Pope Francis’ plane takes off after 10-day visit

In wide-ranging comments by the pontiff during his flight back to Rome, he also touched on his celebrity status, raised interest in a possible groundbreaking trip to China and expressed strong backing for those who take a stand for their religious views.

On arrival to Philadelphia, Pope Francis was greeted by a large crowd during his parade on September 26 – and one little baby stole the show.

The Catholic Church leader told journalists aboard the papal plane he is not judgmental of victims or the families of molested children who struggle to forgive the abuser.

Marie Kane met the Pontiff previous year in the Vatican and told him about her abuse at the hands of a Dublin cleric.

“Anyone who wants to bring into this world a family which teaches children to be excited by every gesture aimed at overcoming evil… will encounter our gratitude and our appreciation”, the pope said. I understand her. I don’t judge someone who can’t forgive. “God is a champion in finding paths of solutions”.

Following opening prayers, the pope listened during multilingual readings from the Bible. “To forgive, you must be willing”.

He also directly acknowledged that the ugliness of the priestly cover-up of sexual abuse, in addition to the ugliness of the abuse itself.

Reports that priests had sexually abused children and bishops had covered up their actions emerged in 2002 in the United States and in other countries several years later. “God weeps”, he said on Sunday.

“I forgive him, but he does not receive that forgiveness”. His brief but historic visit caused a resurgence in the faith, Philadelphia resident Judy Kolcharno Krohn, raised in Blakely, said Saturday.

The pope made no reference to the case of Kim Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky who went to jail earlier this month for refusing to issue a license to a gay couple.

Celebrating the Catholic faith with pilgrims from all over the world and meeting people from diverse backgrounds has been a highlight for many of those who participated in the World Meeting of Families and the Papal Festivities, especially the almost 10,000 of volunteers.

“This week, I had the second opportunity in my life to be in the presence of a pope”. “What happened was a great tribulation”.

“The crimes and sins of sexual abuse on minors can not be maintained in secret for any longer”.

These were among the final words the pope spoke publicly. “Even a few bishops who covered this up, it is a awful thing”, the pope said, quoted by Vatican Radio.

The next leg of his visit saw Pope Francis in Washington, DC.