Area woman says 'peace' surrounded Pope Francis

CARTHAGENA - Amid a roaring crowd and deafening cheers, Becky Kunkler felt the peace surrounding Pope Francis as he passed her on a street in Philadelphia last week.

On two occasions she and her family were just a few feet away as the Popemobile drove by during their weeklong visit, she said.

"It was so surreal. The peace around him brought tears to my eyes," she said on Tuesday, just a day after returning from the trip with her husband, Henry, and two children, Cody and Luke.

Kunkler, the director of the St. Marys Deanery at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, was chosen by the dean, the Rev. Richard Walling of the Catholic cluster of parishes, to attend the World Meeting of Families during the pope's visit to the U.S.

"Father Walling in January mentioned to me that he wanted a local family to go. I asked him how I should select a family and he said, 'No, your family,' " she recalled. "I felt so blessed."

The Kunklers, members of the local St. Sebastian parish, made the journey by bus with several others from the area, she said. They saw Pope Francis shortly after he arrived Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love and at a Mass on Sunday at which 1.5 million people gathered.

The Kunklers' adventure began eight days ago when they attended the eighth World Meeting of Families. The first-ever event took place in Rome, Italy, in 1994 and has been held every third year in various countries. This year marked the first time the gathering had convened in the U.S.

St. John Paul II, who was hailed as the Pope of the Family, created the World Meeting of Families, according to local resident Sister Martha Bertke, who also was in Philadelphia for the Pope's visit.

Bertke described the focus of the weeklong family event.

"The purpose is to explore the critical role the family plays in society and to give families opportunities to talk about the challenges and blessings that all families have," she said.

The deanery provided the Kunklers with "Golden Tickets," which gave them VIP status for many events throughout the week. Becky Kunkler and her husband attended several meetings with speakers such as Chris Stefanick - a musician, youth director and popular teen speaker - and Bishop Robert Barron.

"My husband and I enjoyed many, many speakers throughout the week," she said. "There was not one we did not care for. Loved them all and learned so much."

The couple's favorite orator was Pastor Rick Warren, an evangelical Christian pastor and author who taught that "we all need to embrace the good news of the Gospel and trust completely in God's plan for the family," Kunkler said.

While their parents attended meetings, 13-year-old Cody and 9-year-old Luke took part in a youth congress where they made friends with kids from all over the world.

Cody Kunkler said the highlight of the trip was playing Wii Bowling with one of the cardinals.

"It was the most amazing time ever," the teen said with a huge smile.

His younger brother was impressed by a familiar site around the big city: snipers assigned to protect 78-year-old Pope Francis.

"They (snipers) would peek out with their large, high-powered rifles for the Pope's safety. So neat!" Luke Kunkler said.

The boys also participated in the Helping Hands Projects by packaging food for poor families. They were shocked when told one small box of food items was meant to feed a family of six, Becky Kunkler said.

"It really taught them how blessed they are," she added.

The whole experience had a positive impact on her sons, she said.

"The spirit of the boys all week was truly remarkable. No video games or TV, just 'pure joy' in the family and Lord Jesus Christ," Becky Kunkler said.

The excitement of the trip escalated on the weekend when Pope Francis arrived, she said.

"I've never been to anything like this. People were everywhere," she said.

On Saturday - while waiting outside more than 11 hours to see the pope - a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky directly above Independence Hall where he had just visited.

"It was proof enough of God's presence," Becky Kunkler said.

The open-air Mass on Sunday near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and city hall was the last major event on the pope's journey before heading back to Rome.

Kunkler described it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Everybody there received Communion," she said, in awe of the feat by organizers. "We were several football fields away but could watch on the big screen and see how reverent the pope was."

Although millions of people were in attendance from 110 different countries, "we were all just like one big family," she said. The pope's sermon stressed compassion for one another and urged the strengthening of families, she said.

"He said we are to show little signs of compassion and love to people every chance we get, every single day," she added.

Becky Kunkler said her family is grateful to Walling, the deanery, the Sisters of the Precious Blood and Bertke for helping make the trip possible for her family.

Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey and his wife, Kay, were in attendance at the nation's capital when Pope Francis arrived earlier in the week.

"Kay and I saw the pope at the capital at the invitation of House Speaker (John) Boehner," Jeff Grey said. "It was amazing and emotional. It hit me when Pope Francis, in nearly perfect English, said, 'God Bless America.' I hope that God will truly bless America as this country has moved so far away from the Christian principles that this country was founded on. God didn't move away from us, the country moved away from God."

From a security perspective, Grey noticed barricades as far back as three blocks from the Capitol building. 

"People were searched with metal detectors and bags were inspected," he said. "The officers were very professional, low key and you felt very safe. It was obvious they had done this type of security before."