Paul Stage
On Friday, September 25, SXU students and staff traveled to Pennsylvania for a chance to see Pope Francis. The trip was called “Pope-A-Palooza” and was attended by 11 students and four group leaders from Campus Ministry.
The group was also accompanied by CBS Chicago reporter, Vince Gerasole, who interviewed students throughout the trip.
The first groups set off on their road trip after saying a prayer outside the Mercy Ministry Center at six in the morning, and the second group left at 11:00am. Students returned to the Mercy Ministry Center on the night of Monday, September 28.
The spots for the Pope-A-Palooza trip were quickly filled by students who were eager to get a chance to see the pope on his historic trip to the United States.
Before the Pope-A-Palooza trip, students and group leaders had a preparation meeting in order to discuss why they were excited to see the pope.
For many students, the trip was an opportunity to explore and revitalize their Catholic identity. However, not all members of the SXU group were religious Catholics, including a Muslim student and students who consider themselves to be spiritual but not religious.
“I chose to see the Pope because I am reaching a point in my life where I am rediscovering my faith and I think that this is one of the best opportunities for me to explore my new faith!” said SXU senior Elementary Education major, Joseph Williams.
The Pope’s six-day trip to the United States, which began when he arrived in D.C. on Tuesday, September 22, marked his first visit to the country. For many Americans, including members of the SXU community, the Pope’s trip provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the religious leader in person.
“This is actually an experience that I never thought I would get. The pope doesn’t come to the United States very often, this pope has never been to the United States in his entire life and he probably won’t come back again. So, to get the opportunity to bring a group of students and experience the joy that he brings to faith is uplifting to say the least,” said Paul Stage, Director of the Office of Campus Ministry.
The main event of the trip was the Pope’s Sunday Mass in Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. The mass was Pope Francis’ last public event in the United States and attracted nearly a million visitors.
“We are viewing the mass that he (Pope Francis) holds and we have been advertising the event since we found out about it! It’s a great opportunity for anyone to take part in the Catholic faith and even other religions to learn about our faith,” said Williams.
The cost of the trip for students was $55, a low price that was made possible thanks to different departments of Saint Xavier University, as well as other donors who subsidized the trip. Transportation to and from Philadelphia, transportation within the city, lodgings, and two meals were all included in the cost of the trip.
The group was hosted by Gwynedd Mercy University, Saint Xavier’s sister school in Pennsylvania. Several other Mercy-sponsored universities participated in Pope-A-Palooza including Carlow University and Georgian Court University.
SXU students and staff were provided with “Pope-A-Palooza” room keys to dorm rooms that were decorated with illustrated cutouts of the pope. Besides attending the Sunday Mass in Philadelphia, students also participated in other events that highlighted the values and traditions of the Sisters of Mercy.
The students of Gwynedd had prepared for three months to develop the Pope-A-Palooza program for the participants. On Saturday, students participated in a discussion entitled “Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy: Earth, Immigration, Women, Nonviolence, Racism” which focused on tying the Pope’s message into the mission of Mercy universities.
Students also watched Pope Francis’ address to the United Nations and had group discussions where they shared their thoughts about the address.
They also had the opportunity to learn about advocacy issues from Project HOME, a Mercy-founded, non-profit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness and poverty in Philadelphia.
The Pope-A-Palooza experience was a part of SXU’s Mercy Week Celebration, a week that celebrates the University’s Catholic identity and Mercy heritage.
The trip was not the only SXU event of the week that focused on the Pope’s historic visit; On Friday, September 25, about a dozen students gathered in the McDonough Chapel to watch the Pope’s address to the United Nations.
Stage believes that Pope Francis and the Pope-A-Palooza trip have the power to impact the whole Saint Xavier community.
“I do think that he (Pope Francis) has the power to light people on fire for their love of God, to really spark faith in people. I am ecstatic we get to share that experience with students. We do hope to bring some of that back to campus,” said Stage.
Yasmeen Abdellatif
News Editor