Religious liberty and the family as a factory of hope: Saturday with Pope Francis
And that’s a wrap for the penultimate day of the pontiff’s US tour. Here’s the top lines:
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Pope Francis praised the “immense contribution” of women to the Catholic church in his morning mass at the Philadelphia Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul.
- Speaking to members of the Hispanic community at Liberty Hall, Francis told them “never to be ashamed” of being immigrants or of their culture. Immigrants would renew the US, he insisted.
- Francis defended religious liberty, saying it was the foundation of other liberties and the truest expression of American culture.
- The pope met and blessed disabled children.
- After another popemobile tour of the city attended by massive crowds, Pope Francis appeared at the World Meeting of Families’ festival night.
- Celebrities and singers – including Mark Wahlberg, Sister Sledge, comedian Jim Gaffigan, Andrea Bocelli and gospel legend Aretha Franklin – performed for the crowd. A lot of nuns rocked out and Wahlberg said his Catholic faith was the cause of his achievements.
- The pope once again discarded his prepared speech to preach, local pastor-style, on the family. Families’ identity cards came from God, he said. They have a “citizenship which is divine” and are the highest expression of God’s love.
Thanks for joining us again on the Guardian PopeBlog and we’ll see you again tomorrow for the final day. The centerpiece of the whole tour, a mega-mass tipped to host almost a million parishioners, will take place tomorrow. Francis will also visit a prison, and is expected to address race issues. It should be an exciting conclusion to what has been a very densely-packed tour. Until then.
From Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan, Pope Francis’s warm-up act:
My mother-in-law meeting THE POPE. Check mate. pic.twitter.com/FFy8AHi3S5
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) September 27, 2015
Guardian US opinion contributor and University of Pennsylvania associate professor of religious studies and Africana studies Anthea Butler is stopping by Day 8 of our live coverage of the Francis visit.
We’ve been asking the question for hours: how far will the pope go to appease hard-right Catholics on this, a day that’s all about the family? Some strong words from the professor below about that word the pope didn’t say: abortion.
The World Meeting of Families has been all about promoting the perfect Catholic family – one man, one woman and children without the benefit of birth control.
So it is surprising that Pope Francis’s free-wheeling remarks on the family focused on the virtue of love within the family, and the future – and not abortion, something that Catholic pro-lifers have been desperate to hear in a strong, decisive message from Francis all week.
While Pope Francis mentioned abortion in his speeches to the joint session of Congress, in homilies, and obliquely in his address on Independence Mall earlier this evening, abortion is by no means his sole focus when talking about the family. It seemed that children and grandparents were more important to him, off-script, this evening.
After his statement this month about absolution for abortion, the focus on American soil is about love, making mistakes and new opportunity. And that is a far cry from the harsh messages by some of the American bishops on abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage.
This capstone moment on the family will probably make the more conservative Catholics disappointed in Pope Francis’s visit overall, while giving disaffected Catholics a measure of hope after years of stridently doctrinal, ineffective messages on family life.
Plus, there were jokes. Mother-in-law jokes. Everyone could relate to that – the families fighting, the plates flying. This is a pope who knows what real life is all about.
Stay tuned for more from Professor Butler throughout the weekend.
Here’s a better transcript of Francis’s remarks about grandparents and children:
There are some things we really need to take care of: the children, and grandparents. Children, whether they are young or older, they are the strength that moves us forward. We place our hope in them.
Grandparents are the living memory of the family. They passed on the faith, they transmitted the faith, to us. To look after grandparents, children, is the expression of love. The people that does not care for its children or grandparents is a people that has not future. Because it doesn’t have the strength or the memory to go forward.
The Francis effect:
In one Philadelphia bar, people have put down their drinks, are attentively listening to #PopeFrancis talk about family. "Francis effect?"
— David Agren (@el_reportero) September 27, 2015
Listening to #PopeInPhilly. pic.twitter.com/6IXQvLXoko
— Cindy Wooden (@Cindy_Wooden) September 27, 2015
Nuns dance to @SisterSledge_'s "We are family" at festival for #PopeFrancis: http://t.co/FhiY2oqjAk #PopeInPhilly https://t.co/cub7ZzD1To
— CNN iReport (@cnnireport) September 26, 2015
Updated
Pope Francis blesses the crowd, and then wanders off stage with a curt “See you tomorrow!” in English.
Pope Francis also asked the audience to take special care with children and grandchildren, a theme he has riffed on constantly throughout the tour and his ministry more broadly. He’s always emphasizing that wisdom must be passed down from generation to generation.
The audience was enraptured by the pope’s speech. He seems to really dislike being the high-altitude pontiff and has to fight his desire to go into local pastor mode. The fact that he went off-cuff at an event where many orthodox Catholics would have hoped for a big statement on abortion or gay marriage will be a let down for some.
After all, many faithful US Catholics have waited a long time for the pope to give them political support for this cause or that. I doubt Francis cares; the people who matter to him most will fill the pews, not the sanctuary, at tomorrow’s mass.
Updated
Francis signs a mural painted by local children and on comes Andrea Bocelli to sing some Opera.
Here’s a passage that will be quoted:
Families have a citizenship which is divine. The identity card they have is given to them by God. So that within the heart of the family, truth, goodness and beauty may truly grow.
Then a few gags:
Some of you might say “Of course, father, you speak like that because you’re not married!”
Families have the difficulties – families, we quarrel! And sometimes plates can fly. Children can bring headaches – and I won’t speak about mothers in law!
God came to earth amid a family, Pope Francis says:
So great was his love. That he began to walk with humanity, with his people, until the right moment came and he made the highest expression of love: his own son.
And where did he send his son? To a palace? A city? No he sent him to a family. God sent him amid a family, in a family!
And he could do this because it was a family that had a truly open heart. The doors of their heart were open. Think of Mary – she couldn’t believe it! How can this happen. But when they explained it to her … she agreed. Think of Joseph – he finds himself in a surprising situation he doesn’t understand, and he accepts, he obeys.
You know what God loves most? To knock on the door of families and to find the families who love each other – families who bring up their children to grow and to move forward. Who create, who develop a society of truth, goodness and beauty.
Sometimes we’re a bit confused, we are destroying the family:
God made this marvelous world in which we live and because sometimes we’re a bit confused we are destroying it. But the most beautiful thing that God did, says the bible, was the family.
He created man, and he created woman and he gave them everything. He gave them the world that they might grow, multiply, cultivate the land … all that love that he made in creation he gave it and shared it and bestowed it upon the family.
All the love God has in himself, all the beauty and truth he has in himself, he gives it to the family. Family is really family when it’s able to open its arms and receive all that love. Of course, it’s not quite earthly paradise. There are still problems.
Men and women through the astuteness of the devil have learned, unfortunately, how to divide themselves. And all that love God gave, almost was lost. In a little period of time the first crime: the first instance of fratricide. A brother kills another brother – and war. Love and beauty and truth, or war. Between them, we walk ahead. It’s up to us to choose. It’s up to us to decide which path we want to take forward.
Pope Francis freelances on the family
The pope has tossed aside his prepared notes once again, to talk about the family like a parish priest. He applauds the witness of the families before, saying it pleases God:
Because God also is truth. Beauty and truth. And a witness given in order to serve is thoroughly good. It makes us good persons because God is goodness. He takes us to God: all that is good, all that is true, all that is beautiful leads us to God. Because God is good, God is beautiful, God is true. Thankyou all, those who’ve offered their witness and for the presence of all of you, that is also a great witness, a real witness that it’s worth being a family.
That a society is strong, it’s solid, if it’s edified on beauty, goodness and truth. Once, a child asked me – and you know children ask difficult questions – they asked me, “Father, what did God do before creating the world?”
I assure you, I found real difficulty in answering the question. So I said what I’m now going to say to you: before creating the world, God loved. Because is God is love. And so much love, Father Son and Holy Spirit, it was so overflowing, I don’t know if this is very logical but you’ll understand.
It was so big, it was so big this love, that God could not be egoistic – it had to be poured out of him.
Pope Francis is going completely off the cuff here – I’ll be with you in a second.
“Family is like a factory of hope – a factory of resurrection.” That’s a highlight so far.
And there are jokes!
Francis in flying, free-ranging oration to Philadelphia. Truth, beauty, God, and jokes. #PopeinPhilly pic.twitter.com/35q6uAUueR
— Rory Carroll (@rorycarroll72) September 27, 2015
#PopeInPhilly: Family life can feature plates flying, kids causing headaches, "I won't even mention mothers-in-law" pic.twitter.com/6CXOt0jt2g
— Cindy Wooden (@Cindy_Wooden) September 27, 2015
Updated
Pope Francis has been moved up the bill and will speak now. This is truly a miracle.
A large New York family of 12 takes the stage to address the pope now.
And afterwards, an extended family from Pope Francis’s native Argentina who fled the military coup there. They speak of how integral parish life was to them as refugees.
Another tough story, this time from a mother from Nigeria, who struggled to conceive with her husband, lost one child after birth and another stillborn. They became involved with Opus Dei, and she credits her supernatural understanding of marriage and daily attendance of mass with having given their family four children.
The daughter of St Gianna reads a letter from her mother.
The daughter of a saint! Gianna Emmanuele Molla #FestivalOfFamilies #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/xUgFOgbzMw
— Daughters of St Paul (@DaughterStPaul) September 27, 2015
From Guardian reporter Alan Yuhas, who’s there:
This is a pretty weird variety show for the pope going on
— Alan Yuhas (@AlanYuhas) September 27, 2015
The pope has been upset about the excessive security. He’s not the only one:
Those experiencing homelessness are being displaced and harassed by cops. #PopeInPhilly
— Bob Shine (@bobshine89) September 27, 2015
Transit system relied upon by residents, workers useless. Told wrong direction 6 times this evening by SEPTA ambassadors. #PopeInPhilly
— Bob Shine (@bobshine89) September 27, 2015
Security presence would be comical if not so deeply problematic for residents. No concern for how lay folks to get around. #PopeInPhilly
— Bob Shine (@bobshine89) September 27, 2015
This city is an absolute nightmare for some of our elders and differently abled folks with whom I've been walking. #PopeInPhilly
— Bob Shine (@bobshine89) September 27, 2015
A Jordanian Christian family, refugees in Europe who originally lived around 25 miles from the Syrian border, say their people are like “candles in the dark”.
Guardian reporter Alan Yuhas is onsite at the World Meeting of Families:
All for an Aretha Franklin set at #popeinphilly, but this show has the aesthetics of the Hunger Games and/or X Factor of Catholicism
— Alan Yuhas (@AlanYuhas) September 27, 2015
Aretha Franklin takes the stage to sing Amazing Grace. You know what? I don’t think the pope knows who Aretha Franklin is. That makes me feel way better for not knowing what the Nae Nae was until only a few days ago.
A family of Ukranian migrants speaks to the pope now: a single mother with two sons, one of whom has cerebral palsy. The mother – I think her name was Eugenia – was abandoned by her husband; her mother died when she was only four years old. She sees her sons as a blessing, especially her disabled son Boris:
While getting botox injections to alleviate ... muscle pain, he acted as a translator between myself and the medical team, leaving them amazed at his energy and happiness.
Her other son is training to become a priest. The pope looks absolutely fixated for the first time tonight. He embraces the family when they have finished speaking.
RE: tonight’s music.
Benedict is thinking, you know, I made the right decision.
— Jason Horowitz (@jasondhorowitz) September 27, 2015
And in the crowd:
Overheard in the crowd: "St. Anthony, help me find my friends." #PopeInPhilly
— Angelo Fichera (@AJFichera) September 27, 2015
Updated
A schoolboy just sung to the pope in a perfect falsetto. He thanks Pope Francis and gets a hug from Mark Wahlberg.
Mark Wahlberg: “That was truly the voice of an angel. But afterwards he whispered in my ear ‘I loved you in the movie Ted’. I told him that was not appropriate for his age! Forgive me, Holy Father.”
Before Francis’s US tour it was well-known he was more in line with progressive Catholic concerns than those on conservative end of the spectrum – immigration, a theme he has emphasized on this trip, is one major sticking point. His critiques of capitalism and climate change have alienated some supporters of the previous papacy, too.
Francis’s first days in the US continued this theme, meeting opposition from some conservatives, who were upset with the lack of attention paid to traditional US Catholic causes like abortion, gay marriage and the like.
It has been anticipated that tonight’s address was going to be for them. Surely at some stage Pope Francis has to give thanks to the people who have been manning the prayer vigils and protests on abortion and marriage, who were doing what the hierarchical church, often a bishop, asked of them?
Previous indications on the family mean that may not be the case. In fact, Francis’s calls to take the message of the church to people “as they are, not as we’d like them to be” is likely to be reflected in tonight’s speech too. “Who am I to judge?” is another theme we may see more of. Francis has given no indication he would go hard on orthodoxy, even though his speech won’t be one iota less than orthodox.
Updated
Now some families will share their stories with the pontiff: first is an Australian couple. They’re very nervous to address the pope. They mention Australia’s high rate of divorce, and “increased push to change the legal definition of marriage”. They come from rural Australia and are also worried about the lack of priests and their economic circumstances.
Updated
Mark Wahlberg: all my success is due to my Catholic faith
Actor Mark Wahlberg introduces the pope:
I truly feel like today I can do anything, and I attribute all my success to my Catholic faith. My faith has given me the ability to be a good husband, good father, and most importantly, a good person.
Pope Francis has arrived. He begins with a prayer for families in English.
What are #PopeInPhilly and Domenico Giani, his head of security, talking about? pic.twitter.com/10DBGf7Ash
— Cindy Wooden (@Cindy_Wooden) September 26, 2015
Papal visit, or John Carpenter film? You decide.
Pope Francis’s speech earlier today was well-received by Hispanic Americans, as my colleague Alan Yuhas reports from Philadelphia:
A few blocks from Independence Mall, hundreds of people gathered round a jumbotron in Franklin Park to watch the speech, intermittently cheering the pope as he spoke in Spanish.
The ebullient mood carried after he finished speaking – when the pope drove by the park, leaning out his window and waving, several people broke into sobs.
“He spoke so well – it was very powerful,” said Maria Ribiero, a Colombian immigrant who lives in Roxbury, Massachusetts. “I hope that the people, leaders feel it, that they open their heart to what he said, that immigrants here in America should get equal rights no matter how poor or rich, white or black.”
Others saw more shades of gray in the problem of immigration while still embracing the pope’s message.
“I don’t mean to be naive and push aside that this is a practical question,” said Therese Connolly, a 69-year-old from north-east Philadelphia, “but I don’t care much about borders. We’re one human family.”
Connolly said that even more than the pope’s message for inclusivity, she was struck by how he “delighted, relished, said we should nourish those differences”.
Alex Skula, a freshman at Drexel Univeristy, said she didn’t think sheer logistics would ever make it possible to welcome all immigrants. And while she favored programs that allow young immigrants to stay in the US for work, and school, she said that she didn’t think all people here in the US illegally deserve full rights.
Her friend Arthur Chase Butulan, himself the grandson of Filipino immigrants, agreed: “it’s too idealistic to think you could mass-manage something this nuanced.” He said the best solution was “case by case, on a micro level”.
A small minority of born-again Christians refused to hear the message of cultural tolerance; after the pope drove by they pulled out a loudspeaker and signs that read “Roman Catholicism is of the devil, it will send you to hell.”
But the protesters’ angry remarks about the heresy of Catholics were eventually drowned out by a impromptu prayer: the Our Father, recited in full.
Read Alan, Angela and Rory’s full report on the night in Philadelphia here:
Updated
Pope Francis is rolling through Philly in the popemobile on his way to the festival. The flashing lights and security make the scene seem more like a police operation than a parade.
For comparison, here’s a photograph from a police helicopter of an arrest being made.
Updated
Sister Sledge only performed one song and are offstage. The pope is on his way:
Security is gearing up! #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/CiNtWtfiWR
— Salt + Light (@saltandlighttv) September 26, 2015
Sister Sledge is onstage singing We Are Family.
They’ve inserted “He’s the way, the truth, the light” into the song’s bridge. Remember, this is a song usually taken to be a LGBT pride anthem.
It feels so good, this is a very special moment in time. Look to the neighbour right next to you, in the name of Jesus and giving honour to his holiness Pope Francis, and take their hand.
The moms are lovin’ it.
We are gettin DOWN for #SisterSledge on this side of the fence! #6abcAction @6abc 🎤 pic.twitter.com/FvfzeJhqhV
— Morgan Lamb (@MorganLambMedia) September 26, 2015
Updated
Want to get your child noticed by the pope? Here’s one way...
Pope Baby on the Parkway in Philly. pic.twitter.com/DAuoVSZVeU
— Ray Lynn (@da605567) September 26, 2015
This is a family-friendly bit from Gaffigan, as you might imagine:
Six kids, Catholic. As if we didn’t hear the Catholic part when you said “six kids”.
I’ve recreated the chaos, I have five children myself. I had very little to do with it. I have enough kids that even Mormons come up to me and say “you should settle down”.
They’re amazing kids and I’ll start the bidding at $50.
If you want to know what it’s like to be a father of five kids, imagine you’re drowning and then someone hands you a baby.
Full disclosure: my wife does 90% of the work and the 10% I do, it still feels like too much.
When I look at her I get a glance that can only be described as ... regret. But she’s Catholic so there’s no quittin’ the team. Thanks Jesus!
My wife is very Catholic, she’s a Shi’ite Catholic.
After a few jokes about what type of bread Jesus can multiply – “does he know what type he’s going to get? [zap] Pumpernickel? Sorry, I had a late night last night. [zap] Melba toast? That’s never happened before.” – Gaffigan departs the stage.
I realize some people don’t like religion jokes, especially the ones who are going to hell. Anyway that’s all from me thanks very much!
Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan is now onstage at the World Meeting of Families. If you’re into him you can watch the set online now on their website.
I was sure that Philadelphia was going to love the pope, but let me say … Philadelphia wasn’t too nice to Santa Claus. [booing] Are they booing me, or Santa Claus?
Mothers and victims of the 2009 Guardería ABC fire in Mexico have traveled to Philadelphia in enlist the help of the Pope, the indefatigable Angela Bruno reports from Guardian US HQ:
The 2009 daycare center fire claimed the lives of 49 children and infants, and injured 100 others. Negligence and corruption have been blamed. The daycare center had only one exit, no sprinkler system and faulty alarms – but still managed to pass inspection, despite orders for repairs, just two weeks before the blaze.
In the years since the tragedy, little progress has been made to bring those responsible to justice.
Julia Escalante Barrios, whose daughter died in the fire, spoke to Mexican newspaper Diario 24 Horas about the group’s mission in Philadelphia.
“As believers, we trust that divine justice will be served, but we also demand justice from the Mexican government,” she said. She hopes the Pope will intervene on their part. The group is hoping for a meeting and “spiritual support” from the Pope.
You can read the full story, in Spanish, here.
Today also marks the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa student teachers who disappeared after being attacked by corrupt police officers while on their way to a protest in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico.
Five mothers representing the 43 students asked the pope to intervene on their behalf and staged protests in Washington, DC earlier this week. Marches and protests for the students are being held all over Mexico today.
There are nuns and bishops in this crowd absolutely rocking out to Matt Maher. It’s like something out of Sister Act. The screenshot I managed to grab is a bit scrappy but these nuns were having a better time than just about anyone else there.
And here’s the the stadium. They were going for a kind of ‘Sunday School meets Lollapalooza’ vibe, I guess.
Meanwhile, at the World Meeting of Families, the crowd is being entertained ahead of the pope’s arrival later tonight.
Seems #Indian dance is going on at the venue of #WMF2015 #Catholic #Family #PopeInPhilly #PopeinUS Pic RT @WMF2015 pic.twitter.com/ggU1NwFKrm
— Fr. Franklin Joseph (@FrFranklin) September 26, 2015
Che bella, @jackieevancho #wmf2015 #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/UyjDJvCJYC
— Victoria Velasquez (@toriavel32) September 26, 2015
There’s a livestream here if you want to listen to the current act, which is a kind of Catholic alt-country worship band that sits somewhere between Ben Folds and Nickelback.
Updated
From Angela Bruno here at Guardian US headquarters, watching the reaction to the pope’s immigration and religious freedom speech on social media, in several tongues:
Pope Francis has touched on immigration throughout his multi-city tour, being sure to mention his immigrant heritage at both the White House and the UN General Assembly.
But on Saturday, in his native tongue, he took the opportunity to directly address the Hispanic community and other immigrant groups – and praise them for their contributions to the United States:
‘Among us today there are members of America’s large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. Thank you for opening the doors. … I greet you with my heart…. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to this new nation of yours. Please: do not feel ever ashamed of your traditions.’
That message is going over well across Twitter:
Truly beautiful words of encouragement for immigrants, for those fighting for religious freedom, for families, from Francis. #PopeInPhilly
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) September 26, 2015
The ‘people’s pope’ may have just issued his most crowd-pleasing speech in America yet. And not just on the immigration issue: Francis also offered a strong message on religious freedom, and the excitement is palpable on social media across the board.
.@Pontifex Thanks for inspiring #America to fight for #immigrants, #LivingWages, religious #freedom & end of #deathpenalty! #PopeInPhilly
— Peter Heltzel (@PeterHeltzel) September 26, 2015
Powerful message given by Pope Francis tonight at Independence Hall on religious freedom! Very remarkable! #PopeinPhilly
— Maureen (@Maureen_abms) September 26, 2015
It's amazing how Francis is reaching so many people across different divides. #PopeInPhilly #GoodIsWinning https://t.co/z7Y2S9j6ne
— Fr Matthew Schneider (@FrMatthewLC) September 26, 2015
And with apologies to Charlie Sheen, the emergent hashtag of the day is #GoodisWinning.
@Pontifex: “Do not feel ashamed, you enrich the life of this American land” #PopeinPhilly #PopeInUs #GoodIsWinning
— Erin McInnis (@emmcinnis2) September 26, 2015
Even the clergy can’t help but get caught up in the hype. One priest snapped this selfie while the pope was preparing to cense the altar during this morning’s mass:
Other priests, like this Dominican, were less enthused:
Dear brother priests-- taking pictures while concelebrating is NOT a thing. #shameful #DivineWorship https://t.co/sLOm1q6CtR
— Fr. Thomas Petri, OP (@petriop) September 26, 2015
Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh weighs in on the speech. NB “Pontifex” means bridge builder.
The great bridge builder linked the struggle for rights to religious liberty, and religious liberty to the cause of migrants' integration.
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) September 26, 2015
Expect to see words from this speech on banners years from now. It's a roadmap for the reinvigoration of American public life. #PopeInPhilly
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) September 26, 2015
So during his off-the-cuff remarks on globalization, Pope Francis described positive globalization as a “polyhedron” – what exactly was he on about?
For journalists confused about @Pontifex's reference to polyhedron: It's one of his favorite themes. #PopeInPhilly http://t.co/9PVla2c1aS
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) September 26, 2015
Here are a few examples. One from January this year:
“It is important to globalize but not like the sphere - like the polyhedron,” he continued. “Namely, that every people, every part, conserves its own identity without being ideologically colonized.”
In 2014, in an address to pentecostals:
We think of the polyhedron: the polyhedron is a unity, but with all different parts; each one has its peculiarity, its charism. This is unity in diversity. It is on this path that we, Christians, do what we call with the theological name of ecumenism. We try to have this diversity become more harmonized by the Holy Spirit and become unity.
It’s an interesting theme. Who knows why it resonates with the pope? Maybe he heads back to the Vatican after a hard day as Vicar of Christ, puts on some Kyuss, and watches videos like this:
There’s a longer blog post on Pope Francis’s polyhedron obsession here.
Updated
Pope Francis may meet with sex abuse victims in Philadelphia
My colleague Rory Carroll, who has followed the pope all week, reports from Philadelphia on a possible papal meeting with victims of sexual abuse ... which would be a bold step on an issue where he has treaded lightly thus far.
The Catholic church’s sex abuse scandals have drifted like a miasma throughout the Pope Francis trip to America – an acrid vapour which has contrasted with the rapture and goodwill he generated.
Francis has struggled to balance a desire to raise the spirits of clergy drained by decades of revelations, lawsuits and criticism with the pain of victims, many of whom feel they never received justice. So far during this visit to the US, the pope has been noticeably indirect on the biggest scandal facing the church in this country.
In Washington he commended the “courage” of bishops gathered at the Cathedral of St Matthew the Apostle. “I realize how much the pain of recent years has weighed upon you,” he said on Wednesday, “and I have supported your generous commitment to bring healing to victims – in the knowledge that in healing we, too, are healed – and to work to ensure that such crimes will never be repeated.”
The pope struck a similar tone in New York, telling clerics on Thursday that many had had to “bear the shame of some of your brothers who harmed and scandalized the church”.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap), an advocacy group, accused Francis of rubbing salt in wounds. “An innovator in other ways, this pope is a throwback on sexual violence,” the group’s director, David Clohessy, said in a statement on Friday. “He talks and acts like the church hierarchy is the real victim in this crisis.”
The group was not mollified by its expectation that the pope will meet some victims in Philadelphia on Saturday or on Sunday, when he flies back to Rome.
“When he meets with a tiny group of carefully-chosen victims soon in a carefully-choreographed setting, Francis will no doubt work harder and will convey compassion. But he’s dug a deeper hole for himself this week by these depressing, misguided remarks. Worse, he’s set back the cause of prevention.”
Officials travelling with Francis on Saturday told journalists they would reveal details of any such meeting on Sunday.
Updated
From Angela Bruno:
Before his address to the crowds on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, Pope Francis blessed La Cruz de los Encuentros, or the Cross of the Encounters, a symbol of Latino ministry in the United States.
Before reaching the Pope, the wooden 5-foot cross journeyed the country, making stops at many Latino parishes across the nation. According to Bishop Daniel Flores, president of the committee on cultural diversity for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “This blessing will be a symbolic moment that will crystallize the Pope’s interest in meeting Catholic Hispanics during his papal visit to the United States.”
During the blessing, the Pope also received a doll from a little girl named Lorena. He jokingly told her, “You two look alike.”
Just met Alejandro & Lorena's family who will present the Encuentro Cross to @Pontifex w/ me. #WMF15 #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/1CZLltm6DF
— Archbishop Gomez (@ArchbishopGomez) September 26, 2015
Here is the group that will be presenting the #EncuentroCross to @Pontifex in less than an hour! #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/IU1Hn62O6q
— Archbishop Gomez (@ArchbishopGomez) September 26, 2015
Updated
John Thavis, one of the world’s veteran Vatican reporters, has already got some very interesting analysis up about Pope Francis’s speech on religious liberty:
Pope Francis never mentioned the U.S. bishops’ “Fortnight for Freedom” campaigns, nor their battles over alleged religious discrimination on Obamacare provisions and conscience protection issues.
The bishops have certainly made this a priority ... Perhaps a detailed analysis of these matters was never in the cards for Pope Francis. At the White House the other day, he did offer generic backing for the bishops, encouraging the defense of religious freedom from “everything that would threaten or compromise it.” And he made a brief, symbolic stop at the Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order that is suing over the Obamacare provisions on contraception coverage.
The pope concludes his speech with the Lord’s Prayer. He prays in English, and can’t seem to keep up with the congregation. Then, to loud shouts of “Viva!” and peals of the bell, Francis departs.
Grinning, the pope made some off-the-cuff and, it must be said, quite eccentric remarks on globalization during his prepared speech. He only seems to do this when he’s with a Spanish-speaking audience:
Globalization in and of itself is not bad. On the contrary, the globalizing tendency is good. Is brings us together. But what may be bad is the way this happens. If globalization would seek to make everyone the same as if it were a single sphere, that globalization destroys the richness and the particularity/individuality of every people.
If globalization seeks to bring all of us together, but to do so respecting each person, each individual person’s peculiarity, that globalization is good and makes us good and grow and leads to peace.
I like to use geometry here. If globalization is a sphere, where each point is equidistant from the centre, then it isn’t good because it annuls each of us. But if globalization joins us as a polyhedron where we’re all together but conserves the dignity of each ... that’s good.
Francis to US immigrants: 'do not be ashamed'
The pope turns once more to immigration. He tells Hispanic Americans not to be ashamed of the traditions they have brought to the US:
Among us today there are members of America’s large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. Thank you for opening the doors. Many of you have emigrated. I greet you with my heart. And many of you came to this country at great personal cost, but in the hope of building a new life. Do not feel discouraged by all the challenges and hardships you might face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to this new nation of yours.
Please: do not feel ever ashamed of your traditions.
Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which can bring an enrichment to life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you – a central part of you. You are also called to be responsible citizens. You are called to be responsible citizens and to contribute, like others, with so much resilience before you – to contribute fruitfully to the life of the communities in which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values which you have inherited.
By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here – you will help to renew society from within.
Do not forget what happened here over two centuries ago. Do not forget the declaration which said all men and women were created equally – to be equal ... that governments exist to protect and defend these rights.
Dear friends, I thank you for your warm welcome and for being here with me today. Let’s keep freedom – protect liberty, liberty of conscience, liberty of each person.
May this country and each of thank foreach of these blessings and freedoms that you enjoy – that you may be able to defend these freedoms... Please, not to forget to pray a little for me.
Updated
The pope reiterates his critique of the “technocratic paradigm”, advanced in Laudato Si. The globalization of such a paradigm leads to a superficial unity, he says:
We live in a world subject to the “globalization of the technocratic paradigm”, which consciously aims at a one-dimensional uniformity and seeks to eliminate all differences and traditions in a superficial quest for unity. The religions thus have the right and the duty to make clear that it is possible to build a society where “a healthy pluralism which respects differences and values them as such” is a “precious ally in the commitment to defending human dignity … and a path to peace in our troubled world” .
The Quakers who founded Philadelphia were inspired by a profound evangelical sense of the dignity of each individual and the ideal of a community united by brotherly love. This conviction led them to found a colony which would be a haven of religious freedom and tolerance. That sense of fraternal concern for the dignity of all, especially the weak and the vulnerable, became an essential part of the American spirit.
During his visit to the United States in 1987, Saint John Paul II paid moving homage to this, reminding all Americans that: “The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones”.
I take this opportunity to thank all those, of whatever religion, who have sought to serve the God of peace by building cities of brotherly love, by caring for our neighbors in need, by defending the dignity of God’s gift of life in all its stages, by defending the cause of the poor and the immigrant. All too often, those most in need of our help are unable to be heard. You are their voice, and many of you have faithfully made their cry heard. In this witness, which frequently encounters powerful resistance, you remind American democracy of the ideals for which it was founded, and that society is weakened whenever and wherever injustice prevails.
Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh positions Pope Francis’s speech against President Obama:
Francis now responds to Obama's very narrow definition of religious liberty as worship/belief, rescuing the full breadth of its meaning.
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) September 26, 2015
Religious freedom means not being reduced to a mere subculture:
Our religious traditions remind us that, as human beings, we are called to acknowledge an Other, who reveals our relational identity in the face of every effort to impose “a uniformity to which the egotism of the powerful, the conformism of the weak, or the ideology of the utopian would seek to impose on us” [Here the pope quotes the French Jesuit Michael de Certeau, author of The Practice of Everyday Life].
In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom, or try to reduce it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the various religions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and rights of others.
The pope is speaking from the same lectern used by Abraham Lincoln to give the Gettysburg address. Francis is very aware of the symbolism of these kinds of events.
Now the pope turns to religious freedom:
In this place which is symbolic of the American model, I would like to reflect with you on the right to religious freedom. It is a fundamental right which shapes the way we interact socially and personally with our neighbors whose religious views differ from our own.
Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families. Our various religious traditions serve society primarily by the message they proclaim. They call individuals and communities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and happiness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of every claim to absolute power.
We need but look at history, especially the history of the last century, to see the atrocities perpetrated by systems which claimed to build one or another “earthly paradise” by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights.
Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and direction, “they have an enduring power to open new horizons, to stimulate thought, to expand the mind and heart”. They call to conversion, reconciliation, concern for the future of society, self-sacrifice in the service of the common good, and compassion for those in need. At the heart of their spiritual mission is the proclamation of the truth and dignity of the human person and human rights.
Updated
Pope says religious freedom under threat from 'forms of modern tyranny'
The pope begins his homily: “One of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before Independence Mall, the birthplace of the United States of America. It was here that the freedoms which define this country were first proclaimed.”
The Declaration of Independence stated that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that governments exist to protect and defend those rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today, even as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight for the freedom to live in accordance with their dignity. But history also shows that these or any truths must constantly be reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended.
The history of this nation is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our own day, to embody those lofty principles in social and political life. We remember the great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive waves of new Americans. This shows that, when a country is determined to remain true to its founding principles, based on respect for human dignity, it is strengthened and renewed.
All of us benefit from remembering our past. A people which remembers does not repeat past errors; instead, it looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and the future. Remembrance saves a people’s soul from whatever or whoever would attempt to dominate it or use it for their interests. When individuals and communities are guaranteed the effective exercise of their rights, they are not only free to realize their potential, they also contribute to the welfare and enrichment of society.
Archbishop Chaput: no one ethnic group owns America
Very strong words from Archbishop Chaput to introduce the pope:
This is a nation that no single ethnic group or privileged economic class owns. It’s a country where a person who comes from nowhere can make a difference. It’s a nation where a man who didn’t know his own birthday [founding father Alexander Hamilton] … can take part in the birth of a new order.
When the church defends its teachings on abortion and sexuality, Chaput says, it’s seen as “too harsh”.
But when it defends immigrant workers against deportation and calls for leniency towards immigrants it’s called “too soft”, he said.
And yet the church is neither of these things. Pope John XXIII describes the church as the mother and teacher of humanity. A mother who understands and loves the whole human person, from conception to natural death, always, consistently, and everywhere.
The pope is introduced to the crowd and the well-known Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland booms, accompanied by huge timpani and gongs. Francis stands pensively, in thought.
Pope Francis blesses a cross presented to him by Hispanic immigrants. The cross will be used by migrant groups as part of a series of reflections in coming years. It symbolizes the faith journey of Hispanic migrants in the US in recent decades.
.@Pontifex getting gifts from little kids. How sweet! #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/2jFO448Yd8
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) September 26, 2015
The pope joked that the little girl and the doll shared a resemblance: “Is this you?”
Updated
Delighted Hispanic family watching Pope arrive. Their sign says: "we are all children of immigrants" #PopeinPhilly pic.twitter.com/3hGwVRqG8x
— Austen Ivereigh (@austeni) September 26, 2015
Pope Francis drops a smooch on the head of a tiny baby.
In the back of the popemobile with Francis is Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia.
Another enormous crowd cheers for the pontiff.
This crowd is incredible! #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/71b9rZ4xln
— Johanna Rojas (@johannareds) September 26, 2015
An estimated 45,000 people are here to meet the pope. Around a million are expected for tomorrow’s mass.
Updated
Motorbike cops flying Vatican flags drive through Philly to clear the way for the pope.
And here he comes, greeting the crowds and kissing babies who are passed up to him.
Independence Hall is eagerly awaiting Pope Francis’s arrival. There is probably no better location to deliver a speech on religious freedom. John F Kennedy spoke at the hall in 1962, as did Nelson Mandela. Abraham Lincoln stopped there on the way to his inauguration, and the Gettysburg address was delivered only a few miles away.
People waiting for #PopeInPhilly at Independence Hall pic.twitter.com/5xzcvIQxHr
— Ines San Martin (@inesanma) September 26, 2015
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From my colleague Angela Bruno:
“AMOR,” a Spanish-language version of the famous Robert Indiana “LOVE” sculpture has been installed in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum. The “AMOR” sculpture, created in 1998, is on loan to Philadelphia. It has been placed about a mile across from the original “LOVE” sculpture on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the pope will conduct mass on Sunday. The “AMOR” sculpture will be on view for several months.
More papal food ...
Holy Antipasto!!! #bestmozzarellaever #popeinphilly #popefrancis #bestofphilly #popemozzarella pic.twitter.com/WeMnq5ClNo
— Pastificio (@PastificioDeli) September 26, 2015
Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan is the pope’s warm-up act at the World Meeting of Families this evening. He refers to himself as a “practicing Catholic who needs the practice”, and his faith is part of his act:
He spoke to NPR about how his faith influences his stand-up comedy a few days ago:
I think stand-up comedy is this kind of indulgence and narcissism ... Because stand-up comedy is one of the few meritocracies in the entertainment industry, there’s some kind of, at least for me, some kind of idea of control.
And my faith kind of keeps me in touch with the idea that I’m not in control of things. When I’m in touch with the idea that there is a higher power and there [are] other factors at work, it kind of quells my narcissism, and a lot of the teachings really kind of keep me grounded.
If Pope Francis eats a cheesesteak Philadelphia is going to go absolutely wild:
If the Pope can't order a cheesesteak properly, does he get sent to the back of the line like everyone else? #PopeInPhilly
— Sean McGowan (@jersey2bronx) September 26, 2015
Pope Francis needs to do a cheesesteak taste test. Gotta settle the Pat's vs Geno's debate once and for all.
— Mer (@Mere_Betch19) September 26, 2015
Did not order his cheesesteak wit whiz or something? https://t.co/1WRA8pnb5a
— Adam Steigerwald (@apsteig) September 26, 2015
Alan Yuhas is in Philly and spoke to lay Catholics who attended Francis’s mass at the Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul:
The Catholics in the pews for Francis’s morning mass in Philadelphia said that his presence and sincerity electrified them, even as his words left them hoping for different things from his leadership.
“Of course it was incredible,” said Kevin Kelly, a Catholic who also was in the pews for Pope John Paul II’s visit to the city in 1979. “Frankly this was even more immense.”
Kelly said he felt Pope Francis was guiding the church back to “that really ‘small-c catholicity’, that we’re all one unified group of folks in the world, and have to learn to live together.”
He added though that he was glad that Pope Francis had not changed church doctrine, and said that if something should change, “maybe it should change the discipline, in terms of greater inclusion of women”.
Margaret Carponi, with her children Andrew and Catherine Gardner, students at Cardinal O’Hara High School, said that she hoped the pope could revive the Catholic school system in the US, particularly in the Philadelphia area.
The Carponis’ parish in Swarthmore, Notre Dame de Lourdes, closed last year ago as part of the diocese’s continuing cuts on schools and parishes around the region. The family brought the pope a letter appealing for his help to save the parish.
“When a parish closes, people are so bitter when they leave,” she said. “They have to find a better way to do it. We’re trying to stay on.”
The Reece family, from Parksburg, Pennsylvania, could hardly contain themselves – they only obtained tickets to the event yesterday, after Kathy Reece, 61, was told by her pastor that tickets were sold out and then got a last minute message that a handful remained.
Her husband, Jack, said that the sudden scramble to get into Philadelphia was worth it, and that he liked the pope’s personal appeal: “I liked when he said ‘what about you?’”
Updated
Summary
G’day everyone, Adam Brereton back on the Guardian PopeBlog this afternoon. Thanks to Jessica Glenza for keeping the faith this morning.
Pope Francis is in Philadelphia; this morning he said mass for clergy and seminarians, and praised the contributions of women to the Catholic church. He called for the church to continue to break down walls, alluding to turbulent moments in Philly’s religious past.
Immigration and America’s Hispanic community will be on the agenda later today, once again. He’ll also hold a prayer vigil at the Independence Mall and address the World Meeting of Families this evening. Lots happening.
Right now there’s nothing on the official agenda. It’s rumored that he might be meeting with victims of child sexual abuse; Philadelphia has been one of the epicenters of the US crisis.
But Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi had this to say:
Lombardi: meetings between victims & popes are never announced in advance b/c there must be sensitivity toward those who have sufferered
— Grant Gallicho (@gallicho) September 26, 2015
In any case, stay tuned. We’ll bring you the latest if more information becomes available.
Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, also received a questions about Pope Francis’s health, gay marriage, the students who one year ago today went missing in Mexico and how he’s holding up with the “breakneck” pace of his schedule during his visit to the United States.
We’ll take those topics one-by-one, in Lombardi’s words.
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How is the pope’s health? He seemed to stumble when getting onto a plane at New York’s John F Kennedy airport this morning.
The pope has shown that he has some problem in his walking, and in particular doing stairs... He tries to cope with the situation, and he has also regular physio-therapy [sic] to help him in this situation.
- There were some reports that the pope would cross the Mexican-American border in the southwest to start his trip. Why not follow through with that plan?
The pope had reflected [on] how come to the USA, and he had also once the idea to come through the Mexican border, to fly to Mexico and then come to the USA, but this was excluded... Mexico is a huge land with – I don’t know – 170m people, the majority are Catholic. And if the pope travels to Mexico [he] cannot go one day and cross the frontier and go away. If the pope flies to Mexico – a Latin American pope who speaks spanish has to do a real visit to the Mexico.
- What is the future vision of the family for the pope? Does this include same-sex couples?
I think that the pope comes, as he has said, to encourage and to announce also the gospel of the family... This is what we have to do in particular through these words, and days of the family, through a vigil like this this evening [the Festival of Families] to demonstrate how wonderful is the life in the love in the Christian marriage.
Vatican leaders are now getting a question about the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
We have a problem with “race relations” a reporter says.
“The issue of race relations in the United States – will the pope speak about that during his time in the United States, and if he doesn’t, what does he feel about it?”
Father Federico Lombardi answered the reporter’s question:
The pope has spoken many times against all the form of violence and [for] the dignity of the person. And then in that sense, racism is obviously condemned by the church and by the pope.”
Lombardi then said everyone would need to listen to the pope’s next speech for comments on race relations in the United States. The Archbishop of Louisville Joseph E Kurtz also referred the reporter to Pope Francis’s speech before Congress.
There were four americans that he identified as living out some aspect the American dream, and I believe the first was [President] Abraham Lincoln, the second, I believe if I’m recalling it correctly, was Dr Martin Luther King Junior.”
Asked about victims of sex abuse at the hands of priests, Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi told reporters that if the pontiff chooses to address sex abuse victims here in the United States, he would do it privately.
It can’t be a “media” event, Lombardi said.
Vatican leaders are now holding a press conference in Philadelphia to speak about the Pope’s message, and his time in the United States so far.
In discussing preparations for the Holy Father’s visit to Philadelphia, Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, talked about Francis’s choice of cars (a black Fiat 500) in detail.
We know very well from the very beginning of the pontificate – the pope does not desire to use the armed car, or the armed popemobile, because he felt that these was not helping his direct communication with the people. [It] was like a barrier between him and the people.
Lombardi said the pope has also specifically asked for economy cars.
A clear intention of the pope is to use little cars, very economic[al] cars, and like the common people that are not very rich.
Lombardi said this also gives people a clear indication of where the pope is in a motorcade, because his car is so distinct from others.
We cannot give a negative judgement about the previous pope that were in the popemobile because sometimes this [got] them more chances to be seen, also in different situations.
But the choice of Pope Francis is very clear – he has chosen to have little cars, and not armored, and only to have opened cars and not the popemobile with big glasses.
Updated
Food featuring the pope’s cultural heritage or image is nearly its own genre of pope-mania in Philadelphia.
The well-known Philly cheesesteak restaurant Joe’s Steaks has rolled out a chimichurri cheesesteak. We previously mentioned Francis-inspired beer. There are cupcakes, cookies, cheeses, chocolates and pretzels inspired by the pope’s arrival.
The Pope has come early to Isgro's. Get your Pope cookies and cupcakes today! pic.twitter.com/mjOhcaDWw1
— Isgro Pastries (@isgropastries) September 8, 2015
In the streets of Philadelphia, full-blown pope-mania has taken hold.
At least one woman, Holly Benner, waited for Pope Francis’s arrival outside of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul since 7pm yesterday.
Amtrak railroad police were issued special “papal protection detail” badges.
Police tell me they have special Pope Francis badge. Here it is. #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/MckmvA8iWQ
— Deborah C. Lubov (@DeborahLubov) September 26, 2015
“Phrancis” t-shirts are for sale.
Phrancis. #PopeInPhilly #PopeinPhillies pic.twitter.com/y05yTuvAoc
— Stephanie Farr (@FarFarrAway) September 25, 2015
And everybody wants their own mitre (also known as the pope’s “hat”).
Starting Papist Cats Against Ahistoric Conceptions of Slavery. pic.twitter.com/HE9JS4srl3
— Melissa Gira Grant (@melissagira) September 26, 2015
Updated
As the pope travels to Saint Charles Borromeo seminary, it’s worth remembering his stay in New York.
Reuters reported that as the pope left Manhattan, he asked a pilot to fly over some of New York’s landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and the former immigrant processing center at nearby Ellis Island, a spontaneous deviation from the pontiff’s busy schedule.
The pope has said more than once during his trip to the United States that he is the “son of immigrants”. He was born in Argentina to Italian parents. The Latin American country received an estimated 7m largely Spanish and Italian immigrants between 1870 and 1930.
“You could see he was very, very moved,” New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said, as Reuters reported. “And he said: ‘You know, Buenos Aires was a city of immigrants too.’”
Francis has made the suffering of migrants one of the main issues of his papacy, and has mentioned it several times while in the United States.
Updated
With the end of Saturday’s mass, Pope Francis heads to the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, where he will stay while he’s in Philadelphia. The seminary is about seven miles away from the cathedral.
In preparation for not only the pope’s stay, but that of his dozens-large entourage, the seminary has been spruced up: the lawn cut, flowers planted, the steps power-washed, and the the security apparatus that has surrounded Francis’s visit to the US obliged.
The seminary also ordered a half-keg of pope-inspired Holy Wooder beer, a Belgian-style tripel, from the Philadelphia Brewing Company.
“We don’t usually do home deliveries, but we made an exception,” brewery co-owner Bill Barton told the Associated Press.
draft pick of the weekend, #PopeinPHL edition: @PhillyBrewing Holy Wooder Belgian Tripel 🙏🏽 1/2 off from 5-7 & 10-11 pic.twitter.com/YLHv35iFcX
— Tattooed Mom (@Tmoms) September 25, 2015
Updated
While those still inside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul leave Saturday’s mass, The Guardian’s Angela Bruno has given us information about an art installation outside the cathedral.
Over 40,000 prayers have been left at the Knotted Grotto in front of Philadelphia’s Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
We await arrival at beautiful #knottedgrotto #PopeinPhilly expected to bless at Cathedral #netDE pic.twitter.com/AL0TUJZUyT
— cathy rossi (@cathyrossi) September 26, 2015
Created by local artist Meg Saligman, the Knotted Grotto is a 20-by-13 foot dome made of ash and mahogany. The installation encourages those who visit the Basilica to write their prayer or personal message on a piece of the cloth, which is then tied in a knot to the fence or fishing line running along the Cathedral walls. After doing so, that person would untie a different piece of cloth left by a previous visitor, say a prayer for that unknown person, and re-tie the piece of a cloth to spot within the wooden grotto.
The Grotto was inspired by Mary, Undoer of Knots, reportedly one of Pope Francis’ favorite paintings, pictured here:
Knotted prayers to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. #knottedgrotto #wmof2015 pic.twitter.com/EnUZLJW5bT
— Holy Spirit YM (@HSCatholic_YM) September 25, 2015
“We started with the painting Mary, Undoer of Knots — knot being this symbol of struggles throughout time and all culture,” Saligman told reporters at The Columbus Dispatch. “So here, at the foot of the church, we have a place where people can come ... share their struggle.”
Knotted prayers to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. #knottedgrotto #wmof2015 pic.twitter.com/JYrnDjtWYX
— Holy Spirit YM (@HSCatholic_YM) September 25, 2015
There is hope that the installation catches the eye of Pope Francis, who has often concluded his speeches with his own personal plea, “Please don’t forget to pray for me.”
A more controversial figure celebrating mass with the pope today is former Philadelphia archbishop Justin Rigali, who retired to the diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee as a cardinal after being accused by a Philadelphia grand jury of sheltering more than a dozen priests “credibly accused” of sexual abuses, the Associated Press notes.
During his trip to the United States, the pope has said he knew that some clergy “suffered greatly” because of “having to bear the shame of some of your brothers who harmed and scandalized the church”.
He also called US priests “brave” in the face of the sex abuse scandal that has plagued the church since the 1980s, a comment that the most vocal survivors group criticized as “sad”, saying it failed to recognize the extent of the problem.
Updated
Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles J Chaput puts Philadelphia’s sentiments about the Pope’s visit aptly:
This is a city that would change its name to Francisville today... We would do that if we could do it without inconveniencing the rest of North America.”
Chaput ended by welcoming the Pope to the city of Philadelphia before ending mass.
Thank you for living in the sprit of jesus christ with such joy.”
Pedestrians have been enjoying the car-less Benjamin Franklin bridge Saturday morning, and mild fall weather.
Pedestrian traffic is light on Ben Franklin Bridge. #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/ORgdtSmn7y
— Sean M. Fitzgerald (@DJSeanMFitz) September 26, 2015
And as Pope Francis prepared the eucharist, a rainbow appeared over Benjamin Franklin Parkway where the Pope will later attend the Festival of Families.
I kid you not there was just a rainbow crossing over the parkway. #PopeInPhilly #Philly #Philadelphia #WMOF2015 pic.twitter.com/NapLCzL9xk
— Chloe Elmer (@ChloeElmer_BCCT) September 26, 2015
As Pope Francis prepares the consecration of mass, those outside the church watch mass on the roughly 30 screens that have been set up around Philadelphia.
RT @CarleyMossbrook: Watching the #PopeInPhilly at Franklin Square pic.twitter.com/XZ5dxqvX6x
— ProfB (@AntheaButler) September 26, 2015
Updated
Pope Francis ends his prepared remarks by asking parishioners to pray for him, and for the growth of the Catholic church.
Now, with gratitude for all we have received, and with confident assurance in all our needs, let us turn to Mary, our Blessed Mother. With a mother’s love, may she intercede for the growth of the Church in America in prophetic witness to the power of her Son’s Cross to bring joy, hope and strength into our world. I pray for each of you, and I ask you, please, to pray for me.
Updated
Francis praises 'immense contribution of women' to Catholic church
In what are likely to be the among the most widely analyzed comments of the day, Pope Francis tells the crowd at the cathedral that women and lay people have an “immense contribution” to make to the church.
Our challenge today is to build on those solid foundations and to foster a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility in planning for the future of our parishes and institutions. This does not mean relinquishing the spiritual authority with which we have been entrusted; rather, it means discerning and employing wisely the manifold gifts which the Spirit pours out upon the Church. In a particular way, it means valuing the immense contribution which women, lay and religious, have made and continue to make, to the life of our communities.
Updated
Pope Francis has barely deviated from his prepared text – adding only an “I ask you” to the following paragraph which continues his words about Drexel.
He sounds emotive and comfortable speaking Spanish now, in contrast to English, which some have noted he has struggled with. The Pope likes to speak off the cuff, and some believe he has felt constrained linguistically when speaking in English.
First, those words – “What about you?” – were addressed to a young person, a young woman with high ideals, and they changed her life. They made her think of the immense work that had to be done, and to realize that she was being called to do her part. How many young people in our parishes and schools have the same high ideals, generosity of spirit, and love for Christ and the Church! I ask you, do we challenge them? Do we make space for them and help them to do their part? To find ways of sharing their enthusiasm and gifts with our communities, above all in works of mercy and concern for others? Do we share our own joy and enthusiasm in serving the Lord?
Updated
Pope Francis is now speaking about Saint Katharine Drexel, a Philadelphian who spent her life serving the poor.
Most of you know the story of Saint Katharine Drexel, one of the great saints raised up by this local Church. When she spoke to Pope Leo XIII of the needs of the missions, the Pope – he was a very wise Pope! – asked her pointedly: “What about you? What are you going to do?” Those words changed Katharine’s life, because they reminded her that, in the end, every Christian man and woman, by virtue of baptism, has received a mission. Each one of us has to respond, as best we can, to the Lord’s call to build up his Body, the Church.
Updated
Pope Francis has begin his speech to the Cathedral Basilica in Spanish. We’ll provide translations here.
This morning I learned something about the history of this beautiful Cathedral: the story behind its high walls and windows. I would like to think, though, that the history of the Church in this city and state is really a story not about building walls, but about breaking them down. It is a story about generation after generation of committed Catholics going out to the peripheries, and building communities of worship, education, charity and service to the larger society.
Updated
While we wait for Pope Francis to address the crowd inside the Cathedral Basilica, it’s worth noting we expect today’s mass to be delivered in both Spanish and English.
We’ve already heard a short reading from the Book of Genesis in Spanish.
The procession beginning mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul has just begun, as the faithful sing.
We expect Pope Francis’s speech today to focus on the cathedral and the church’s place in a changing society.
Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Philadelphia -Stream LIVE http://t.co/fVscudmGuH #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/MZkSDrkftV
— Relevant Radio (@relevantradio) September 26, 2015
From our reporter Alan Yuhas inside the Cathedral Basilica as Pope Francis prepares to give mass:
Families spanning generations, parish outings, immigrants and native pilgrims alike thronged as pope Francis arrived, and a children’s choir welcomed him up the steps as a fitting prelude to his homily about young people.
From inside the cathedral, a muffled roar of screaming and cheers could be heard when his motorcade approached. As he stepped inside, the audience of priests, politicians, handicapped people and locals burst into applause.
Updated
Here’s a look inside the Cathedral Basilica, where even clergy brought out smart phones to grab a quick photo of Pope Francis.
Smartphones out as pope enters Basilica http://t.co/2QEjwyNKGo #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/ER9FBJxHBt
— 6abc Papal News (@6abcPope) September 26, 2015
Basilica worshippers on their feet, cheer as @Pontifex enters the sanctuary. #PopeInPhilly @NewsWorksWHYY pic.twitter.com/HiUW8RYp8C
— Katie Colaneri (@KatieColaneri) September 26, 2015
As Pope Francis enters the Cathedral Basilica, Alan Yuhas gives us a sense of the security in Philadelphia and the scene outside the cathedral, as the city and faithful readied for the Pope’s visit.
On the streets of downtown Philadelphia, police lined barricades, national guardsmen in fatigues watched corners, and suited agents from the secret service and FBI stood by checkpoints at any major intersections.
Undeterred, several hundred cheery visitors had massed at the barriers by 6am, some wearing brightly colored shirts labeled by their parish, others lining up to buy Vatican flags from hawkers, and a few giving change to the homeless people who wandered near the edges.
Father Jim Berning, a priest at St John the Evangelist in central Philadelphia, paused to give one man a sandwich before turning to answer questions. He said that the pope’s appeal was in part because he had a message of mercy.
“He’s a welcoming presence for everyone,” Berning said. “He’s able to discern life, to be able to welcome people and show people how to live that message of compassion, for the poor, the handicapped.”
Outside the cordons near the city’s largest cathedral, the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, crowds mustered around 6am to greet the pope before a morning mass. Sovilda Rondon, with her family from the Dominican Republic, said she had been outside the church since 4am.
Rondon, who lives in Philadelphia, said she hopes the pope will help convince leaders to clean up the city: “He brings such joy, such happiness, such hope.”
“Of course it’s worth waiting for all night.”
Maria del Carmen Serrano, from Peoria, Illinois, could barely contain her excitement despite the early morning hour.
“Everything, everything about him is great,” she said. “His humility, his love. He recognizes the dignity of everyone. I just want to see and feel what it’s like to be near to him.”
Updated
Pope Francis has just arrived at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, and his address is scheduled to begin in less than 15 minutes. We’re watching two CatholicTV Network and ABC News.
The shouts coming from the crowd outside are incredible as the Guardian’s Alan Yuhas reports.
There is audible screaming and a muffled roar from inside the cathedral as the pope's motorcade arrives #PopeInPhilly #popeadelphia
— Alan Yuhas (@AlanYuhas) September 26, 2015
Updated
Before leaving the airport, Pope Francis stopped the driver of his Fiat to kiss a boy in a wheelchair (not a bed, as we said previously).
.@Pontifex stops car on Philly tarmac, gets out, to go greet person in wheelchair. Incredible. #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/JcPv32IZOg
— Joshua McElwee (@joshjmac) September 26, 2015
As Pope Francis drives through the city, here is a little more information about where he’ll be going during his two-day trip.
Updated
The pontiff is greeted by local politicians and business leaders, as he walks out on a red carpet at Atlantic Aviation (part of Philadelphia international airport) to the theme song from Rocky.
He just appeared to touch several people, including one young man in a hospital bed as an onlooker wept, before riding away in the papal black Fiat 500.
Pope Francis is all smiles as he greets local celebs and gets ready to climb in the Pope Fiat #PopeInPhilly pic.twitter.com/FDdnXmAAl5
— Billy Penn (@billy_penn) September 26, 2015
Updated
The Pope’s plane is wheels down in Philadelphia! He is expected to be greeted by the theme to Rocky played by the Bishop of Shanahan high school band, from Downingtown, Pennsylvania.
Pope Francis is PHINALLY IN PHILLY @Fox29philly pic.twitter.com/Or1rJym3ag
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) September 26, 2015
And as Pope Francis debarks the plane, priests at Saints Peter and Paul basilica in Philadelphia are already addressing the faithful.
Father Gill addressing the faithful in the Cathedral for #PopeinPhilly pic.twitter.com/58Lw1kMuyT
— CathedralPhila (@CathedralPhila) September 26, 2015
As Pope Francis’s flight nears Philadelphia international airport, now is a good time to remind people to send your photos and videos of the Pope’s visit. Your photos and videos could be featured on the Guardian.
You can contribute here, through Guardian Witness.
Updated
Already waiting in Center City in Philadelphia are crowd of people behind barricades, many of whom arrived there very early this morning (2:15am!).
At the airport, if you’re watching live, some of you may see images of a family of five – that’s the family of Richard and Bernadette Bowes and their three children. Richard Bowes is a retired Philadelphia police officer who was shot in the line of duty and was forced to retire when it became clear he could no longer run.
It’s unfathomable. We didn’t know what was going on. I’m just completely overwhelmed right now,” Bernadette Bowes told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “We feel very blessed, very grateful. We don’t feel like we’re worthy enough for something of this caliber.”
Updated
The Pope has left New York – but in case you were wondering what effect the pontiff’s departure has on air traffic, have a look at the line of planes here.
All planes at JFK waiting for @Pontifex to take off. #PopeInUS pic.twitter.com/A0D9hjsgZI
— Anne Thompson (@annenbcnews) September 26, 2015
Pope Francis’s plane is scheduled to depart for Philadelphia in the next few minutes – he has reportedly boarded and the plane is rolling down the runway now.
Pope Francis boarding plane for #Philadelphia #popeinphilly #Fox29Pope pic.twitter.com/8h03DbW3ST
— FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) September 26, 2015
Journalists, the faithful and what appears to be a high school band are already in position at Philadelphia international airport. We’ll try to find out more information about who is waiting for Francis’s arrival there.
For now, you can track Pope Francis’s flight with us, at FlightAware. He’ll be flying in the same American Airlines chartered Boeing 777 jet as he took to New York’s John F Kennedy airport.
Francis typically sits at the front of what is often called Shepherd One, with his entourage just behind him and journalists in coach.
Updated
Good morning, and welcome to Day Eight of Guardian US live coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia.
In the next few moments, the pope will depart from John F Kennedy airport in Queens, New York. The next stop on his three-city tour of the US is just a short hop by plane – he is expected to land within an hour, then be whisked off to the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in the heart of the city.
At around 7.30am ET, the Associated Press reported that two US marine helicopters had taken off from New York’s John F Kennedy airport to pick up Pope Francis in Manhattan. Worshippers and church officials had gathered for a brief farewell on the JFK tarmac, the AP said, including seven cloistered nuns from the Precious Blood Seminary in Brooklyn. Four of them were originally from the pope’s native Argentina.
We’ll be covering the pope’s moves all day, as he travels from the basilica to Independence Mall and then a Festival of Families prayer event on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Updated
