Philadelphia

Where The Faithful Come to Feast

The World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia this week culminating with Pope Francis' visit this weekend has drawn the faithful from all over the world.

At the Reading Terminal Market on Wednesday afternoon -- across the street from the Convention Center, where World Meeting events are being held -- meeting attendees, many on their first trip to Philadelphia, stopped for lunch.

Sister Patricia and Sister Angela
Morgan Zalot
Sister Patricia, left, and Sister Angela mull lunch options at Nanee's Kitchen in Reading Terminal Market. The sisters, who are from an order in Ontario, Canada, are both originally from Nigeria. Their trip to the World Meeting of Families is their first time in Philadelphia.

At Nanee's Kitchen at the market, Sister Patricia and Sister Angela waited to buy rice, fish and vegetables. The sisters were both born in Nigeria but belong to the Sisters of Our Lady Immaculate in Ontario, Canada. For both, the World Meeting of Families is their first visit to Philadelphia.

"We're loving every bit of it," Sister Patricia said, smiling. She and Sister Angela said they both came on a bus to Philadelphia Tuesday with families from their diocese. The bus ride from Ontario took 11 hours.

Sister Angela talks about seeing Pope Francis.

Elsewhere in the market, Tom Speaker, of West Lafayette, Ind., finished up an oyster plate at Pearl's Oysters. His travel agency, Speaker's Travel, organized for a group of about 40 people from Wisconsin and a group of about 30 from Miami to attend the World Meeting. The groups are a part of a Catholic movement founded in Germany called Schoenstatt -- "beautiful place" -- Speaker said.

"It's been a hassle because I've been trying to get accommodations all together," Speaker said.

He said for some in the Schoenstatt movement, this World Meeting won't be their first time seeing Pope Francis.

"Last year, we took them to Germany and Rome and had a private audience with the Pope," Speaker said.

He said because of security restrictions, his groups need to be bussed to AT&T Station in South Philadelphia before the papal events this weekend. From there, the group of more than 70 will pick up the Broad Street Line subway back to Center City.

Speaker pulled a stack of special SEPTA Papal passes tied with a rubber band out of his pocket.

"It's gonna be real interesting," he said.

Tom Speaker
Morgan Zalot
Tom Speaker, of West Lafayette, IN, holds a stack of SEPTA Papal Passes at Reading Terminal Market on Wednesday. Speaker's travel company organized for groups to travel to Philadelphia from Wisconsin and Florida for the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis' visit.
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