embrace the immigrant and foster a ‘culture of encounter’

An image of the Holy Family is seen as Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia Sept. 27. CNS/Paul Haring

Pope Francis’ apostolic journey to the U.S. Sept. 22-27, 2015 INSIDE • Bishop Andrew Cozzens reflects on meeting Pope Francis with Mary Jo Copeland and the call to mission — 2B • What Pope Francis’ U.S. journey said about who he is — 3B • Pilgrims from the archdiocese make small sacrifices, find great joys on Philadelphia visit — 4B

• Local Catholics who saw Pope Francis reflect on the moment — 8B • Schools in the archdiocese meet the pope through studying his words — 9B • Does seeing the pope in person matter?

Pilgrims say yes — and no — 10B • Commemorative poster — Centerpiece

thecatholicspirit.com

October 8, 2015 Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

For photos and exclusive coverage of the World Meeting of Families and papal visit, visit us on Facebook and Instagram.

2B • The Catholic Spirit

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

Encountering Pope Francis through beauty and joy

By Bishop Andrew Cozzens For The Catholic Spirit

T

he last full week of September felt like our entire country had an encounter with a saint. People I met who were paying attention to the visit of our Holy Father were surprised by joy. Many could not explain what was happening in them as they watched Pope Francis on TV or waved at him from a crowd.

But they knew it was beautiful.

This is what happens when you encounter a saint.

Bishop Andrew You experience a little more about COZZENS the truth of God’s love and the truth of yourself. You experience joy, the joy that is born of knowing that love is real and can change the world. This experience of love brings out the best in you, and you want to be a better person.

This was my experience of meeting Pope Francis.

Pope Francis arrives at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in the East Harlem area of New York Sept. 25.

CNS

Humility of heart I felt it first when he walked into the Cathedral of St. Matthew, and I was there with all the bishops of our country. There was a palpable joy in the room. His speech — in my opinion one of his best — let me see the beauty of the humility of his heart. He spoke about the bishop as imitating Jesus, who is “meek and humble of heart.”

His words helped me understand his actions, especially when he spoke about dialogue. He pointed out that Jesus, who was God himself, came to us in humility and so “the richer the heritage which you are called to share with ‘parrhesia’ [boldness or freedom], the more eloquent should be the humility with which you should offer it.”

He asked us always to remember that the “brother or sister we wish to reach and redeem, with the power and the closeness of love, counts more than their positions, distant as they may be from what we hold as true and certain.”

It is not that we doubt our positions — we know they are true and certain because we preach Christ and not ourselves — but we are always willing to listen and to meet others with love. As he said, “We need to learn from Jesus, or better to learn Jesus, meek and humble; to enter into his meekness and his humility by contemplating his way of acting; to lead our churches and our people — not infrequently burdened by the stress of everyday life — to the ease of the Lord’s yoke.”

Sharing a servant’s joy Then there was the privileged moment I had with Pope Francis when Mary Jo Copeland, along with her husband, Dick Copeland, and I got to go to the Vatican Embassy in Washington to meet Pope Francis personally.

We were in a room of about 12 people who all had different reasons for being invited to this brief but intimate encounter. When the Holy Father came in, I was once again overwhelmed by the sense of love that emanated from him.

“I felt so much the love of his heart and was very consoled to know that he knows the difficulties we have gone through.”

Bishop Andrew Cozzens

He slowly went through the room and greeted each of the people individually.

He was not in a hurry, and he listened to everyone and met their eyes even if he did not say much. In Spanish, I introduced Mary Jo to him, and she asked him for a blessing to continue Christ’s work for the poor, which he freely gave, and then embraced her. Then she invited him to come to Minneapolis to soak the feet of the poor with her. He smiled and embraced her again.

Then he turned to me, and I had a chance to speak to him personally. I told him I was from a diocese where two bishops had recently stepped down. He asked, “Which diocese?” I said, “The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”

He nodded knowingly and embraced me.

He said he was praying for us. I felt so much the love of his heart and was very consoled to know that he knows the difficulties we have gone through.

The beauty of family The whole week reached a summit with Pope Francis coming to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families. His speeches there were once again simple but profound. Rather than entering into all the debates about marriage and family that have troubled our culture, Pope Francis simply put before us the beauty of the family as an instrument of God’s love.

As he said on Saturday night, “All that is good, all that is true and all that is beautiful brings us to God. Because God is good, God is beauty, God is truth.”

Then he went on to show how this happens in the family: “The most beautiful thing God made — so the Bible tells us — was the family. He created man

and woman. And he gave them everything. He entrusted the world to them: ‘Grow, multiply, cultivate the earth, make it bear fruit, let it grow.’ All the love he put into that marvelous creation, he entrusted to a family.”

And when God wanted to pour out love on the world by sending his Son, God also did this through a family, he said: “And where did he send his Son? To a palace, to a city, to an office building?

He sent him to a family. God came into the world in a family. And he could do this because that family was a family with a heart open to love, a family whose doors were open.”

Pope Francis went on to explain that he is well aware of families’ struggles, remarking with a smile “sometimes we throw dishes.” Yet even though the family is affected by sin, the family is still our way to grow in love through learning to embrace the cross. When we learn to love in our families through struggle, the family becomes a “workshop of hope.”

Teaching like Jesus When, still basking in the joy of encountering Pope Francis, I read the Scripture verse for Monday morning Mass, I was struck that Pope Francis taught the way Jesus did. When Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest, he did not argue back.

Rather, he took a little child and put it in their midst and said “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me” (Lk 9:48). Jesus put before them the beautiful humility of the child, teaching them through the image of truth, beauty and goodness.

Pope Francis was doing the same thing.

He held up before us in his talks and in

his life the beautiful image of the family as a place of love where a mother and a father, children and grandparents, all become instruments to help us grow in Christ’s love. He did not debate with us but offered us an image of truth, goodness and beauty.

How was Pope Francis able to have this profound effect on so many of us? He was radiating the love of Jesus Christ! He is so filled with Jesus, he has encountered Christ so profoundly, that when he comes close to us, Jesus Christ also comes close. His presence teaches because his heart is open to Jesus.

However, as Pope Francis himself said in the “Joy of the Gospel,” this call is not just for him, but for all of us: “The primary reason for evangelizing is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of him. What kind of love would not feel the need to speak of the beloved, to point him out, to make him known? If we do not feel an intense desire to share this love, we need to pray insistently that he will once more touch our hearts.”

Perhaps as we celebrate World Mission Sunday Oct. 18, we can reflect on Pope Francis’ visit, and we can experience the call anew, which he gave us to be missionary disciples. We can commit ourselves, with humility and meekness to sharing with others the beauty, truth and goodness of a relationship with Jesus Christ. We can also support those missionaries who are trying to give this witness in far off lands.

Then when people encounter us, they will also encounter a saint.

Bishop Cozzens is an auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

October 8, 2015

POPE FRANCIS

The Catholic Spirit • 3B

Memory and motion: Pope Francis shows Americans who he really is

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

P Pope Francis touches the stomach of a pregnant woman as he meets guests after a meeting with U.S. bishops in the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington Sept. 23. CNS

LEFT Pope Francis greets a student during his visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School in the East Harlem area of New York Sept. 25. RIGHT A student shows Pope Francis a lesson on the environment during his visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School. CNS

ope Francis speaks often about memory and motion, the importance of remembering where you came from and setting off without fear to share the Gospel.

That’s what he did in the United States.

He circled the Statue of Liberty in a helicopter and flew over Ellis Island not preparing to condemn the world’s great superpower, but to reflect on its history and promise as a land that welcomes people, makes them part of the family and allows them to thrive.

Over the course of six days in the United States, Pope Francis let the U.S. public see who he really is with touching blessings, strong speeches, prayerful liturgies and an unplugged proclamation of the beauty of family life, even when it “causes dishes to fly.”

With constant television coverage and a saturated social media presence, Pope Francis was no longer just the subject of screaming headlines about the evils of unbridled capitalism and a “who-am-I-to judge” attitude toward behaviors the Catholic Church describes as sinful.

Instead, he repeatedly admitted his own failures and reminded people that they, too, have fallen short. He urged them to trust in God’s mercy and get a move on proclaiming that to the world — first with gestures and maybe with words.

Sin and sacredness

Pope Francis visits prisoners at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia Sept. 27.

He insisted that no one is perfect and without need of forgiveness. CNS

Pope Francis delivers his homily during the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia Sept. 27. CNS

Sin is sin even for Pope Francis.

Human life is sacred at every stage of its development, and that includes the lives of convicted murderers, he said during the visit. People are blessed and at their best when they are part of a family composed of a mother, a father, children and grandparents. The well-being of a nation is served by businesses and enterprises that make money, but do not make money their god.

The pope’s proclamation of the Gospel in Washington, New York and Philadelphia Sept. 22-27 focused on reinvigorating people’s faith, hope, trust and commitment to loving God, serving others and living up to the founding ideals of the United States: equality, opportunity for all, religious liberty and the sacred dignity of every creature — human especially, but also the earth.

Pope Francis had never been in the United States before landing in Washington, D.C., Sept. 22. He was welcomed to the White House and became the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress. He joined leaders of other religions in honoring the dead and comforting their surviving family members at ground zero in New York. He addressed the United Nations.

At Mass in Madison Square Garden, the pope urged the congregation to go out into the city, to seek the face of Jesus in the poor and suffering and to share the joy of the Gospel with all.

“Go out to others and share the good news that God, our father, walks at our side,” the pope told them. “He frees us

from anonymity, from a life of emptiness and selfishness” and moves people to encounter and to peace instead of competition.

And, in Philadelphia, he called for respect for religious freedom and for ethnic and cultural differences.

At home and abroad, Pope Francis scrutinizes people and identifies something good and beautiful in them.

He affirms their core concerns, and he challenges them to grow.

Breaking down walls For the Catholic Church — in the United States as elsewhere — the key challenge is “not about building walls, but about breaking them down,” as he told the bishops, clergy and religious of Pennsylvania Sept. 26.

From the beginning of his trip — Sept. 19 in Havana — the pope made it clear that with all the important meetings he would have, his primary purpose was to join the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia Sept. 26-27.

The big challenge, he told more than 100 bishops who came to the meeting from around the world, is to recognize just how many beautiful families God has blessed the Church with.

“For the Church, the family is not first and foremost a cause for concern, but rather the joyous confirmation of God’s blessing upon the masterpiece of creation,” he told the bishops Sept. 27.

“Every day, all over the world, the Church can rejoice in the Lord’s gift of so many families who, even amid difficult trials, remain faithful to their promises and keep the faith.”

Tossing aside the text he had prepared for the nighttime Festival of Families Sept. 26, Pope Francis had tens of thousands of people watching him with awe or with laughter or with tears as he described the blessing of real-life families.

“Some of you might say, ‘Of course, Father, you speak like that because you’re not married,’” he said. But he proved he knew what he was talking about.

“Families have difficulties. Families — we quarrel, sometimes plates can fly, and children bring headaches. I won’t speak about mothers-in-law,” he quipped.

But mothers-in-law deserve a break and understanding, if one applies the pope’s words to the bishops the next morning and to hundreds of thousands of people gathered on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the event’s closing Mass.

Trust the Holy Spirit, he told the crowds. Recognize that God is at work in the world. Treasure the little daily gestures that show love within a family.

Affirm all those who do good, whether or not they are “part of our group.”

“Anyone who wants to bring into this world a family which teaches children to be excited by every gesture aimed at overcoming evil — a family which shows that the Spirit is alive and at work — will encounter our gratitude and our appreciation,” he said, “whatever the family, people, region, or religion to which they belong.”

4B • The Catholic Spirit

POPE FRANCIS

Catholic school students watch and learn Pope’s congressional address gives DeLaSalle students food for thought

By Jessica Trygstad The Catholic Spirit

J

uniors and seniors came to Mary Joy Zawislak’s Faith and Society class at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis Sept. 24 with questions for Pope Francis.

Senior Keenan Moore wanted to know what the pontiff suggests Americans can and should do given the ISIS-inflicted violence and persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

“It’s a very pressing issue in our world right now,” he said, adding that he wasn’t expecting an answer, merely hoping for some insight.

Kyle Thompson, also a senior, would have liked to ask Pope Francis how he can strengthen his faith amid the Church’s clergy sexual abuse crisis.

“I would like to hear what he has to say because I’ve heard he has a zero tolerance for this kind of behavior and action,” Thompson said.

Although the students didn’t get to pose the questions to the pontiff, they did have the opportunity to hear if he answered any of them during his address to a joint meeting of Congress Sept. 24.

The students were dismissed from first hour to join others from theology and social studies classes in the commons and listen to what Pope Francis had to say not only to members of Congress, but to all Americans.

Back in class after the address, many students admitted they weren’t able to clearly understand what Pope Francis was saying because of his accent, but they were able to decipher bits and pieces of his speech, which lasted just under an hour.

Senior Camryn Speese pointed out how open-minded Pope Francis seemed.

“It’s evident in the way that he stands, the way that he approaches many different topics,” Speese said. “Most popes probably wouldn’t have addressed some situations that he did today in the way he did. Most people probably would’ve not used Moses [as a religious reference]; they would’ve used Jesus or stuck to the Catholic side of things instead of being more open to faiths not

At St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Savage, staff member Tina Keller and thirdgraders (from left) Frank Schaffer, Hazel Kubisiak, Brookelynn Weichman and Levi Jacquemart pose with Flat Francis to celebrate Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S. Courtesy St. John the Baptist Catholic School

Keenan Moore, right, a senior at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, states a question he would like to ask Pope Francis during Faith and Society class Sept. 24. Seated next to Moore is senior Claudia Blohm. Teaching the class and leading the discussion is theology teacher Mary Joy Zawislak. Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit from the same background.”

Fiona Donnelly, also a senior, said it wasn’t until she watched his address that she realized how much the entire country — not just Catholics — anticipated and appreciated Pope Francis’ visit.

Zawislak said as part of ongoing classroom discussions, she plans to ask students how the pope challenged them.

Describing Pope Francis as simple, a prophet and a peacemaker, Zawislak said it’s important that students are seeing a “multifaceted” pope.

“They’re starting to see him as a real person, not as a figurehead who’s untouchable,” she said. “Kids like that.

They don’t like phonies. Who he is and how he presents himself accentuates his messages.”

DeLaSalle President Barry Lieske likened the students’ experience of watching the address to his memories of watching the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

“When our students have those opportunities, those memory hooks will be in them for a lifetime,” he said.

Given the bankruptcy and clergy sexual abuse issues in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Lieske hopes students felt a sense of pride that the leader of the Catholic faith was given such a prominent platform to speak through the Church’s voice to the nation’s leaders.

“They [students] needed that. Catholic schools needed that,” he said.

He also hopes the pope’s address to Congress sends a bigger message that faith “can’t be compartmentalized into a worship experience on Sunday mornings.” Rather, “faith is in and through everything that we do. That’s the significance for us as a school,” he said.

“It’ll be fun to watch how they use it,

relate to it, even challenge it,” he added.

Around the archdiocese, Catholic schools celebrated Pope Francis’ trip to the U.S. through prayers, lessons, games and watching his addresses via live streaming.

Spinning of off the “Flat Stanley” sensation, students in several Catholic grade schools made “Flat Francis” cutouts to pose with in their schools. They included Frassati Catholic Academy in White Bear Lake, Holy Spirit Catholic School in St. Paul, St. Charles Borromeo School in St. Anthony, St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Savage and Transfiguration Catholic School in Oakdale.

Preschoolers at Highland Catholic School in St. Paul made puppets of Pope Francis, calling them “Pope-ets.” Our Lady of the Lake School in Mound and St. Peter Catholic School in North St. Paul had life-size cutouts of Pope Francis.

At St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater, kindergartners learned about the zucchetto that Pope Francis wears and then made their own. They also plan to make a card of their virtual pilgrimage and have it hand-delivered to Rome via a classroom mom. Second-grade students at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Vermillion made pope miters.

As part of activities surrounding U.S. papal events, students at Convent of the Visitation in Mendota Heights viewed and reflected on a different page from the school’s Heritage Edition of the St. John’s Bible each day of the pope’s visit. In Washington, Visitation alumna Amy (Rauenhorst) Goldman, ’82, was among representatives of St. John’s University to stand with Pope Francis in presenting an Apostles Edition of the St. John’s Bible to the Library of Congress.

October 8, 2015

Mary Jo Copeland hugs Pope Francis Mary Jo Copeland, founder of Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis, met Pope Francis during a private audience Sept. 24 at the Vatican Embassy in Washington, D.C. Pope Francis met with and greeted 15 people, including Copeland, her husband, Dick, and Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who translated her message in Spanish for the pope and took a photo of her and the pope with his cell phone.

“His hug was like God hugging me because Jesus is in him and so alive,” said Copeland, a parishioner of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center. “And, I told him I wanted him to pray for me because I’ve got a lot of work to do, and if he could come here to the Twin Cities, we can soak feet [of the poor] together and take care of all the kids [at Sharing and Caring Hands and Mary’s Place].”

St. Nicholas parishioner calls pope’s immigration focus ‘dream come true’ Having emigrated from Mexico eight years ago, Maria Negreros is concerned about immigrant families trying to make it in the United States. She has been happy to hear that Pope Francis shares her concerns, and she was excited to be one of 60 people from a metro interfaith group that traveled to Philadelphia for his visit.

ISAIAH, a statewide ecumenical organization of congregations, clergy and people of faith that promotes racial and economic justice in Minnesota, sent its delegation to Philadelphia to begin preparing members to respond to the pope’s “call to action for an economy and society of inclusion,” it stated.

Negreros, a parishioner of St. Nicholas in Carver, said Pope Francis’ message is one of love.

“We need to start to open our hearts again,” Negreros said.

“And the pope is the voice of those who don’t have a voice, especially the poor people.”

Negreros said respect is part of the larger immigration conversation.

“We really want to tell legislators that people need respect,” she said. “The pope’s message is that immigration is important. To hear him talk about what’s important to us is a dream come true.”

– The Catholic Spirit

For more local coverage of Pope Francis in the U.S., visit www.TheCatholicSpirit.com.

October 8, 2015

POPE FRANCIS

The Catholic Spirit • 5B

Whether planned or not, stops leave mark on Americans WASHINGTON, D.C.

NEW YORK

SEPT. 22

SEPT. 24

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND: Upon Pope Francis’ first trip to the United States, he was welcomed in Washington, D.C., by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, their families, and several U.S. Catholic prelates, including Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington.

ST. PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL: During an evening prayer service, Pope Francis thanked the nation’s priests, brothers and women religious for their service and gave particular thanks to women religious saying, “Where would the Church be without you?” He encouraged those with religious vocations and also acknowledged the pain of the clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Church.

SEPT. 23 WHITE HOUSE: Before a crowd of more than 11,000 on the White House lawn, Pope Francis drew cheers with his acknowledgment of the role of immigrants in his life — his parents emigrated from Italy to Argentina before he was born — and in the history of the United States. Talking about climate change and the legacy it might leave future generations, he observed that millions of people live under a system “which has overlooked them.” President Obama and Pope Francis exchanged gifts; among the gifts Pope Francis was to take home was a key belonging to the Maryland home of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

ST. MATTHEW’S CATHEDRAL: Pope Francis met the U.S. bishops, including Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Bishop Andrew Cozzens, for midday prayer. In his speech, delivered in Italian, he acknowledged the real challenges and burdens the U.S. bishops face in their ministry. Pope Francis shared with them his own experience as a pastor and urged them to keep their eyes focused on Jesus and their hearts open to others.

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR: Pope Francis made a previously unannounced 15-minute stop at a Washington residence operated by the Little Sisters of the Poor, where he met with about 45 sisters. The sisters’ spokeswoman said Pope Francis’s message to the group was about the Little Sisters’ “mission to the elderly” and “how important it is in a society that tends to marginalize the elderly and the poor.”

BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: At the Mass where Pope Francis canonized St. Junipero Serra, an 18th-century Franciscan who founded missions in California, he called on all Catholics to be missionaries. “Mission is never the fruit of a perfectly planned program or a well-organized manual,” he told the crowd of about 25,000 people.

“Mission is always the fruit of a life which knows what it is to be found and healed, encountered and forgiven.”

SEPT. 24 U.S. CAPITOL: Making history by being the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress, Pope Francis introduced himself as a son of the American continent.

In his speech, he condemned legalized abortion, the death penalty and unscrupulous weapons sales. He called on Congress to “seize the moment” by moving forward with normalizing relations with Cuba. He also pleaded for greater openness to accepting immigrants.

Showing he had studied the U.S. before the visit, he used four iconic Americans as relevant models of virtue for Americans today: Abraham Lincoln, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. “A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did; when it fosters a culture which enables people to ‘dream’ of full rights for all their brothers and sisters as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work; the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton,” the pope said.

ST. PATRICK & CATHOLIC CHARITIES: “We can find no social or moral justification, no justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing,” Pope Francis told an audience of about 200 clients of Catholic Charities gathered at St. Patrick Church. After his remarks at St. Patrick’s, he blessed the chapel at the archdiocesan Catholic Charities agency and stopped at the line of homeless clients waiting for a meal. He told them with a smile, “Buen apetito!” — “Enjoy your meal!” — to applause.

SEPT. 25 UNITED NATIONS: Helping to celebrate the organization’s 70th anniversary, Pope Francis visited its headquarters and pleaded with government leaders and U.N. officials to keep the dignity and sacredness of every human life and the value of all creatures at the center of their concern. “Above and beyond our plans and programs,” he told the U.N. General Assembly, “we are dealing with real men and women who live, struggle and suffer and are often forced to live in great poverty, deprived of all rights.” Pope Francis called for real, concrete action to stem climate change; respect for every human life and for “the natural difference between man and woman”; economic decisions that place the needs of people before profits; and greater controls on weapons sales and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

9/11 MEMORIAL: In Pope Francis’ 20 minutes outside the 9/11 Memorial before praying with religious leaders inside the museum, he prayed silently next to a candle by the memorial’s south reflecting pool, then greeted about 20 people, including first responders and victims’ family members of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The pope blessed them and gave them rosaries. In the museum, he said meeting the families of victims was a concrete reminder that “acts of destruction are never impersonal, abstract or merely material. They always have a face, a concrete story, names. . . . In those family members, we see the face of pain, a pain which still touches us and cries out to heaven.”

EAST HARLEM: Pope Francis encouraged an audience of students and immigrants at Our Lady Queen of Angels School to live with joy and dare to dream. He also highlighted the immigrant experience in a way children could understand, comparing it to seeking acceptance and making friends in school, not always an easy place for them to fit in or find their way.

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN: True peace in a big city comes from seeing the vast variety of people not as a bother, but as a brother or sister, Pope Francis said in his homily during Mass at “The Garden” where 20,000 people gathered to pray with him. In his homily, the pope said Jesus urges his disciples “to go out and meet others where they really are, not where we think they should be. Go out to others and share the good news that God, our Father, walks at our side. He frees us from anonymity, from a life of emptiness and selfishness.”

PHILADELPHIA SEPT. 26 CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF STS. PETER AND PAUL: Pope Francis encouraged Pennsylvania’s Catholic clergy and women and men religious to challenge young people to develop “high ideals, generosity of spirit and love for Christ and the Church.” Pope Francis recalled St. Katharine Drexel, a Philadelphia heiress who entered religious life, formed a religious community and used her family inheritance to educate blacks and Native Americans throughout the U.S. after Pope Leo XIII had challenged her to serve the Church by asking, “What about you?”

INDEPENDENCE HALL: Pope Francis urged the people of the United States to continue to “proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof,” as the Liberty Bell’s inscription says. Meeting with members of the Hispanic community and immigrants at Independence National Historical Park, the pope said when governments respect human rights

and freedoms, especially the right to religious liberty, they benefit from their citizens’ respect and care for others. He spoke from the same lectern President Abraham Lincoln used for the Gettysburg address.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PARKWAY: At the Festival of Families, which followed on the heels of the eighth World Meeting of Families Sept. 22-25, Pope Francis threw away a prepared text and spoke from the heart about the challenges and love that come with being part of a family. “A witness given in order to serve is thoroughly good, it makes us good persons, because God is goodness,” he said. It is “worth being a family.”

SEPT. 27 CURRAN-FROMHOLD CORRECTIONAL FACILITY: Pope Francis began his one-hour stop by inspecting a large chair the inmates had made for him. He smiled and gave the inmates a sincere thumbs up. He said prisons must focus on rehabilitation, and he insisted that no one is perfect and without need of forgiveness.

Speaking in Spanish, he addressed the inmates, who were chosen from among those with records for the best behavior. The pope told the inmates he was visiting as a pastor, “but mostly as a brother,” and urged them to dedicate their time in prison to “getting back on the right road” and preparing to rejoin society.

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO SEMINARY: In a meeting with cardinals, bishops, priests and seminarians, Pope Francis prefaced his address on the importance of the family by saying he had met with a group of survivors of sexual abuse. The Vatican said the 30-minute meeting, with three women and two men abused by members of the clergy or their families or their teachers, was held at the seminary shortly before the pope addressed the bishops. He told the survivors they were an inspiration and “ministers of mercy.” He also prayed with them and said he shared their pain, suffering and shame. “I continue to feel an overwhelming sense of embarrassment because of those who had in their care the little ones and caused them great harm. . . . I am deeply sorry. God cries,” he said. He said he is committed to holding accountable those who harmed children. “We owe each of them and their families a gratitude for their great courage to bring the light of Christ to the sexual abuse of children,” he told the bishops.

ST. JOSEPH’S UNIVERSITY: Pope Francis made an unscheduled stop at the Jesuit-run school, greeting campus officials, students and religious leaders. He also blessed a statue that commemorates the 50th anniversary of “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PARKWAY: Pope Francis urged the hundreds of thousands of people gathered for the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families to serve and care for each other as freely as God loves the human family. The pope called upon the faithful to embrace signs that the Holy Spirit can work through everyone.

“To raise doubts about the working of the Spirit, to give the impression that it cannot take place in those who are not ‘part of our group,’ who are not ‘like us,’ is a dangerous temptation,” the pope said. Pope Francis held up the family as vital to building the Church for the future. “That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life to become faith,” he said.

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Pope Francis ended his trip to the United States with a call for Catholics to keep the enthusiasm of the visit, while continuing to welcome newcomers and care for creation. “Do not let your enthusiasm for Jesus, his Church, our families, and the broader family of society run dry,” Pope Francis said prior to flying back to Rome.

“I pray that our days of prayer and reflection on the importance of the family for a healthy society will inspire families to continue to strive for holiness and to see the Church as their constant companion, whatever the challenges they may face.”

— Excerpts from Catholic News Service

“Like happiness, holiness is

always tied to little gestures.”

– Pope Francis

Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he makes his way to celebrate the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia Sept. 27.

CNS/Matt Rourke

8B • The Catholic Spirit

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

In their own words: Pilgrims react to Pope Francis’ U.S. visit The Catholic Spirit The Catholic Spirit asked pilgrims from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who encountered Pope Francis during his apostolic journey in the U.S. to reflect on the meaning of his visit.

The following are a selection of their responses.

Read more at www.TheCatholicSpirit.com. The responses were edited for length and clarity.

As thrilling as it was to see Pope Francis in person and to hear his inspiring words, what really inspired me was the friendship and caring that we pilgrims showed each other throughout our journey. We were lucky to partner with Catholics from the archdiocesan Commission of Black Catholics; our groups bonded immediately. All through our travels I saw fellow pilgrims who were younger and more able partner with pilgrims who were perhaps older and slower, ensuring they kept up and weren’t lost in the great crowds. Ken, a parishioner from St. Mary’s, pushed one of the ACBC members in her wheelchair through all of Philadelphia, relieving others of that task. It was such a blessing to get to know each other and to share this experience with such wonderful people.

Sheila Kelly St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake [I found most memorable] Pope Francis’ final U.S. homily, with the message of “little miracles” not going unnoticed and that they begin in families. I love my family deeply and they’ve guided me through a lot. However, my relationship with them has been tested, especially when I lost my faith. When I regained my faith, my relationship with them grew stronger. Now, I look back on how I get through my struggles today and it is due to my family’s continuous “little miracles” of guidance because they contain unconditional levels of support, love and forgiveness. Those are the “little miracles” I continuously try to spread to others.

Connor Theisen Junior, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul The very impressive moments on the papal visit were the parades and the papal blessings, which remind me of the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ.

His [Pope Francis’] speeches on love are so fascinating, especially his affirmation that “love is the measure of faith.” The experience was like a dream come true; my mother told me that I was conceived after St. John Paul II visited Nigeria in 1982. She believed that my conception was the effect of papal blessing. I totally agree with Pope Francis that we need to reflect on the ministry of marriage; we are all miracles of God’s love.

Those difficult moments in families take us to God’s love and goodness. This is important because we need to support our youth and families in their faith journey.

Emelda Okafor St. Cecilia, St. Paul When Pope Francis spoke at the Festival of Families on Saturday night, I really heard his message about the importance of families in our spiritual life. When he said “families are factories of light” and “families are factories of resurrection” it reminded me how much my family planted the seeds of faith in my childhood and continues to build me up and support my faith life. How often do our families brighten our lives or guide us to holiness? It can’t be counted!

Justin Kelly St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake I will always remember the joy people shared during Pope Francis’ visit. It didn’t matter where you went or who you talked to; everyone was so joy filled and so happy just to be there, and even more joy filled to be Catholic. Even after waiting in long lines for hours surrounded by tired people, everyone was still cheerful about being together celebrating his visit to

Pilgrims in Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia react to Pope Francis’ visit. CNS the States. We don’t always get an opportunity to be surrounded by people who are so happy to be Catholic. I think Pope Francis is bringing some joy back to our Catholic faith!

Emily Klinker St. Victoria, Victoria [I learned] you can even find God’s peace in a basketball arena. I handle communications for Minnesota Catholic Conference. Because of the enormity of managing the media during the pope’s visit, I went to assist the USCCB and Archdiocese of New York communications team. I have been to papal “mega” Masses before and so it was of little consequence for me to be working on the Madison Square Garden media bridge, far above the throng of Massgoers. Yet, once the pre-Mass rosary started and the lights dimmed, the crowd of 20,000 shrunk under my feet. It was a gentle reminder that the peace and holiness of Mass can be found in the most unlikely places.

Jessica Zittlow St. Agnes, St. Paul It was such a joy to see Pope Francis in person as he drove by in the popemobile, but the moment that made the biggest impression on me was watching on TV his visit to the correctional facility Sunday morning. He stopped and talked to each inmate and radiated the love of Jesus and the human dignity of each one of them. I could feel them being healed of the wounds that brought them to this place. They had been instructed to stay seated but some just had to stand and hug him, and he hugged them back.

Carol Rusinko Sacred Heart, Robbinsdale Our group from St. Pius had an amazing, Holy-Spirit led pilgrimage, from its inception nearly a year ago through all the various twists and turns that happened on the way to and from Philadelphia. God

asked us to take the next step — often a different step than we were planning to take — but his plan was better than we could have ever imagined. On the pilgrimage itself, despite all the unexpected turns of events, even adversity, physical pain and fatigue, our pilgrims lived out the fundamental message of Pope Francis: We showed love and kindness to one another in the challenges and joys of life, and grew closer to one another, as well as in faith, hope and love. And, in keeping with the theme of family, it was great to share all this with my parents, who joined us on the pilgrimage.

Father Joe Bambenek Pastor of St. Pius X, White Bear Lake Being blessed by Pope Francis at the end of the Mass was the highlight for me. Knowing that he is representing Peter as the keeper of the keys to the kingdom of heaven, it gives me goosebumps just thinking of being in his presence, so what could be better than getting his personal blessing? I had the privilege of being in an audience with Pope Benedict XVI while passing through Rome on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and knew then that I would never miss an opportunity to be in the presence of the pope.

Jack Kuhn St. Patrick, Oak Grove From my experience of traveling to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia for the papal visit, I will always remember the reaction of our country. While the vicar of Christ was on American soil, everyone took notice and wanted to see him and hear his message for us.

Sometimes we cheered and rushed to catch a glimpse of him, and at other times you could hear a pin drop out of reverence for his office and the sacred moments of liturgy and prayer. Pope Francis’ visit to the United States brought a renewed hope for us and a challenge to live the fullness of the Gospel.

Chad VanHoose Seminarian, St. Paul Seminary; St. Joseph, West St. Paul

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

The Catholic Spirit • 9B

In Philadelphia, pilgrims encounter Pope Francis and his challenge to love

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit

P

at Shannon counted the steps.

Nine that time, he said. It was a big move for the pilgrims who had been standing in a massive crowd waiting to go through security to join Pope Francis’ Mass on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

They’d arrived shortly before noon, but they’d covered less than two blocks in three hours. They began wondering if they’d actually get through the gates in time for the 4 p.m. liturgy. Behind them, the crowd stretched back as far as they could see.

The afternoon was the culmination of a pilgrimage that began Tuesday, Sept. 22, with a 5:30 a.m. flight from Minneapolis to Philadelphia. From the airport, the 23 pilgrims traveling as part of an Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis delegation went straight to the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the World Meeting of Families’ opening Mass and keynote speaker — Bishop Robert Barron, known for his “Catholicism” video series and its umbrella ministry, Word on Fire.

“Authentic Christianity is a faith on the march,” said Bishop Barron, who was ordained a bishop last month for Los Angeles. He set the tone for the World Meeting, challenging Catholics to reveal with their lives who they are: people made in the image and likeness of God — in Latin, the “imago Dei.” “The family is the place where the ‘imago Dei’ is burnished, where the ‘imago Dei’ is brought to life,” he said.

‘Love is Our Mission’ St. John Paul II launched the World Meeting of Families in 1994 “to look at strengthening the sacred bonds of the family unit across the globe,” according to the 2015 conference organizers. The event was the principal reason Pope Francis visited the U.S., a point he reiterated throughout his tour.

With the theme “Love is Our Mission,” the 2015 World Meeting of Families drew more than 18,000 participants, far exceeding the attendance at prior World Meetings.

Minnesota pilgrims joined others from more than 100 countries over the course of the congress, which included daily Masses with long processions of concelebrating bishops, opportunities for reconciliation and eucharistic adoration, and more than 80 presentations with topics from childrearing and family finances to divorce and caring for elderly parents.

Two speakers were from the archdiocese: Teresa Stanton Collett, a University of St. Thomas law professor who spoke on the contrasting use of the word “dignity” in Catholic social teaching and current law; and Father John Echert, pastor of Holy Trinity in South St. Paul, who drew on his experience as a military chaplain to outline ways families can stay connected during long periods of separation.

‘By the grace of God’ The weightiness of the topics addressed at the World Meeting struck a chord with many pilgrims; several shared hope that their adult children

would return to the faith, while others sifted through the difficulty of divorce, a spouse with dementia or the untimely death of a child.

Pat and Christine Shannon, one of two couples on the archdiocese’s pilgrimage, reflected on their own story as they waited in line for Sunday’s Mass. Parents of three and grandparents of eight, they said they’ve had their share of joys and challenges in 46 years of marriage.

“We started our marriage off with not good marriage preparation, so it was by the grace of God” that they have the marriage they do, said Christine, who transitioned last year from her longtime role coordinating family life programs to directing faith formation at their parish, St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony. “Often, we feel like we’re lifted up and carried around, like that ‘Footsteps’ holy card you see.”

They were drawn to the World Meeting because of their general concern for the family. But the couple’s connection to family ministry is also rooted in teaching — first, natural childbirth, and later, natural family planning.

Learning NFP was pivotal for their marriage, the Shannons said. They came to understand and appreciate why the Church proscribes artificial birth control, and embracing the teaching benefited their marriage, they said, as well as the 1,400 couples they taught.

They became more “others centered,” Christine explained.

“All of a sudden there was an awareness that God has a plan. Just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there,” she said. “The Church, in its wisdom, teaches you to go along with God’s plan.”

The young families they saw at the World Meeting gave them hope for the Church, they said, because they seemed eager to be Christian witnesses. With that came a dose of humility, but also an awareness of the opportunity they have as grandparents.

“We could have been a lot better along the way,” said Pat, a medical writer. “You don’t know what goes on in families, but all of the families with little kids here — I feel surrounded by holy people.”

Family challenges One of the biggest challenges facing the family is the lack of “credible witnesses” — Catholics worthy of emulating, said Jean Stolpestad, director of the archdiocese’s Office for Marriage, Family and Life. She sees many parents hitting a roadblock as witnesses when it comes to helping their children develop a relationship with Jesus.

“Every generation has to find Christ for themselves,” said Stolpestad, who led the archdiocesan pilgrimage to Philadelphia. “Faith can be lost in a single generation. Every person has to claim it and discover it like it’s brand new.”

The impact of presenters’ stories was key for many pilgrims. A speaker who particularly resonated was 58-year-old Cardinal Luis Tagle, archbishop of Manila, Philippines. He gave a keynote presentation Sept. 24 titled “The Family: Home for the Wounded Heart.”

“Our wounds will make us, if we

“Often, we feel like we’re lifted up and carried around, like that ‘Footsteps’ holy card you see.”

Christine Shannon, who attended the World Meeting of Families with her husband, Pat want them to, avenues of understanding, compassion, solidarity and love,” he told an audience of thousands.

Father Kevin Kenney, pastor of Divine Mercy in Faribault and the pilgrimage’s chaplain, said as a pastor he is frequently asked to help people address their wounds, including divorce and economic hardship, and is grateful when he can serve as a “listening post.”

With that, he said, comes mercy.

“The biggest thing I’m taking back with me is the whole issue of God’s forgiveness, God’s love,” he said. “I think for centuries we as Catholics have put guilt on one another, and too much ‘sin, sin, sin!’ But if God is as merciful and forgiving as they’ve talked about here — which I truly believe — then there’s nothing to be afraid of when you confess your sins, there’s nothing to be afraid of when you go before God to tell him you’re sorry.”

When Father John Floeder arrived at the World Meeting on Thursday, he was among the handful of participants who had already encountered Pope Francis during his U.S. visit; most attendees were anxiously awaiting Saturday’s Festival of Families, where Pope Francis would join them. An instructor of moral theology and dean of seminarians at the St. Paul Seminary, he had traveled with a group of seminarians to the Sept. 23 canonization of St. Junipero Serra in Washington, D.C. Father Floeder said he was impressed by the World Meeting’s speakers, but his focus was on the pope.

“What struck me about Pope Francis was his ready smile as he’s walking through and people are trying to grab him,” he said, adding that it was “a fatherly presence.”

“But as he’s preaching, he just speaks from the heart and preaches with conviction,” Father Floeder continued.

“You can see it in his face. He’s not simply reading from a script. He truly wants to be a shepherd and pastor to us, and it’s palpable, tangible to people with him.”

By Saturday, other groups of pilgrims

from the archdiocese had arrived in Philadelphia for papal events and secured places along his route to get a view, most waiting hours. When the popemobile passed, many people said the moment happened too quickly.

What they anticipated would be a leisurely parade complete with stops to kiss babies was actually a swift motorcade. Several said they had misplaced their priority on getting a photo, rather than focusing on really encountering Pope Francis.

That night, the crowd heard stories of families from around the world who shared with Pope Francis their joys and struggles. The brief testimonials compelled the Holy Father to drop his prepared remarks and speak from the heart, quipping about family struggles, but also challenging them to live in love. “Families have a citizenship that is divine,” he said. “The identity card that they have is given to them by God so that within the heart of the family truth, goodness and beauty can truly grow.”

Practice in patience By noon the next day, the archdiocesan delegation was back at the parkway, waiting to get through security ahead of the afternoon Mass. It was then that Pat Shannon started counting aloud the group’s steps, which in the standstill crowd felt like milestones.

The group finally got through at 4:45 p.m. in time to hear Pope Francis preach. They missed not only the first half of the liturgy, but also the entrance hymn composed by archdiocesan priest and University of St. Thomas professor Father Jan Michael Joncas.

With “withering hours of thousands pressing through security checks and jumbotron-only views of His Holiness,” Pat Shannon said the most memorable part of the pilgrimage was the World Meeting of Families and the friendships formed among fellow pilgrims. In a written reflection following the trip, he called the conference “stirring.”

For other pilgrims, the fleeting glimpse of the pope was well worth the hassle.

Justin Duda, whose right arm was in a sling due to a sports injury, joked ahead of seeing Pope Francis that he would try to jump the barrier for a blessing — and maybe a miraculous healing. While waiting for the pope to pass by Saturday night, he was sobered by a parent holding a child with cancer and a 13-year-old from Peru with a handwritten letter for the pope, he said.

Despite their efforts, neither was able to interact with the pontiff as he headed to the stage.

For Duda, a student at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and a FOCUS missionary from Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, seeing the pope was enough.

“My first thought was, ‘I can’t believe I’m here,’” he said.

The World Meeting of Families also exceeded his expectations. “It makes me feel like I can do my work as a missionary more and more, and it’s arming me with the tools and spirits and courage to go out and do my work.”

10B • The Catholic Spirit

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

2

1

3

4 1 Pope Francis embraces the Walker family of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sept. 27 in

Philadelphia. Catire, Noel and their four children — Cala, 12, Dimas, 8, Mia, 5, and Carmin, 3 — traveled 13,000 miles to be with Pope Francis during the World Meeting of Families.

2 Pilgrims wave cardboard cutouts of Pope Francis as they gather outside the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul to see the pope in Philadelphia Sept. 26.

3 Doug Bauman talks on his phone as he waits for the arrival of Pope Francis for the

closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families Sept. 27 in Philadelphia. The father of three traveled with his family from Indianapolis for the world meeting.

4 New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan stands with Pope Francis as he visits the South Pool of the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum Sept. 25 in New York.

5 Pope Francis greets Sister Marie Mathilde, 102, during his unannounced visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor residence in Washington Sept. 23.

6 A girl hugs Pope Francis as he visits with people at St. Maria’s Meals Program of Catholic Charities in Washington Sept. 24.

7 Pope Francis stops to kiss a child as he makes his way in the popemobile to Independence Hall in Philadelphia Sept. 26. All photos courtesy CNS

7

5

6

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

The Catholic Spirit • 11B

Does seeing the pope matter? Pilgrims say yes — and no

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit Jean Stolpestad and her husband, Craig, have made sure all of their three sons have had the chance to see the pope. One of them has seen all three of the men to hold the position in his lifetime.

Jean, however, hadn’t seen one before going to Philadelphia. The director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Stolpestad hoped for a glimpse of Pope Francis during a pilgrimage her office organized for the World Meeting of Families, Sept. 22-27.

She got that glimpse — as well as an unexpected ticket to a muchJean coveted seat near the altar for the World Meeting of Families’ closing STOLPESTAD Mass Sept. 27, the pontiff’s final public event during his whirlwind U.S. tour.

The ticket belonged to Teresa Stanton Collett, a University of St. Thomas law professor and consultor for the Pontifical Council for the Family. She was assigned a seat with other representatives of the council, which organizes the triennial World Meeting of Families.

When Collett had to leave Philadelphia earlier than expected, she gave her ticket to Stolpestad, who was giddy about the opportunity.

Stolpestad compared her desire to see the pope to children’s desire to be with their parents.

“To be in his presence is so exciting,” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “This is the first time I get to meet my papa. . . . I get to be with my spiritual father, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to experience.”

Stolpestad saw him for the first time with other pilgrims from the archdiocese as he drove down a Philadelphia parkway during the Festival of Families.

Her eyes shone as she described screaming with the

crowd, chanting “Pope Francis! Pope Francis!” as Father Kevin Kenney, pastor of Divine Mercy in Faribault and the pilgrimage’s bilingual chaplain, shouted “Papa Francesco! Papa Francesco!” next to her. She stood on a collapsible stool to get a better view, steadying herself on the shoulder of another onlooker. When Pope Francis came by, she snapped a photo — of a tree, because she was waving her arms.

“I get to be with my spiritual father, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to experience.”

Jean Stolpestad Tens of thousands of people crowded the parkway the night of Sept. 26 as musicians including Marie Miller, the Fray, and Aretha Franklin performed for Pope Francis, and families from around the world shared stories of their struggles and joys. Pope Francis extemporaneously addressed the crowd, calling the family “a factory of hope,” where “difficulties are overcome with love.”

The next day, elation over that special seat almost turned into deep disappointment as dense crowds nearly dashed Stolpestad’s hope she would make it through security check points in time. She was able to secure her seat right before Mass began, giving her a good view of the altar and Pope Francis.

“I had a deep sense of beauty — the beauty of Christ present in the people around me and in the Holy Father, [and in the] gift of the Church and our faith,” she said.

“It wasn’t ecstatic or overly emotional. It was just this profound sense of joy.”

Other pilgrims said seeing Pope Francis made a deep impression, even if they depended on a jumbotron for a view of the stage.

Beatriz Lopez, a parishioner of St. Francis de Sales in

St. Paul and formation coordinator for the archdiocese’s Latino Ministry office, said she was amazed by the reverence of the crowd at the papal Mass and grateful to have been able to receive Communion.

Lopez, 47, also relished “the second” she saw Pope Francis drive past before the Festival of Families. In that moment, she said, all the energy of the pilgrimage that had built up inside her flooded out.

“He needs to represent Jesus Christ, and you really find that in this pope,” she said. “He really wants the unity of the Church. He really wants to reflect Jesus.

That is important for me.”

Gerrie Soine, a parishioner of St. Paul in Ham Lake, said she didn’t go to Philadelphia with the aim of seeing Pope Francis, and she didn’t, beyond a screen. Being in the same area with him was enough, she said. She waited five hours to get through security into the Mass and missed most of the liturgy.

“I didn’t come all this way to see the pope. I knew he was going to be here, but I wanted to be with my shepherd in the area, because I knew it would be holy ground,” she said. “But I also wanted to be . . . with a crowd of people, who were, like me, looking for hope no matter what.”

In 1984, she made her first pilgrimage to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to see St. John Paul II, even though she had skipped what would have been a shorter trip to Des Moines, Iowa, where he visited in 1979.

“Before we knew he was there, we knew he was there,” she said. “It was holy ground. We knew he was on the ground. I could sense it.”

In Philadelphia, Soine, 71, saw the top of the passing popemobile skim the crowds on Saturday.

What could have been a huge letdown for other pilgrims didn’t faze her.

“The surprise for me was all the people I encountered in this city . . . . They were all excited for the pope to come,” she said. “Everyone’s looking for God to fill that need.

“Hope was given, and this pope gives hope.”

Catholic Charities CEO: Message to Congress a call to action

By Bridget Ryder For The Catholic Spirit As a guest of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Tim Marx, president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, was seated in the gallery of the U. S. Capitol Sept. 24 to hear Pope Francis address a joint meeting of Congress. Marx said he planned to bring inspiration and affirmation from the pontiff home to Minnesota.

“The pope’s message is what Catholic Charities does and will continue to do,” Marx said of its mission to help the poor, resettle refugees and advocate for immigrants. Marx also witnessed the effect the pope’s address had on Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), who was a close collaborator of Martin Luther King Jr., one of four Americans the pope referenced in his address.

“When he mentioned Martin Luther King, I was looking right down on Congressman John Lewis. He was visually moved by it, as were those around him,” Marx said, adding that people reached over to give Lewis a hug or a pat on the back.

“It’s not often the Holy Father calls out something you were personally involved in that is a marker for social justice,” he said.

Marx said the Holy Father’s use of four Americans — Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. — as examples showed the pope had worked hard to make his address relevant to his audience.

Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 24. CNS “His message [and] the way it was delivered should make his message come alive for Americans and Minnesotans in a way that it hadn’t before. It was so joyful and a call to action,” he said.

Marx also attended the official White House greeting ceremony and the Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., as a representative of Catholic Charities.

Senator heard ‘spiritual, captivating’ message Sen. Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) spent a few minutes with Pope Francis Sept. 24 when he arrived at the Capitol building to address Congress.

“It was an amazing experience,” Klobuchar said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before in Congress. It was amazing to see these senators

known to have big egos nervous waiting for the pope.”

Klobuchar was part of a special greeting committee that met the Holy Father before he entered the chamber of the House of Representatives to deliver his address. Pope Francis gave the group a blessing before they accompanied him into the room. Klobuchar was struck by his kindness and gentleness.

“We’re used to political leaders with booming voices, but you had to strain to hear him,” she said.

But she didn’t miss the message that his soft voice delivered. “He didn’t spell out exact policy changes, but gave us a call to action,” she said.

Instead of delivering a list of policies for the legislators to adopt, which “wouldn’t have worked with this crowd, anyway,” Klobuchar said, he gave Congress “a spiritual message that was captivating.”

Klobuchar summarized the pope’s address this way: “The United States is a great country with an obligation to work for social justice.”

She hopes the pope’s address will be a rallying point for compromise and cooperation among legislators. Looking back over the text of the talk, the pope’s definition of a good politician, which he said is “one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism,” stood out to her.

“I like that he said ‘pragmatism’ because we need it,” she said. “I thought he was pretty specific to working together.”

12B • The Catholic Spirit

POPE FRANCIS

October 8, 2015

TOP LEFT A woman displays her message on a prayer ribbon at the Knotted Grotto outside the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul during the World Meeting of Families Sept. 25 in Philadelphia.

Thousands of visitors added their prayer intentions to the project that was inspired by the image of “Mary Undoer of Knots.” BELOW LEFT Leah Pepsin, 6, and Lucas Daniel, 6, both from Philadelphia, look through prayer ribbons at the Knotted Grotto. RIGHT A man views prayer ribbons at the Knotted Grotto. CNS

By Elizabeth Fisher Catholic News Service

I

n front of Philadelphia’s Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul stands a visible representation of Pope Francis’ favorite religious image: “Mary, Undoer of Knots.”

The Knotted Grotto is a dome-shaped lattice-work frame that stands about 10 feet high with an approximately 20-foot circumference and features tens of thousands of white ribbons knotted into the structure.

In an unplanned gesture before the papal Mass Sept. 27 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the pope stopped his motorcade to visit the grotto devotion, which by then had 100,000 ribbons tied to it. When the World Meeting of Families opened Sept. 22, more then 10,000 ribbons were being added daily.

Each ribbon represents a prayer intention, which visitors may read and offer in their prayers, as well as add a new ribbon. Above all the ribbons hangs a large portrait of Mary, the mother of God, as one who unties the knots of people’s lives.

Project HOME, the Philadelphia organization serving homeless people in the city, collected the pieces of cloth throughout the Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, regions.

Knotted Grotto inspired by Pope Francis’ Marian devotion

“We need God’s grace to untie the knots,” she said.

Grotto an exercise of prayer, charity

Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director of the World Meeting of Families, said helping the poor was a priority for both Pope Francis and Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput.

“As I look at the thousands of knots in this grotto, it just takes your breath away,” she said. “Each of these knots represents the hopes and prayers of the people.

It is incredibly moving. People from around the world will be able to share in the artwork.”

Devotion to Mary as “Undoer of Knots” is tied to an 18th-century painting of Mary unraveling a long white ribbon, its tangles symbolic of people’s struggles. The image has been venerated since the together and share school pride and values.” early 1700s in the Church of St. Peter in Perlach, One prison inmate penned his hope to be free of Augsburg, Germany, where Pope Francis viewed it as a addiction and be able to make a life for himself after student in the 1980s and developed a devotion. he is released. Some petitioners asked for healing from In the second century, St. Iraneaus, bishop of what anxiety or cancer, or other physical and mental is now Lyon, France, gave the Church an image of disorders.

Mary undoing knots, writing, “The knot of Eve’s Project HOME commissioned artist Meg Saligman to disobedience was loosened by the obedience of Mary.” create the grotto to help draw attention to those in The contemporary devotion, however, is said to have need, especially members of society for whom Pope originated in the marital struggles of a husband and Francis focuses much of his concern. It was dedicated wife of German nobility in the 1600s.

Sept. 3.

At that time, the marriage ritual included the tying Prayers from prisons, soup kitchens of the couple’s arms to represent unity for life. The Sister Mary Scullion, executive director of Project Over the past several months, the group also troubled husband brought his wedding ribbon to a HOME, conceived the project as a way for people to canvassed prisons, soup kitchens and workshops, priest, who proceeded to untie the knots. The ribbon remember each other — and the poor — in their collecting petitions that reflect poignant prayers for prayers, following the example of Pope Francis, whom became white, and the couple’s marriage survived. topics ranging from personal issues to social justice to she met when he stopped in front of the grotto on his The painting was commissioned by the couple’s health concerns. last day in the United States. descendant for a family altar donated A few examples include: “I am to St. Peter in Perlach, where today the asking for prayers for my whole image draws droves of pilgrims and “Each of these knots represents the hopes and prayers of the family”; “Let there be food for all . . . inspires novenas to Our Lady, Undoer bountiful food for all”; “More faith in of Knots. people. It is incredibly moving.”

God and more belief in God’s love”; “For school communities, that — The Catholic Spirit contributed to Donna Crilley Farrell students, teachers/professors can come this story.