Many of us in the New York metro area hope to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis when he visits in September. It won’t be easy, but we’ve rounded up every possible opportunity. And your best bet may not be in NYC at all (think Philly!).
Update (on 8/27): The pope may pass through Central Park, which would be the best way for the public to catch a glimpse of him while he is in N.Y., the New York Times reports.
9/25: The pope be doing a Multi-religious Service at the 9/11 Memorial/World Trade Center at 11:30 am. Attendance is by lottery; you are eligible for the lottery only if you are a 9/11 survivor, rescue/recovery worker, member of a victim’s family, first responder, or resident of the lower Manhattan community.
9/25: He’ll visit Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem. This will likely be closed to those with no affiliation with the school.
9/25: The Holy Father is performing 6pm Mass at Madison Square Garden. Unfortunately, this will be next to impossible to attend unless you are a member of the Archdiocese of New York. Tickets will be distributed among the parishes within the Archdiocese; the parishes will do with the tickets what they see fit. If you are a member of a Roman Catholic church in New York City, the best thing to do is ask your Priest about any ticket availability.
If you don’t mind driving a few hours, it seems to be a bit easier to get into the presence of His Holiness in Philadelphia.
9/26: He’ll visit Independence Mall at 4:45 pm. As of this writing, full details are not available, but it is known that there will be “ticketed” and “non ticketed” sections.
9/26: An Appearance at the Festival of Families at 7:30 pm. This intercultural celebration of family life around the world will be open to the public and no tickets are required. Vehicle access will be denied, so you’ll need to use public transportation to Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the heart of Philly.
9/27: He’ll appear at the World Meeting of Families Public Papal Mass at 4 pm. It will be open to the public and no tickets are required. Again, cars won’t be allowed into the area, so you’ll need to use public transportation to Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
You can check for updates to Pope Francis’ schedule at Popefrancisvisit.com.
