Local Catholics Reflect on Papal Visit

Sorry, this video is no longer available

More than a dozen people from the Fargo area have returned from a life changing trip. They were in Philadelphia to see the Pope.

“There was a sense of calm and peace in the middle of this big city that was shut down for us,” says Father Andrew Jasinski.

Father Andrew Jasinski with the Catholic Diocese of Fargo reflects on his trip to Philadelphia while showing me photos, just a day after returning from seeing the Pope.

“It was my first shot at getting in the same vicinity as a pope,” says Brad Gray.

Brad Gray, director of marriage and family life, was one of the only members of the group who was seeing a holy father for the first time.

The shut-down streets reminded him of a scene out of a movie.

“With the one stark difference being obviously in all the apocalyptic movies that we see its all grave and dire and so on. Here it was just really charged with a joy and an excitement and enthusiasm,” explains Gray.

Hundreds of thousands from more than 100 countries joined Gray to see Pope Francis.

“The thing that Pope Francis has done for me is to always constantly challenge me,” Gray says.

While Gray watched Francis from the streets of the City of Brotherly Love, Father Kurtis Gunwall, vocation director, had a different view. He and thousands of other priests were invited to be a part of the mass.

“When we got up to distribute communion, he was there so we walked 20 yards away,” says Gunwall.

He says Pope Francis’s first visit to the United States was significant because…

“He gives a loving example of the Catholic faith,” Gunwall says.

For Gunwall and the dozen others, it was a trip they will never forget.

“Would you say this trip was life changing?” I asked.

“Absolutely. Absolutely,” says Gray.

Philadelphia was the third and final stop on the Pope’s trip. He also visited Washington, D.C. and New York City.