Xavier Celebrates Pope Francis
By Nick Byrne '11
Less than an hour after departing Philadelphia on September 27, Pope Francis concluded his six-day trip to the United States with an in-flight press conference. Overall, the Pontiff said he was struck by the piety of the American people.
Last week, the Xavier community exhibited its religious devotion and spirituality in several ways. A small number of Xavier faculty, staff, and students had the opportunity to attend the Papal Mass at Madison Square Garden on September 25, but those who didn’t had other opportunities to interact with the Pope.
Around 800 students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Xavier gym to watch the Pontiff’s historic address to Congress on September 24, while others congregated on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis as he arrived for Evening Vespers later that day. James Cappabianca ’05, Special Assistant to the President and Executive Vice President, led a group of 25 students to the steps of America's parish church.
“The real value for me was having students be a part of something so transformational,” Mr. Cappabianca said. “I think they were really impacted by being there in the presence of someone so influential.”
Inside the cathedral, Director of Development Mark Mongelluzzo and his wife, Jill, had the opportunity to attend the Vespers service.
"The service was beautiful,” Mr. Mongelluzzo said. “The highlight for me was Pope Francis' homily in which he took the opportunity to thank the religious women of the United States. 'Where would we be without you?' he noted. 'I love you very much.' That was a very important message that resonated. At the end of the service, as the Pope made his way out of the cathedral, Jill was able to reach out and touch his hand as he passed by. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We are so grateful to have been there.“
As most of the Xavier community relished the pontiff’s short visit to New York, Director of Campus Ministry Kaija DeWitt and Registrar Lindsay Willert led a group of six Xavier students to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families: Christopher Inga ’16, Andrew Perez ’16, Francesco D’Angelo ’16, James Cole ’16, Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16, and Joseph Girgenti ’18.
“I am so happy that I was able to participate in the experience,” Student Leadership Council President Justin Westbrook-Lowery ’16 said. “As a non-Catholic, I am glad that I was able to view the Pope address important issues that affect everyday Americans, like income inequality, climate change, and immigration. I was proud that I was able to meet with individuals from other Jesuit schools throughout the country and discuss systemic inequalities that persist in this country."
Christopher Inga ’16 added that the pilgrimage was the opportunity of a lifetime.
“This trip not only allowed me to be in the presence of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, but to also spend time with students from other Jesuit schools just like mine,” Inga said. “Listening to Pope Francis’ speeches opened my eyes to the many Catholic social justice issues present in our world and country today. This experience created a memory that I know will last forever. I am very grateful to Xavier for giving me this amazing experience.”