Philadelphia Archdiocese Hopes Pope's Visit Will Have Lasting Impact
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia was short - only two days - but a top official of the archdiocese says the hope is the "Francis Effect" will linger.
Archdiocesan spokesman Ken Gavin says Archbishop Charles Chaput has called the papal visit a gift that will have a lasting impact.
"We said all along that we were an archdiocese in need of healing. We were an archdiocese in need of something like this," Gavin says. "The pope's energy, his brilliance, his charisma, what he brings, it comes from no other leader in the world. He brought that here, he gave it to us."
Gavin says the pope exercised his role as pastor and teacher.
"He's taught us so many things that we can take away," he says. "Within our own families, how to become better fathers, better mothers, brothers, sisters, children; how to care for the marginalized members of society and taking it a step further. We're not just contributing money to Catholic charities or to a favorite charity we might have, to physically be that person who goes and pro-actively cares the poor."
Gavin says the pope challenged all to care for one another, and in so doing, build a better society.
