STEUBENVILLE, OH— More than 220 Franciscan University of Steubenville students along with three Franciscan TOR priests and several Franciscan TOR sisters will travel to Philadelphia for the September 27 open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Francis.
The four busloads of students will leave late Saturday evening, September 26, and arrive near dawn at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the site for Pope Francis’ final public event on his visit to the United States. Prior to the Sunday, 4:00 p.m. Mass, the Franciscan contingent will join the expected 1-2 million people who will take in live music, speakers, and a Papal Procession, all viewable from more than 40 jumbotrons set up along the parkway.
Kelly Schaffer, a senior philosophy and theology major from Whitehouse, Ohio, is one of the Franciscan students making the trip.
Schaffer says, “It will be so enriching to be able to hear the Holy Father speak to the United States specifically, and hopefully address some of the spiritual issues we as a country are facing today.”
During his visit to Philadelphia, the last leg of his six-day U.S. visit, Pope Francis will also give a speech on immigration in front of Independence Hall, attend the Festival of Families, visit the city’s largest prison, Curran-Fromhold, meet with seminarians at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, and celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.
For live streaming video and news updates on Pope Francis’ visit to North America, visit www.ewtn.com/papaltravels/america.
[rhc_upcoming_events template=’widget_upcoming_events_a.php’ number=”2″ date_format=”dddd MMMM d, yyyy” feed=”0″ showimage=’1′ words=’20’ date_compare=”>” date=”-1000000 days” order=”DSC” post_type=’events’ taxonomy=”calendar” terms=”news”]