The following piece by Arthur C. Brooks (*) was published in The New York Times opinion page. It is a strong view on Francis's visit significance for US Catholicism.
Pope Francis left Philadelphia and is headed back to Rome on Sunday night, bringing his historic trip to the U.S. and Cuba to a close. The pope's airport farewell included appearances from Vice President Joe Biden, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, as well as a performance by a high school band.
Pope Francis has celebrated a large open-air Mass in Philadelphia, ending his six-day visit to the US. He appealed for unity and family love, as thousands of people gathered at the city's Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Earlier, the pontiff prayed with a group of victims of child sexual abuse, saying God weeps for their suffering.
Francis was greeted by tens of thousands of people as he drove through New York City’s Central Park on Friday, a processional that marked his biggest public event in the city. An ear-piercing roar rose from the crowd as his open-sided pope-mobile made its way slowly through the park.
Vatican spokesman says that after a whirlwind day in New York City, Pope Francis is clearly tired and has some aches and pains, since he's been missing out on his physiotherapy while on the road.
Pope Francis kicked off his second United States stop in New York City with a Thursday evening prayer at St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of the United States best-known churches. Thousands of people lined up along Fifth Avenue to greet him with cheers as he made his way in his open-sided popemobile to the center of one of the US largest Roman Catholic archdioceses.
The past, the promise and the potential of the United States must not be smothered by bickering and even hatred at a time when the U.S. people and indeed the world need a helping hand, Pope Francis told the U.S. Congress on Thursday.
Pope Francis on his first full day in the United States addressed several controversial issues when delivering two big speeches that referred to climate change, religious liberty, immigration, and abortion.
Pope Francis on Tuesday afternoon touched down at Joint Base Andrews to begin a historic six-day, three-city visit that will have political, diplomatic and spiritual ramifications. Breaking from the usual protocol for a state visit, President Obama and Vice President Biden chose to greet the papal plane before Francis departed in a hatchback Fiat to begin his tightly scheduled, carefully choreographed and highly anticipated visit.
Pope Francis has celebrated mass in front of thousands of people in the eastern Cuban city of Holguin. During his homily, he paid tribute to the efforts and sacrifices the Roman Catholic Church has made in Cuba.