VATICAN CORNER

continued ….Philadelphia was the third and last U.S. city that Pope Francis visited, arriving Saturday morning Sept. 26, 2015. He celebrated Mass before more than 2,000 priests, women religious and deacons at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the home church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He called on women to play a greater role in strengthening the church in America. He singled out St. Katharine Drexel, a Philadelphia-born heiress who became a nun and founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Francis told the story of how Drexel had asked Pope Leo XIII for help for U.S. missions and the pope replied, What are you going to do? Francis repeated that question in Spanish, “y tu” — and what about you? Again and again as he spoke about the church’s role in a changing society. He praised the “efforts of all those dedicated priests, religious and laity who for over two centuries have ministered to the spiritual needs of the poor, the immigrant, the sick and those in prison.” He spoke of “the hundreds of schools where religious brothers and sisters trained children to read and write, to love God and neighbor, and to contribute as good citizens to the life of American society.” He then visited a Philadelphia seminary.

In the afternoon speaking on the steps of Independence Hall, the birthplace of the American nation, he stood next to a statue of George Washington and behind Abraham Lincoln’s lectern. Speaking in Spanish, he gave a speech on religious liberty and immigration. He told immigrants to stay strong and “never be ashamed” of their cultural heritage. He told them they had an obligation to contribute to the country and not be discouraged by hardship. “I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to your new nation. Francis mentioned the Declaration of Independence and Philadelphia’s founding Quakers and spoke for religious freedom as an avenue for “peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and rights of others.”

In the evening Pope Francis gave his blessing to the World Meeting of Families – the international celebration of family, community and faith started in 2002 under Pope John Paul II that had been taking place all week in the Philadelphia Convention Center. This was his main reason for visiting the U.S. There was personal testimony from some families and performances by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Sister Sledge (We Are Family), Aretha Franklin and Andrea Bocelli among others. To be continued …

Sources: kitv.com, latimes.com, nydailynews.com