It started with Mass in the lower church of St. John the Evangelist Church a few blocks from our hotel. As happened with our archdiocesan Mass yesterday, word got out to the crowds of Catholics in Philadelphia that Mass was being celebrated and so many other visitors worshiped with us.
Afterwards we walked about 40 minutes to Benjamin Franklin Parkway along many deserted streets, blocked from all vehicular traffic and after we got through a tight security checkpoint. When we arrived around 10:30, there weren't a lot of other people around, but the flow of people into the area was steady so that, by the end of the afternoon, the crowds were three or four deep along the barriers by the street.
Security was tight. Pennsylvania state troopers stood about 50 feet apart all up and down the parkway. Secret Service agents made their way through at times. We saw policemen in cars and on motorcycles, bicycles and horses. There were also agents from Homeland Security. And the security agent who looked through my backpack at the checkpoint said he was from Seattle.
Although many people's legs got tired through the day and some of the little kids understandably got impatient at times, we had a good time sharing time with each other, seeing various entertainers on a jumbotron screen, hearing powerful witnesses about family life and, around 7:30, seeing Pope Francis come by our area in a popemobile.
Later, as some of us were leaving for the hotel around 9:15, we got to hear a powerful speech by Pope Francis about family life.
We were all a bit tired in body but uplifted in spirit when we arrived back at the hotel a little after 10:00. A long day, but a day lengthened in blessings.
Tomorrow will see us out by the Benjamin Franklin Parkway again, this time for Mass with Pope Francis and probably more than 1 million other Catholics at 4 p.m.
Thanks for the commentary.
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