Pope Francis thrilled thousands of onlookers as he drove up to the canonization Mass in his popemobile.
Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic
Sister Linda Thiel, OP, never imagined she would win a contest for a ticket to see the pope’s Canonization Mass at the Catholic University of America during his historic visit to Washington, D.C. A graduate of Catholic University, her alumni association held a contest and Sister Thiel won.
“I found out about three weeks ago I won a ticket for the Mass and was absolutely shocked! But I almost didn’t come because I teach college and was worried about being gone too long. But then I thought: this is an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can’t miss this. I think I can find someone to cover my classes,” she said with a chuckle.
A Dominican Sister from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sister Linda said she is drawn to Pope Francis’ charismatic spirit and generous heart.
“The pope is a man of ultimate compassion and love,” she said. “I feel so blessed to be here today.”
Pope Francis celebrated Mass with a crowd of approximately 25,000 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception located at Catholic University. During the outdoor Mass, he canonized St. Junipero Serra.
Father Serra was an 18th-century missionary who spread Catholicism to California. Serra dedicated 15 years of his life to evangelical work, founding nine missions in northern California. The cause for his beatification began in 1934 and the process ended in 1949. Pope John Paul II beatified Serra in 1988, which led to his canonization last week in Washington.
The canonization, the first canonization ceremony held on U.S. soil, was seen as a significant milestone in modern history.
Crowds began arriving at the university early that morning, for the Mass that was scheduled to begin at 4:15 p.m. At 1 p.m., the line for a mandatory security check snaked around several parking lots and between several buildings. Law enforcement, including Vatican security, Secret Service and the ATF could be seen throughout campus.
Pope Francis celebrated the canonization Mass for St. Junipero Serra at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Rebecca Esparza for South Texas Catholic
At 4 p.m., one of the large screens near the altar showed the pope preparing to enter the grounds in his popemobile and the cries from his faithful were electric. His security detail walked alongside his vehicle, as he warmly greeted the faithful, some who had been waiting for hours in the hot sun for just a glimpse of the pontiff.
At one point, he passed by the crowd at the very back of the venue and quite unexpectedly, asked his security detail to turn around and drive past again, igniting the crowd into hysterics, as they realized they would see him up close once again.
The pope made his way into the Basilica, where the church was filled with seminarians and other guests. Shortly after the procession to the outdoor altar, Mass began in the Pope’s native Spanish, with readings in different languages.
The canonization portion of the Mass included the Litany of the Saints and presentation of the relics from Father Serra, as well as the pope’s proclamation that Father Serra was now officially a saint.
During his homily, Pope Francis told the faithful to be agents of joy.
“We ought to ask ourselves, what can we do to keep our heart from growing numb, becoming anesthetized? How do we make the joy of the Gospel increase and take deeper root in our lives?”
“Jesus is the answer,” he said. “He said to his disciples then and says it to us now: Go forth! Proclaim! The joy of the Gospel is something to be experienced, something to be known and lived only through giving it away, through giving ourselves away.”
Rebecca Solloa, executive director of Catholic Social Services in Laredo was at the Canonization Mass. Being with the pope, she said, revived her spirit. She and co-worker Edith Cedillo also attended the pope’s ceremony at the White House and his address to Congress.
“Back home we help people get out of poverty, so hearing his words of compassion for those who live in poverty everyday validates my work, especially as the leader of the organization. His words were powerful and it was a privilege to be here,” Solloa said.
Cedillo, an immigration specialist in Laredo, said for her, the experience was life changing.
“My heart is overwhelmed. Hearing him encouraging Americans to be more welcoming to immigrants was a highlight for me. Like he said: ‘We have all been foreigners before,’” she said. “I hope his words will encourage more immigrants to come to us for assistance with their immigration issues.”
Cedillo is certain the pope’s visit has affected non-Catholics, as well.
“One of our cab drivers in Washington was overjoyed that we were so excited after seeing the pope. Maybe this will affect how we treat each other. I think positivity can be contagious. It would be nice to see us all at peace with each other,” she said.