Spiritan Campus Ministry Members, Students to See Pope in Philadelphia
A team of 35 Duquesne students will be among the first to see Pope Francis in his historic first visit to the United States later this month.
The group, which was selected by lottery, will travel to Philadelphia from Saturday, Sept. 26, to Monday, Sept. 28, to participate in activities surrounding the papal visit. They will be accompanied by Spiritan Campus Ministry staff, including the Rev. William Christy, C.S.Sp., Giovan Cuchapin, Linda Donovan and Kate Lecci.
The trip is an important one for the Duquesne students, Christy said, because not only will they have the rare opportunity to see the leader of the Catholic Church, they also will be immersed in a celebration that will embrace some of the very same global and social issues that are at the forefront of our institutional mission.
“Pope Francis has energized our youth, encouraged them to be boisterous and to live out their faith,” Christy said. “We want our students to be there in Philadelphia, hearing and embracing the pope’s message and returning with an excitement to live it every day.”
For junior Nicholas Hudak, a finance major in the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, this trip will not only mean taking part in a momentous occasion, but making time for some personal preparation and reflection, as well.
“To see the pope in the United States isn’t just exciting—it’s historic,” Hudak said. “My joy to spend time in our Holy Father’s presence cannot be expressed in words. Instead, I will spend the next weeks in silent prayer for the occasion.”
The pilgrimage to Philadelphia also provides an opportunity for Duquesne students to learn more about the various issues that the pope embraces and to help make a positive change. Pope Francis’ position on the environment draws a parallel between how citizens care for the world and the quality of life for those on the margins of society. The protection of both is directly tied to the philosophy of Duquesne founders, the Spiritans.
“Promoting the integrity of creation is inherently tied to our Catholic and Spiritan identities,” Lecci explained. “When we take for granted the divine gift of the earth and its resources, those who depend upon it most—the poor and marginalized—are directly impacted. As a community of faith-filled individuals, it is our responsibility to protect and advocate for those resources which sustain those who need them the most.”
According to Christy, the messages from the pope’s recent encyclical Laudato Si (Praise be to You) and the University’s upcoming Integrity of Creation conference are of great importance to both Duquesne’s students and to the much larger world as well. Christy said it is his hope that the group can take the energy they gain from the trip to Philadelphia and utilize it by encouraging others to support Pope Francis’ vision for protecting the environment.
“I hope that we will return from Philadelphia enlivened and ready to make a positive impact and that the trip, in conjunction with the Integrity of Creation conference, will move us as a University community to see what other steps we can take to protect our world,” Christy added.
For those unable to make the trip, Spiritan Campus Ministry will host a live stream of the Papal Mass at 3 p.m. in the Spiritan Campus Ministry Center in the Towers Living Learning Center.