Pope Francis arrived in the United States on Wednesday, Sept. 23, in a whirlwind trip which encompassed the major cities of the Eastern Seaboard. He alighted his plane in Washington, D.C., the first leg of his U. S. trip, following a visit to Cuba. Serving as an ambassador, he worked with the United States and Cuba to open the pathways of communication by bringing the parties to the table following a long history of division. After a stop in New York, the pope culminated his trip to the United States in Philadelphia, PA, the City of Brotherly Love.
In Washington, DC, in a historic and unprecedented event, he was the first pope to address Congress, the nation, the president and members of Congress in a call to action for the nation to use its power to heal the “open wounds” of a planet torn by hatred, greed, poverty and pollution. “Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples,” said the pope. “We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.”
On Thursday evening, Sept. 24, Pope Francis stepped foot onto New York soil and brought together leaders of our country and officials of our state, but most of all, his humble followers. In New York, he continued delivering his message at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the United Nations, the 9/11 Memorial, Madison Square Garden and all the stops in between.
As an observer, this reporter was fascinated by the joy that was evident and emanating from the people who were gathering or already waiting to get a glimpse of the leader of more than 1.2 billion Catholics. They came from all over New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, other nearby states and all over the world. Their faces glowed with excitement, pride and happiness to be a witness to this monumental and historic event. Youth groups, families, Rosary societies and an endless number of church groups, as well as individuals, made the pilgrimage to Manhattan. The youth group from Manhasset led by Maria Malaspina began its quest at 6:30 a.m., gathering at the Manhasset Rail Road station to catch the 6:50 a.m. to Penn Station so they could see the pontiff as he passed through Central Park later that afternoon.
The city was well under control with the legions of police, and the traffic through the city was light, with most commuters finding alternate means of transportation around the city. The vendors were out selling all kinds of souvenirs to commerorate the pontiff’s visit including flags, bags, T-shirts and buttons. There were volunteers from the Catholic Church wearing colorful navy T-shirts who helped direct traffic and answer questions from people looking to go to the staging area. All areas were closely guarded, with credentials and papal tickets being a requirement for entry. No wandering pedestrian could enter in the vicinity without going through several layers of security.
Downtown, Pope Francis addressed survivors of the 9/11 attack. “I feel many different emotions standing here at Ground Zero, where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of destruction. Here grief is palpable. The water we see flowing toward that empty pit reminds us of all those lives which fell prey to those who think that destruction, tearing down, is the only way to settle conflicts. It is the silent cry of those who were victims of a mindset which knows only violence, hatred and revenge. A mindset which can only cause pain, suffering, destruction and tears,” said the pope. “This place of death became a place of life, too, a place of saved lives, a hymn to the triumph of life over the prophets of destruction and death, to goodness over evil, to reconciliation and unity over hatred and division.”
His closing statement at the memorial spoke volumes: “Peace throughout this world which God has given us as the home of all and a home for all. Simply PEACE.”
Traveling with his motorcade through New York City, Pope Francis was smiling to the crowds and giving them strength to believe in themselves and in one another and to be “prophets, not of tearing down but of building up, prophets of reconciliation, prophets of peace.”
On Sunday, St. Mary’s pastor Father Bob remarked about the pontiff, saying, “He has electrified the country.”
