A visit with �grandpa�

By Angelique Ruhi-Lopez - Florida Catholic

Photography: ANGELIQUE RUHI-LOPEZ | FC

PHILADELPHIA | Dr. Santiago Cardenas traveled from Miami with his 7-year-old granddaughter, Farah Pina, to attend the papal festivities in Philadelphia Sept. 26-28.

They were among dozens of pilgrims present at the Mass Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated Sept. 25 to kick off the archdiocese’s Philadelphia pilgrimage. The Mass gathered all the pilgrims from South Florida — 17 on the official pilgrimage and dozens more who traveled separately — at St. John the Evangelist Church in the city.

“(Farah) and I had the honor of taking up the gifts during the Mass,” said Cardenas, a member of St. John the Apostle Parish in Hialeah who previously traveled with Archbishop Wenski on his ad limina visit to Rome. “It’s a great joy to meet with our bishop outside of our city.”

Upon his arrival in Philadelphia, Cardenas met up with another granddaughter, Fatima Pina, 20, the oldest of Farah’s three sisters and a student at Penn State. Fatima also attended the Mass.

“I came for two reasons: to have an encounter with the teachings of Pope Francis, the first Hispanic and Jesuit Pope, and also to spend time with my granddaughters,” said Cardenas, whose granddaughters’ father died and who makes sure to spend quality time with them on the weekends and whenever he gets the chance.

Strengthening families, including families such as Cardenas’, was the purpose of Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia. Leading up to the papal events there over the weekend, Archbishop Wenski wanted to celebrate Mass for those who made the trip from the archdiocese.

“This was a good opportunity for me to celebrate this Mass. The next few days will be much bigger, much busier,” he said.

Archbishop Wenski also highlighted the unique opportunity for Pope Francis to address families at the tail end of the World Meeting of Families.

“When Pope Francis was in Washington, he focused on national issues. When he was in New York, it was international issues. And now in Philadelphia, he will deal with the family in a very pastoral way,” said Archbishop Wenski after the Mass. “It is a mission of love as the family is the nucleus of society. A healthy family means a healthy society and the pope knows that families are under attack. The pope shares the gospel of the family as a solution by presenting Christ as he really is.”

During his homily, Archbishop Wenski highlighted both the challenges and hopes of the family in today’s society.

“Ideologies and idolatries have affected the family today… there are scars inflicted by those ideologies and idolatries but the words from the first reading speak to us: take courage all you people of the world and work,” said the archbishop.

“Love is our mission,” he added, citing the theme of the U.S. papal visit, “but love is not just about feelings, like what you might find on a sentimental Hallmark card. Love is work.”

For his part, Cardenas seems ready to strengthen the bonds of family through love and hard work.

“It’s been such a great surprise to see Philadelphia so full of Catholics. I want to take with me the values of the Christian family I see here to resist all the recent onslaughts against the family. The family nucleus is essential for the Church,” he said. “This is a family experience in many senses for me and my granddaughters.”

His granddaughters seemed to agree and were excited to hear what Pope Francis had to say.

“I was happy to come with my grandfather and then I found out that maybe I could also see my sister and then I got super excited,” said Farah, who is the youngest of the four sisters. The other two sisters stayed behind in South Florida with their mother. “I think it’s important because we’re going to meet the head of the Catholic Church. I’m nervous and happy at the same time.”

“My sister is doing her first Communion this school year,” said Fatima, who attends St. John XXIII Parish in Miramar when she comes home from college. “I just became a godmother and a confirmation sponsor for the first time. It’s such a great year for us to also be seeing Pope Francis.”

“I love Pope Francis,” she added. “He’s personable. I have friends from many religions and they all like him too. He wants us all united, both families and society. He is very open to everybody and embraces diversity. He reminds me of my grandpa.”