Current events, like Pope Francis’ visit to the United States, give us an opportunity to reach out to people who aren’t regular church-goers. We recommend that parishes and religious groups invite people to view one of the major liturgies or addresses together in an informal setting. Here are two suggested activities for part of the session. This handout can also be downloaded with a grid as Pope Francis is Here PDF
Celebrating Pope Francis’ USA Visit – September 2015
- Invite people to view one of the papal events together. B. Use one of these two exercises to help people share after the viewing.
EXERCISE ONE
Ask people to introduce themselves to one another and collect the initials of someone who can say ‘yes’ to each item below. Then after ten minutes, invite people to share one thing they like about Pope Francis with the last person they found.
| Can name three popes | Knows what country Pope Francis is from | Owns a Bible |
| Made a promise to God at some time | Goes to Mass once a week | Was named after a saint |
| Has watched Pope Francis on media or TV | Can name the first pope | Ever thought about being a priest or religious |
| Knows their pastor’s first name | Has volunteered at a soup kitchen | Has reached out to a homeless person |
Debrief
In the large group ask people to raise their hands for the categories. How many have…?
Ask people to share what they like about Pope Francis. Ask them to share, with one other person, how they may have come closer to God or to the Church through this pope. Then conclude the sharing with a hymn and refreshments.
OPTIONAL: Give prizes for different responses and for people with the most initials, with the least.
EXERCISE TWO
Use one of the following links as a handout (or another collection from google) to help people choose a favorite Pope Francis’ quote. Invite people to share what they like about the quote and about the Pope in small groups. Conclude the sharing time with a hymn and refreshments.
https://www.catholicvote.org/top-10-rio-quotes-what-francis-said-and-why/