I had the amazing opportunity to travel to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia to document a group of college students on a pilgrimage to see Pope Francis.

Young Adult Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA— A group of 50 pilgrims, led by Father Andy Booms and Father Andrew LaFramboise, traveled to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia last weekend.

The pilgrims, college students from Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Delta College, departed from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish/St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, along with a group from All Saints Central and Nouvel Catholic Central high schools. They stayed at Camp Saginaw in Oxford, Pa., which was set up for pilgrims and offered Mass, entertainment and speakers from the Culture Project, an organization that encourages virtue and the dignity of the human person.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pilgrims were bussed to the Philadelphia Sports Complex to ride the subway to the festival grounds, where they were able to watch the Holy Father celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul via large screens set up along the roads. The Festival of Families throughout the afternoon included many performances from dance companies, entertainers and musicians from around the world.

Pilgrims were able to catch a glimpse of His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he paraded through the festival grounds in his popemobile, arriving at the main stage at the Eakins Oval at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The culmination of the event included six families from different continents sharing their experiences of family, punctuated by musical performances.

The pontiff then began a prepared speech, then opted to share his thoughts extemporaneously about the family in Spanish with a translator.

"The most beautiful thing that God did, the Bible says, was the family," he said.

"God's love is so overflowing that it could not be egoistic, it had to be poured out of Him," he said, explaining that this led to all of creation. "Family is really family when it is able to open its arms and receive all that love."

Sunday, the group again traveled to Philadelphia, where some pilgrims opted to visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, while others staked out a location for the Papal Mass that afternoon.

The million attendees were able to watch the Holy Father's remarks at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and were able to enjoy musical performances via the large screens and speakers set up throughout the area.

Before Mass, the pontiff again paraded in the popemobile, smiling and waving and sometimes stopping to bless or kiss individuals. During the two-hour Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, faithful from more than 100 countries joined in prayer and song.

In his homily, Pope Francis tied the love of family and the love of God.

"Faith opens a 'window' to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures," he said. "These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures."

Following Mass, the pilgrims departed Philadelphia, eagerly recounting their own personal experience seeing the Holy Father and participating in Mass with so many Catholics of different cultures.

The group returned to Bay City around 9:30 on Monday morning, thankful that each individual had the opportunity to see and encounter Pope Francis.

More videos, images, and stories are available at www.saginaw.org. If you would like to see more posts like this, please "like" the diocese's Facebook page. Young Adult Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA— A group of 50 pilgrims, led by Father Andy Booms and Father Andrew LaFramboise, traveled to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia last weekend.

The pilgrims, college students from Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Delta College, departed from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish/St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, along with a group from All Saints Central and Nouvel Catholic Central high schools. They stayed at Camp Saginaw in Oxford, Pa., which was set up for pilgrims and offered Mass, entertainment and speakers from the Culture Project, an organization that encourages virtue and the dignity of the human person.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pilgrims were bussed to the Philadelphia Sports Complex to ride the subway to the festival grounds, where they were able to watch the Holy Father celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul via large screens set up along the roads. The Festival of Families throughout the afternoon included many performances from dance companies, entertainers and musicians from around the world.

Pilgrims were able to catch a glimpse of His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he paraded through the festival grounds in his popemobile, arriving at the main stage at the Eakins Oval at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The culmination of the event included six families from different continents sharing their experiences of family, punctuated by musical performances.

The pontiff then began a prepared speech, then opted to share his thoughts extemporaneously about the family in Spanish with a translator.

"The most beautiful thing that God did, the Bible says, was the family," he said.

"God's love is so overflowing that it could not be egoistic, it had to be poured out of Him," he said, explaining that this led to all of creation. "Family is really family when it is able to open its arms and receive all that love."

Sunday, the group again traveled to Philadelphia, where some pilgrims opted to visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, while others staked out a location for the Papal Mass that afternoon.

The million attendees were able to watch the Holy Father's remarks at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and were able to enjoy musical performances via the large screens and speakers set up throughout the area.

Before Mass, the pontiff again paraded in the popemobile, smiling and waving and sometimes stopping to bless or kiss individuals. During the two-hour Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, faithful from more than 100 countries joined in prayer and song.

In his homily, Pope Francis tied the love of family and the love of God.

"Faith opens a 'window' to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures," he said. "These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures."

Following Mass, the pilgrims departed Philadelphia, eagerly recounting their own personal experience seeing the Holy Father and participating in Mass with so many Catholics of different cultures.

The group returned to Bay City around 9:30 on Monday morning, thankful that each individual had the opportunity to see and encounter Pope Francis.

More videos, images, and stories are available at www.saginaw.org. If you would like to see more posts like this, please "like" the diocese's Facebook page. Young Adult Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA— A group of 50 pilgrims, led by Father Andy Booms and Father Andrew LaFramboise, traveled to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia last weekend.

The pilgrims, college students from Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Delta College, departed from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish/St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, along with a group from All Saints Central and Nouvel Catholic Central high schools. They stayed at Camp Saginaw in Oxford, Pa., which was set up for pilgrims and offered Mass, entertainment and speakers from the Culture Project, an organization that encourages virtue and the dignity of the human person.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pilgrims were bussed to the Philadelphia Sports Complex to ride the subway to the festival grounds, where they were able to watch the Holy Father celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul via large screens set up along the roads. The Festival of Families throughout the afternoon included many performances from dance companies, entertainers and musicians from around the world.

Pilgrims were able to catch a glimpse of His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he paraded through the festival grounds in his popemobile, arriving at the main stage at the Eakins Oval at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The culmination of the event included six families from different continents sharing their experiences of family, punctuated by musical performances.

The pontiff then began a prepared speech, then opted to share his thoughts extemporaneously about the family in Spanish with a translator.

"The most beautiful thing that God did, the Bible says, was the family," he said.

"God's love is so overflowing that it could not be egoistic, it had to be poured out of Him," he said, explaining that this led to all of creation. "Family is really family when it is able to open its arms and receive all that love."

Sunday, the group again traveled to Philadelphia, where some pilgrims opted to visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, while others staked out a location for the Papal Mass that afternoon.

The million attendees were able to watch the Holy Father's remarks at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and were able to enjoy musical performances via the large screens and speakers set up throughout the area.

Before Mass, the pontiff again paraded in the popemobile, smiling and waving and sometimes stopping to bless or kiss individuals. During the two-hour Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, faithful from more than 100 countries joined in prayer and song.

In his homily, Pope Francis tied the love of family and the love of God.

"Faith opens a 'window' to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures," he said. "These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures."

Following Mass, the pilgrims departed Philadelphia, eagerly recounting their own personal experience seeing the Holy Father and participating in Mass with so many Catholics of different cultures.

The group returned to Bay City around 9:30 on Monday morning, thankful that each individual had the opportunity to see and encounter Pope Francis.

More videos, images, and stories are available at www.saginaw.org. If you would like to see more posts like this, please "like" the diocese's Facebook page. Young Adult Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA— A group of 50 pilgrims, led by Father Andy Booms and Father Andrew LaFramboise, traveled to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia last weekend.

The pilgrims, college students from Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Delta College, departed from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish/St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, along with a group from All Saints Central and Nouvel Catholic Central high schools. They stayed at Camp Saginaw in Oxford, Pa., which was set up for pilgrims and offered Mass, entertainment and speakers from the Culture Project, an organization that encourages virtue and the dignity of the human person.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pilgrims were bussed to the Philadelphia Sports Complex to ride the subway to the festival grounds, where they were able to watch the Holy Father celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul via large screens set up along the roads. The Festival of Families throughout the afternoon included many performances from dance companies, entertainers and musicians from around the world.

Pilgrims were able to catch a glimpse of His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he paraded through the festival grounds in his popemobile, arriving at the main stage at the Eakins Oval at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The culmination of the event included six families from different continents sharing their experiences of family, punctuated by musical performances.

The pontiff then began a prepared speech, then opted to share his thoughts extemporaneously about the family in Spanish with a translator.

"The most beautiful thing that God did, the Bible says, was the family," he said.

"God's love is so overflowing that it could not be egoistic, it had to be poured out of Him," he said, explaining that this led to all of creation. "Family is really family when it is able to open its arms and receive all that love."

Sunday, the group again traveled to Philadelphia, where some pilgrims opted to visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, while others staked out a location for the Papal Mass that afternoon.

The million attendees were able to watch the Holy Father's remarks at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and were able to enjoy musical performances via the large screens and speakers set up throughout the area.

Before Mass, the pontiff again paraded in the popemobile, smiling and waving and sometimes stopping to bless or kiss individuals. During the two-hour Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, faithful from more than 100 countries joined in prayer and song.

In his homily, Pope Francis tied the love of family and the love of God.

"Faith opens a 'window' to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures," he said. "These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures."

Following Mass, the pilgrims departed Philadelphia, eagerly recounting their own personal experience seeing the Holy Father and participating in Mass with so many Catholics of different cultures.

The group returned to Bay City around 9:30 on Monday morning, thankful that each individual had the opportunity to see and encounter Pope Francis.

More videos, images, and stories are available at www.saginaw.org. If you would like to see more posts like this, please "like" the diocese's Facebook page. Young Adult Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA— A group of 50 pilgrims, led by Father Andy Booms and Father Andrew LaFramboise, traveled to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia last weekend.

The pilgrims, college students from Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Delta College, departed from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish/St. Hyacinth Church in Bay City at 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, along with a group from All Saints Central and Nouvel Catholic Central high schools. They stayed at Camp Saginaw in Oxford, Pa., which was set up for pilgrims and offered Mass, entertainment and speakers from the Culture Project, an organization that encourages virtue and the dignity of the human person.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pilgrims were bussed to the Philadelphia Sports Complex to ride the subway to the festival grounds, where they were able to watch the Holy Father celebrate Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Ss. Peter and Paul via large screens set up along the roads. The Festival of Families throughout the afternoon included many performances from dance companies, entertainers and musicians from around the world.

Pilgrims were able to catch a glimpse of His Holiness, Pope Francis, as he paraded through the festival grounds in his popemobile, arriving at the main stage at the Eakins Oval at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The culmination of the event included six families from different continents sharing their experiences of family, punctuated by musical performances.

The pontiff then began a prepared speech, then opted to share his thoughts extemporaneously about the family in Spanish with a translator.

"The most beautiful thing that God did, the Bible says, was the family," he said.

"God's love is so overflowing that it could not be egoistic, it had to be poured out of Him," he said, explaining that this led to all of creation. "Family is really family when it is able to open its arms and receive all that love."

Sunday, the group again traveled to Philadelphia, where some pilgrims opted to visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, while others staked out a location for the Papal Mass that afternoon.

The million attendees were able to watch the Holy Father's remarks at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and were able to enjoy musical performances via the large screens and speakers set up throughout the area.

Before Mass, the pontiff again paraded in the popemobile, smiling and waving and sometimes stopping to bless or kiss individuals. During the two-hour Solemn Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, faithful from more than 100 countries joined in prayer and song.

In his homily, Pope Francis tied the love of family and the love of God.

"Faith opens a 'window' to the presence and working of the Spirit. It shows us that, like happiness, holiness is always tied to little gestures," he said. "These little gestures are those we learn at home, in the family; they get lost amid all the other things we do, yet they do make each day different. They are the quiet things done by mothers and grandmothers, by fathers and grandfathers, by children. They are little signs of tenderness, affection and compassion. Like the warm supper we look forward to at night, the early lunch awaiting someone who gets up early to go to work. Homely gestures."

Following Mass, the pilgrims departed Philadelphia, eagerly recounting their own personal experience seeing the Holy Father and participating in Mass with so many Catholics of different cultures.

The group returned to Bay City around 9:30 on Monday morning, thankful that each individual had the opportunity to see and encounter Pope Francis.

More videos, images, and stories are available at www.saginaw.org. If you would like to see more posts like this, please "like" the diocese's Facebook page.