Dear Customers,

Hi, this is Lauren.

ope Francis arrived in Philadelphia yesterday morning and my aunt and I witnessed the day's events! Pope Francis spoke at several venues around Philadelphia and discussed the importance of family, religious tolerance and immigration rights. Around 7:30pm, Pope Francis finally made his appearance on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and the crowd was so excited. We were lucky enough to stand very close to the street so that we were only a few feet away from him when he drove by in his popemobile!

Today he is speaking to prisoners at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and giving mass at the Parkway in front of the Art Museum.

Some interesting facts you may not know about Pope Francis:
-Pope Francis was a club bouncer in Argentina.
-Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis chose the name Francis after St. Francis of Assisi because he was "a man of peace, a man of poverty, a man who loved and protected creation."
-Pope Francis loves J.R.R. Tolkien and has referenced The Lord of the Rings in his sermon.
-He earned a degree in Chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires.
-Pope Francis speaks seven languages.

Thanks,

Harry and Lauren Hawkes