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Nunez was one of the thousands who packed into New York City’s Central Park in 1995 when then Pope John Paul II held an outdoor mass.
“I saw him close by when he passed the pulpit,” he said of John Paul II.
Reacting to the news of a potential visit by Francis, Nunez said, “I’m excited and I’d go to see him, too.”
Pope Benedict XVI was the last Pope to visit the U.S. in 2008. Francis became pope in March 2013 and this would be his first trip to the U.S.
Dave Hackett of Mahopac said he remembers the 1995 Central Park mass, as well as John Paul’s visit to a seminary in Yonkers. Speculating on Francis’ potential trip, his friend Margie Ramos said she could see Francis going to St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a mass.
“If you come here, you might as well come to New York,” Hackett said.
However, Thomas Paulmann, Jr., who is active in his Roman Catholic Church’s youth group, said Francis is less predictable than past popes and that he could see him going to a less obvious location.
“Of course, it would be a big deal if we can see him,” Katie Paulmann said.
Thomas and Katie attend St. Kateri Tekakwitcha Parish in LaGrangeville, which was previously Blessed Kateri Tekakwitcha, until Tekakwitcha was canonized as a saint in 2012 by Pope Benedict.
Even before Francis may travel to the U.S. (the 2015 U.S. visit is not yet official), Jon Meschino said he will be traveling to the Vatican during a trip to Italy in September. While Meschino, an atheist, didn’t have strong feelings about the pope’s potential U.S. visit, he said The Vatican is in a beautiful city and is something he wants to see on his first-ever trip to Europe.
Zef Sharei is looking forward to any chance to see the pope.
“I’m Roman Catholic so I’m down for anything he does. I support him,” he said.
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