The Pope in Philly, By Patty Janiak

My husband, Joe, and I traveled with a group led by Sister Bernarde Entress, a Mercy Sister, to Philadelphia to see our wonderful Pope Francis. We started in the morning about 9:00 AM on Friday September 25th. We departed from Irondequoit with over 40others lead by Sister Bernarde on a Covered Wagon motor coach bus. The bus made it to Binghamton then overheated so we had to change buses. We waited about 45 minutes for the new bus from Hornell. We finally arrived in Allentown, PA., that evening, where we stayed for the night at a Holiday Inn.

Sports Complex

Bright and early Saturday, about 8:30AM, we motor coached into Philadelphia. We traveled on route 76 which was completely shut down near Philadelphia except for bus traffic. We were the only ones on the road. It was very strange as this is a major road into Philadelphia. Only buses with special signs were allowed on Route 76 as the state police and local police blocked all entrances and exits. We arrived at the Philadelphia Sports Complex. Later, several hundred buses would fill the parking lot. Then we had to take a fifteen minute ride from the Sports Complex on the SEPTA subway train into the center of the city.

Security Checkpoint

All the streets in the center of Philadelphia where closed to regular traffic. Only police, dignitary buses, and ambulances were allowed. We proceeded on foot about five blocks to a security checkpoint. Security was much more stringent than at our local airport. They checked each bag by hand. Bags were limited to a small size, had bomb sniffing dogs checking peoples folding chairs, and us. Metal detectors along with hand metal detecting wands were used on everyone. We were lucky it only took about an hour to clear security. I heard that people arriving later that day waited three hours to clear security check points. 

Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in obtaining special tickets to Pope Francis’s speech on Saturday or the Mass on Sunday in Benjamin Franklin Parkway, as they were distributed online in about two minutes. Tickets to the events were available on line at specific times and dates but were distributed in a few minutes.  We heard 10,000 tickets were available for each event but we suspected they went to the local Philadelphia parishes.

Our location waiting for Pope Francis

We positioned our group near Philadelphia City Hall about noon on Saturday where there were numerous vendors for food plus portable toilet facilities to handle the large crowds.  Pope Francis was supposed to parade by City Hall in his Pope mobile around 4PM. It turned out to be about 7:15PM, after his speech at Independence Hall.

 Pope Francis driving by City Hall in his Pope Mobile blessing us. 

After the Pope Francis drove by, we positioned our group in front of a Jumbotron near City Hall to watch the entertainment provided for the Pope and the crowds. We left City Center to return to our bus around 8:30PM and arrived back in Allen Town at 11:00PM.

Sunday Mass at a Jumbotron

The next day Sunday, we tried to repeat what we did the day before but security was backed up over three blocks. Several hundred additional motor coaches were arriving from all over the United States for Pope Francis’s final Mass. The best we could do was to position our group in front of a Jumbotron outside the security area. We were at JFK Blvd. and 16^th street. The streets were packed with people watching the Mass on the Jumbotrons. Pope Francis’s Mass was Beautiful and Inspiring.

After Mass, it took us about three hours to return to our motor coach even with the SEPTA trains running non stop as the crowds were like New Year’s Eve in Times Square. We finally left Philadelphia around 9PM on Sunday and arrived home Monday morning around 3:45AM.

Sister Bernarde Entress after Mass on Sunday at JFK and 16th street- Sept 27

Sister Bernarde is wonderful and did a wonderful job planning and organizing this pilgrimage.

 It was a Wonderful Once in a Lifetime Experience!

A Moving Experience, By Sue Staropoli

Sun rise on the Capitol lawn  (Left to right: Nancy Richardson, Penn Yan; Mary Moore, Rochester; Nancy Marchetti, Rochester; Sue Staropoli, Rochester; Penny Gardner, Honeoye; Linda Hanna, Rochester)

The highlight, no doubt, was being with so many passionate and committed people of all faiths, connecting in our common vision of life and our oneness, beyond differences!

It was very similar to the power and beauty of the Interfaith service here in Rochester on 9/21!  And the energy and joy of many groups coming together in NYC for the People’s Climate March last fall.  So many beautiful expressions of the same core message – i.e. that we are one and it’s up to us to create a new future!  The focus – Moral Action for Climate Justice - bound us together, in passion and joy, in this work!

Leaving Rochester in a van at 5:15 on Wednesday, it was a joy to share the experience with 5 other committed and fun women!  Laughter and meaningful conversations filled the van all the way to DC.  I’m so grateful to Linda Hanna who did all the driving and arranged our travel plans!

When we arrived we went to a beautiful service at a UU Church – and then marched 3 miles with about 100 people to a park where we witnessed the end (breaking the fast) of the Yom Kippur service that had been celebrating there, before the interfaith vigil began.

What a moving experience it was to sit on the grass with a couple hundred people from about 7:30-12:30 p.m.– listening to eloquent and moving words, music and poetry of all traditions – from such a diversity of faiths, ages, races, etc.  It was magical as I rested in the experience with the moon overhead, the lit capitol in view, and enjoying the balmy night! And then 3 of us stayed on the grass with about 20 others overnight, as a vigil for the Pope’s message the next day.  It was a bit uncomfortable (and chilly- but not too cold), but it was just where I wanted to be!  Every time I woke up to walk to the portapot (that’s part of getting older!) – I felt hugely grateful, savored the experience and said a prayer for the Pope and his/our mission.

We were up at 5 a.m. and had a choice – do we stay with the rally (from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the mall) or go to use the tickets we had from Louise Slaughter’s office to go see the Pope on the West lawn of the capitol.  We had agreed to meet the others at 6 a.m. by the capitol, so that’s what we did.  We were among many thousands on the lawn, waiting from 6 a.m. until the Pope arrived at 10 to give his speech to Congress (which we watched on large screens) and then come out to greet the crowd about 11.  We did get to see him, from a distance, on the balcony of the capitol. 

After he left we made our way back to the mall where we joined the Moral Action for Climate Justice rally.   That was where I had an enlightening moment – feeling…..”These (committed, passionate folks!) are my people!!!”  I felt so much at home!!  I had been with thousands on the lawn but didn’t feel the connection or sense of purpose that I felt with a much smaller number on the mall.  We listened to speakers from many different perspectives and organizations – and listened to passionate and fun music!  That was the group I resonated with!! Lesson learned  - next time I’d make a different choice.  Waiting 4 hours on the lawn to see the pope didn’t have the energy or focus or shared purpose of the rally!

But I was so grateful to be there and part of the collective voices being raised with Pope Francis for justice, peace and sustainability!  I realized clearly that I had not gone to DC “ to see the Pope.”   I had gone to be part of a collective voice to our legislators – that many people (their constituents) want them to hear the Pope’s message about climate justice and take action!

I’m so grateful to be part of the huge movement that is growing throughout this country and the world!  Our hope really is in the fact that it is UP TO US!  We ARE in the midst of the Great Turning!  And Pope Francis – and so many others! – is leading the way!  The words of his Encyclical really challenge us all – but gives us vision and hope as we engage in action!

We are paving the way now for the Climate Summit in Paris in December.  We hope many others will join us in contacting our legislators to support significant US action to reduce carbon emissions and other steps to address global climate change.  We are the greatest users of carbon, and need to help developing countries who are being painfully affected by climate change but have done little to cause it! 

 As Pope Francis says, this really is a social justice and moral issue.  The growing movement (led by 350.org and Avaaz) is planning marches and rallies all over the world the weekend before the Paris talks (Nov 28-29).  Please plan to participate!