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10,000 Letters From Students Sent To Pope Francis Inviting Him To Philadelphia

By Pat Ciarrocchi

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --  The Vatican mailman for Pope Francis is going to be inundated.

Ten thousand letters from Catholic school students in the Archdiocese are being sent to the Pope – filled with heart-felt appeals – to visit Philadelphia next September.

The letters were on construction paper, in fancy white, be-ribboned envelopes, even with "prophetic" images of Pope Francis, signaling with a thumbs up – that it's a go.

The children are asking for a Papal visit.

Siani Colon, a Junior at Hallahan High School says this: "Papa Francisco...  it would be an amazing honor, so please think about it.. and come to the City of Brotherly Love."

Siani is among the 10,000 students offering very personal invitations to the Holy Father to come to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families, next September 23 through the 27th.

"The fact that he's the first Latino Pope is really important to me," said Siani. "I can relate to him because of my heritage…. A lot of people love him and even people who may not have been strong in their faith.. even atheists are... like "Wow".. I really like this Pope."

In May, when the President of the Pope's Council for the Family, Archbishop Vicenzo Paglia, came to Philadelphia for a site visit. He encouraged students to write to the Pope. He promised that he would become "Archbishop Mailman" and deliver the letters to Pope Francis.

Donna Crilley Farrel, the Executive Director of the World Meeting, told a news conference that the pile of letters, "10,000 mighty and strong" represent the largest batch send to Rome.

The first three letters were sent "special delivery" from Siani, and students, Emma Clift from St. Francis of Assisi in Springfield and Miles Lee, from St. Katherine Day School in Wynnefield.

On Crilley Farrell's cell phone, they saw a picture texted from the Vatican of their letters in the hands of Archbishop Paglia.

Despite comments from the Pope and others nearly confirming the Philadelphia visit, official word waits until the Spring.

Christopher Mominey, the CEO for Catholic Education said, "I know he is seriously considering it. I hope the letters will put him over the edge."

Catholic school children learned that the Papal visit and the World meeting offers them an extra bonus next September.

Mominey is closing all Catholic schools for three days, beginning September 23rd, to allow the Catholic school community to participate in the World Meeting.

A public Papal Mass would most likely happen on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, on Sunday, September 27th with the prospect of more than a million people to attend.

 

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