A contingent of Alle-Kiski Valley residents say they want to be part of a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience to hear Pope Francis' message in person.

A group of 75 students from St. Joseph High School in Harrison and 55 family and other community members will take a bus trip to Philadelphia, the pope's final stop during his U.S. visit.

“It's going to be a faith-filled experience and anyone who goes is going to be transformed by the graces they're going to receive there,” said Saint Joseph's senior Holly Wolfe, 17.

About 1.5 million people are expected to attend the papal Mass on Sunday afternoon outside the Philadelphia Art Museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

“It's going to be kind of daunting seeing that many people, but everyone is there for the same reason — to hear what the Holy Father has to say,” Wolfe said. “It's different than just going to Mass.”

Beverly Kaniecki, principal at St. Joseph High School, said she traveled to Philadelphia in 1979 when Pope John Paul II visited.

“I just remember that after the papal Mass, he was walking up and down the stage blessing everybody, and I was able to get very close to the stage,” she said. “I realize now that I was in the presence of a saint — and I want that experience for the students.”

The pilgrimage will start Friday. They'll make a stop at the 9/11 Memorial in Somerset County before arriving in Harrisburg where they will tour the state capitol.

Saturday begins two days in Philadelphia packed with worship and sightseeing, culminating with the outdoor papal Mass on Sunday.

Event for whole familes

Mitch Farrell, 19, a sophomore accounting major at St. Vincent College, said he is captivated by the words of Pope Francis and is excited about the trip to see him.

Farrell, his mother, Michelle, father, Greg, and younger brother, Jack, will ride in one of the three buses provided by Saint Joseph's.

The Farrell family of Lower Burrell are members of Mt. St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in New Kensington. Jack Farrell attends St. Joe's ,and Mitch Farrell and his older brother Nick Farrell graduated from there.

“We all said if he was ever close, we would like to go,” Farrell said. “And as soon as we heard about Philadelphia, Dad said we should go.”

Anne Schratz of Penn Township, Butler County, said it was her son Greg, a sophomore at St. Joesph's, asking to go on the bus trip that spurred her interest and prompted her other three children to sign up, too.

She'll be making the trip with her youngest daughter Mary-Kate, a ninth-grader at St. Joseph's, and daughters Caitlin and Rachel, both St. Joe's graduates.

“The two most important things in this world to me are my faith and my family,” Schratz said. “So when the leader of my faith comes to my home state, I want to take my family to meet him.”

A special connection with youths

St. Joseph's Assistant Principal Kimberly Minick said that just as Pope John Paul II was able to connect with her generation, Pope Francis has been able to make a special connection with today's young people.

“I believe the Holy Father is another example of a ‘people's pope,' ” she said. “He took the name of a humble saint and is looking to the church for healing and reaching out to the youth. For this generation of young people, I think this is really a pope they could grow and relate with.”

Dominic Angelo, 17, a St. Joe's senior, said seeing the leader of the Catholic faith is going to be “one of those awesome experiences” in life.

“You can read a lot about what Pope Francis says, but to hear it from him in person in a homily is going to be quite spectacular,” he said. “What he says about helping the poor and saving our environment is important to me, and just to hear him say it will be quite remarkable.”

Jodi Weigand is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Staff writer Chuck Biedka contributed to this report.

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