CINCINNATI — Excitement was the mood at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Mount Washington Tuesday as Pope Francis arrived in the U.S., and 50 seminarians prepared for the nine-hour bus trip to Washington to hear him speak.
The Rev. Dave Endres, assistant professor of Church History at Mount St. Mary’s, says the pope’s visit is a historic moment, filled with significant firsts, including the first ever pontifical address to Congress and the first time a saint will be canonized on American soil.
Seminarian Tim Fernandez sees Pope Francis’ visit is a part of a larger movement within the Catholic Church of moving into the future.
“So many people want to see the (church) in a good light,” he said. “I’m excited to be a witness to the faith… We’re not looking back, we’re going forward.”
At 10 p.m. Tuesday, 50 of the seminary’s students will board their bus to D.C. Once there, they will attend Mass celebrated by Pope Francis alongside other future priests.
HEAR from more local clergy traveling to see Pope Francis this week in the video player above.
