As the world comes here, celebrating Phila., too
Pope Francis is coming, and the people of Philly are fleeing. Or so the narrative went.
Pope Francis is coming, and the people of Philly are fleeing. Or so the narrative went.
Maybe the Eagles put everyone in a sour mood. But we need not be Debbie Downers.
"The whole world will be coming to our town," Maurice, an Uber driver, said to me the other day. "The Parkway is one of the best spots in America. The flags of the world are already there. It was made for an event like this."
And the Philly church, ripe for renewal, was in need of an event like this. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has labored hard to rebuild the church out of its former decadent decay. Before Francis made humility cool, Chaput got rid of the traditional archbishop's car and driver and sold the multimillion-dollar cardinal's mansion.
Chaput and Francis, in their authentic simplicity and what you could call a joyful boldness, have inspired my friends and me to break out of our comfort zone.
Under the pretext of preparing for the pope, we began seeking out other Catholics in their 20s and 30s throughout the city. In just a few months, we've discovered that, despite the broader problems for the Church in Philly, there are thriving pockets of innovative, energetic young Catholics, all trying to understand and live their faith amid the ups and downs of big-city life. We held a pre-pope concert in June at Con Murphy's on the Parkway, and the place was packed with people who had crossed Philly's sacrosanct parish lines.
Richele Rainosek, one of the leaders of the new young adult group at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul, a Texas transplant who was there at Con Murphy's that night said, "Moving to Philadelphia has been the greatest influence on my faith." This might shock many lifelong Philadelphians.
But I think her experience is not so uncommon. I came to Philly a few years ago, a refugee from a high life in New York and around the world, to play poker. I planned on leaving after a weekend. But I stayed, because of Philly's incredible combination of history and dynamism, class and grit, sure, but most especially because of the strong community I found. In my case this was at the young adult group at St. Francis Xavier, called the Secular Oratory. I met them at Con Murphy's. They're not holy rollers; they're real, like this city.
The pope, appearing live on ABC News recently, said his best advice for people, young ones in particular, was never to walk alone.
That's what I've loved about this city of neighborhoods. We don't walk alone here.
And on Saturday and Sunday, thousands of people of goodwill, of whatever faiths or no particular creed, planned to gather to walk together. What a chance to welcome the world, to welcome Francis, and to welcome neighbors who need not be strangers. We might be seeking different things, but ultimately we're all trying to find and live the good life, to find meaning, hold on to it.
Four friends and I wanted to find a way to be part of this moment, and to stand against the tide of negativity over the transportation and security restrictions Philly residents are experiencing. So we created a pope T-shirt. And, sure, we want to sell our product, but mostly we want to push a message to the city - a message that is a challenge to us all.
The back of our shirts says, "Peace be with yous" - what we hope will be Philly's version of the Keep Calm and Carry On logo, even in the face of all the logistical concerns.
How about we convey that message to the world - and to ourselves - this weekend?
J.P. Lindsley is a writer in Philadelphia