Pope In Philadelphia For Final Leg Of US Trip

Michael Keating, 10, was on the tarmac with his family, when the pope leaned over a barricade for a kiss on the head and a blessing.

The pope entered a black Fiat in his motorcade and it began to circle around the crowds when a gentleman in the vehicle pointed out Michael to the pope. He’s the son of Bishop Shanahan High School band teacher Chuck Keating whose band performed for the pope as he exited his plane.

Christopher Limos, a 10-year-old boy who has lived with cerebral palsy ever since a staph infection put him on life support for 14 days as an infant, was one of a group of disabled children who caught Francis’s eye as he was finishing mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Francis then grabbed the hands of Michael’s visibly emotional mother, and then shook hands with his father. The boy’s parents, sister and twin brother fought off tears and thanked the pontiff for the gesture.

Pope Francis ordered his driver to stop and so he could get out of his vehicle and bless a young boy with cerebral palsy as he arrived in Philadelphia on the final leg of his U.S. visit.

The band welcomed Pope Francis to Philadelphia with a rousing version of the “Rocky” theme song.

“It was just like awesome”, the teen said.

The arrival of the pope meant different things for everyone in attendance, but for flute players Madeline Trevelino, 14, Jessica Hagenow, 14, and Jennie McIntyre, 17, the excitement had been building over the past few months while practicing for their moment in the spotlight. “I can’t even describe it. I feel that God planned it that way”. “I couldn’t sleep – it’s just surreal”, said Gillian Porter, 14.

The blessing was a complete surprise, she said, adding that she had not even known whether she would get to see the pope when the Make a Wish Foundation got her family set of tickets.

“You always dream of maybe seeing the pope, but now the fact that he actually came over and blessed my son … it’s just unbelievable”, Keating said.