Pope Brings Tears to America

Pope Francis has made history again, hosting a “virtual” audience over the Internet with hundreds of Americans — a visit that brought many to tears.

“It really touched my heart. It really made me feel that he is really connecting with us,” Ricardo Ortiz, 19, said after speaking to the pope from a church in McAllen, Texas, one of three sites participating in the event, according to ABC News.

Ahead of the pope’s visit to America later this month, the Internet connected the head of the Catholic church with three cities he won’t be visiting: Chicago, Los Angeles, and McAllen, on the Texas-Mexico border.

“We are curious if you have a message to the United States?” reporter David Muir asked the pope. Speaking in his native Spanish, the pontiff answered: “For me, it is very important to meet with you all, the citizens of the U.S., who have your history, your culture, your virtue, your joys, your sadness, your problems, like everyone else.”

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In the Chicago crowd, a young girl spoke to the pope. Valery Herrera suffers from an autoimmune disease that causes her the skin on her face and body to be discolored, and she told the pope of the bullying and how she sought solace in singing. She said that being in the church choir gave her strength through her disease and brought her closer to God and her faith.

The pope then shocked the crowd when he spoke to her in English as she wiped away tears. “Valerie, I would like to hear you sing. May I ask of you to sing a song for me?”

She was unsure, scared. But he encouraged her: “Be courageous!”

“OK,” Herrera said quietly, then confidently sang to the pope the opening of a hymn in Spanish, “Junto a Ti Maria.”

He smiled broadly. “Thank you very much, so kind of you,” the pope said as she wiped more tears away.

After her song, the pope spoke to the group about his desire that young people not be alone, and of the importance of seeking out good companions. He also spoke about the need for young people to be courageous and confident.

In the Los Angeles crowd, Rosemary Farfan and her two daughters, Alyssa and Celeste, had just moved into their first apartment after living in the homeless shelter. Alyssa, age 11, spoke first, telling the pope of her experience being homeless and the hardships she and her family had encountered.

Alyssa said with emotion, “I admire how humble you are. When I was living in the shelter, I used to see people with their families and fathers. They used to walk to a big house and open the door and they were all so happy. And I was walking to the shelter and I was ashamed. …

“I wished that I can be one of them and just have a father and have a big house. But I had my family, my sister and my mom, who really support me at times when I’m really sad.”

“You could have killed them inside your womb, and you respected life.”

After her daughter spoke, Rosemary, who was also very emotional, spoke to Pope Francis. She humbly acknowledged: “It’s hard for me to hear my daughter to tell me these thing … it hasn’t been easy for me. I’ve made some mistakes as a person, as a mother, I’ve felt guilty at times and ashamed.”

But she was hopeful.

“Every day, I try and I hope and I pray. And I just want to learn and still be teachable and not give up,” she said.

Francis thanked Rosemary and then said, “I want to tell you one thing. I know it’s not easy to be a single mother. I know that people can sometimes look askance at you. But I’ll tell you one thing, you’re a brave woman because you were capable of bringing these two daughters into the world.

“You could have killed them inside your womb, and you respected life. You respected the life you were carrying inside you, and God will reward you for that, he does reward you for that. Don’t be ashamed, hold your head high. I didn’t kill my daughters, I brought them into the world. I congratulate you,” the pope said.

The pope spoke with many others in his virtual audience, encouraging them all. And he will be here soon to do the same in person.