The alarm clock awakened us at 3 AM on September 22nd. This was the start of our pilgrimage to Philadelphia. We traveled with 25 other individuals, from many walks of life, from the Winona Diocese in Minnesota. We planned to attend the World Meeting of Families, the Festival of Families and the Papal Mass.

On Sunday we traveled to the Papal Mass. When we arrived at the street leading to the security checkpoint to enter mass, and we encountered a street packed with people for 5 blocks. We met people from all over the world. We all shared the desire to celebrate the mass with the Pope. We witnessed families pushing disabled children, Zimbabwe's colorfully dressed and singing, Vietnamese with all of their children filled with joy filled spirits, elderly in motorized vehicles, large, young families from Philadelphia; stories were shared regarding our lives. Christ was so present to us all.

The mass began when we were still outside of the security checkpoint. The orchestra and choir music swelled and our desire to be thru the security check point grew. We were blessed and did make it eventually to the mass during the Creed. Ironically, if we would have stayed home we would have seen more of the Papal mass on TV than being there in person! However, those hours waiting prior to mass provided multiple encounters which shifted our gaze clearly to the face of Christ through those that journey with us. This helped remind us not to focus on the Popes "celebrity status" that was building those days in Philadelphia, but to see him as a sign pointing us to Christ.