As I’ve been preparing and packing for my trip to Philadelphia to go to World Meeting of Families, I’ve been drawing off my experiences when I traveled to see Saint Pope John Paul II in during World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada. I wanted to share my tips with all of you!
So apparently, they’re not expecting it to be crazy until the weekend when everyone will come to see Pope Francis. And trust me, it will be crazy. So if you’re coming to see Pope Francis, these tips are for those days. 😉
*disclaimer- I’m hearing that in some locations backpacks are not going to be allowed, so check the official lists of what’s allowed at your own location before packing!!!!*
- Wear comfortable clothes, and comfortable shoes. See these nuns from World Youth Day? They are wearing tennis shoes and backpacks. There is always more walking than you think there will be, so comfortable shoes are a must. If you’re bringing small children, I would strongly suggest some comfortable baby-wearing devices as well.
- Which brings me to tip number 2: Wear a backpack. It’s the best hands-free way to carry all your stuff. What stuff you ask? Keep reading. 😉
- Bring flags or signs. Everyone has flags, and our group forgot to bring one to World Youth Day. We wanted one so badly that we ended up painting one ourselves on a sheet. (Below we are painting a South Carolina flag)
- Be ready for all kinds of weather, and when I say this, I’m of course talking about rain. Ponchos or umbrellas are a must. As of now, there is a chance of rain in Philadelphia on Friday. Umbrellas are also useful for providing shade.
- Be ready to camp out for a good spot to see the Pope. At World Youth Day, we actually staked out our place by the fence for 8 hours, and I was RIGHT THERE when JPII drove by in the Pope-mobile. Totally worth it. 🙂 Here we are staking our claim in the morning. The crowd was already forming at the front where he would be, but at this point, other people had failed to realize this fence was clearly for the Pope-mobile to drive through.
and here’s what the same place looked like as the JPII drove by that afternoon…
And let me tell you people, even nuns will push you out of the way to see the pope! lol! We found it was useful for our group to link elbows together to keep the other people in the crowd from seperating us. Here is the picture I took of Saint Pope John Paul II.
- Bring snacks and water. With this many people, lines are going to be long for everything, so better to be safe than sorry. Also, you know, if you’re staking your claim for hours at a time, you can’t exactly go for a slice of pizza.
- Be ready to bump into people you know. It’s interesting what a small Catholic world it is out there, even in a million and a half people. 🙂
- Bring religious objects for Pope Francis to bless. Popes will almost always offer a blessing of objects during gatherings like this. You just hold your objects up from where you are in the crowd to get them blessed. I like to stock up on religious metals etc before I go and bring them back to my loved ones.
- Don’t forget sunblock- self explanatory.
- There will be crazy crowds, and to “make do”- see this picture? It’s a seemingly endless row of porta potties in the middle of Toronto.
- If you’re attending the actual conference, pick out what talks you want to go to ahead of time. Read the full descriptions here and here. (PS. Don’t forget to pick mine. 😉 )
- Bring a way to translate. Back in the olden days (haha) we brought radios and they broadcast different translations on different stations. This year, it seems to be happening via podcast, so pack your ear buds for your device. Most of what Pope Francis says is going to be in Spanish, so for us English speakers, this will be important.
- It’s always good if you’re going in a group to coordinate and wear the same color- that way it’s easy to find your people. This tip may be a little obsolete in the new world of cell phones. Our group had different shirts for every day, as did a lot of groups. People brought their already-worn shirts in their backpacks and traded with other groups throughout the day. Pretty cool to go home with so many different kinds of shirts from different places. If I were coming with my children (which I am not, but many of you are) I would probably write my cell phone number on their arm with a sharpie marker just in case… But seriously, it’s always helpful for all the kids to wear the same color shirt.
- Be ready for a trip of a lifetime and memories that last forever.
- Remember that the Holy Spirit often comes to us when we are tired and hungry. This last tip is from my mom- it’s what she used to tell me before I would go on exhausting youth group trips. 😉
and here’s what the same place looked like as the JPII drove by that afternoon…
And let me tell you people, even nuns will push you out of the way to see the pope! lol! We found it was useful for our group to link elbows together to keep the other people in the crowd from seperating us. Here is the picture I took of Saint Pope John Paul II.
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I am so so so so so excited about this upcoming week! I created a new Instagram page so I can share my trip with all of you. Go ahead and follow me now before you forget! 🙂
What tips do you have for going to see the Pope? Share in the comments!
Disclaimer- all the thoughts and opinions in this post are mine and are no way official recommendations of World Meeting Of Families.
My only tip is to stay home and watch the Pope on TV! Lol! ;-). Oh, I so wish I could go on this trip (sorta). Have a blessed time and great shot of Saint JP2! Amazing!
Thank you for sharing these tips Lacy! I just have one question. Do you think it is possible to have one or two people from the whole group sit and stake out a place to see the pope and then call the others in the group closer to the time the pope will actually drive by? Our group will have a one toddler, one preschooler and a kindergartner as well as a grandma with a recently operated knee who cannot stand for hours but we want to be able to see the pope.
Yes, I think in most cases that works, and that’s what we did- took turns holding down the spot. I’d say you’d all still have to be there well before the Pope actually goes by- maybe an hour before hand? Hard to say exactly.
You can bring chairs (thinking of grandma) http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/Papal_Visit_FAQ.html#seating
Just wanted to link to a few resources that out-of-towners may not see. I thought this was excellent maps of what will be happening. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/20150920_A_four_day_celebration_of_love_life_and_the_family.html#45VPy8oYcpC1Os6F.01
Also, to make sure you check out what is prohibited in the secured areas per the Secret Service. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/20150920_A_four_day_celebration_of_love_life_and_the_family.html#45VPy8oYcpC1Os6F.01
Yes- great point! Although when I read the list of stuff not-to-bring, it was mostly no-brainers. No weapons, nothing that looks like weapons, nothing that could be confused as a weapon. Check. 🙂
What a chance of a lifetime! I would have no idea where to start when making such a trip. I’ll be staying home 🙁 But I hope you will have a WONDERFUL and BLESSED time. I love your mother’s advice!
I went to see Pope Benedict in Yonkers. We had to be there a long time ahead of time and they secured the area. After they secure it I know we couldn’t go and and come back… for some reason I don’t think we could even go out, but I can’t remember why. They secured it a few hours before the Pope even arrived. Not sure if any events will be like that. But, we couldn’t bring food or liquid/drinks of any kind into the event. No snacks, nothing. We didn’t know until we got there (and we had food allergies in the youth group and that didn’t matter. We had to throw food out or eat it really quick on the way in). Then when we got in they ran out of water within an hour (it was really hot that day) and they ran out of food quickly (maybe 1/4 of the people got food and that is being kind). It was a ticket event so they knew the numbers ahead of time. I talked to the Diocese afterward and apparently it’s really common for that to happen. So eat and hydrate ahead of time. We were in the secured area for at least 8 hours with nothing to eat or drink.
Also, talk to security. I asked the security guard and he told me how they Pope was entering in the Pope Mobile. No one else asked. Not sure if they regularly do that, but he told me!
They put up a gate right before hand and there were only a few people there. As soon as the Pope started coming I was slammed against the fence by a ton of people behind me. It was so worth it! The Pope looked right at me 🙂