Twelve students from Saint Augustine High School in San Diego, California crossed the ocean to meet Pope Francis. They first visited Milan, Florence, and Siena, where they helped Augustinian brothers. Finally, these friends from religion class attended the Pope's audience on Wednesday.
JUAN LETAYF
'Today I woke up in the morning saying that we are going to see the Pope. And before I even came to the audience, I felt like I was going to see him. And after seeing him, I felt closer to him. I now have faith in him.â?
These Mexican and Lebanese students are just 16 years old. They came to the audience with their teachers, who were able to explain every minor detail about the mini-city, the Vatican. It surprised them.
They also prepared a message for the Pope about the unity of all Christians, despite their specific affiliation. Maximiliano was able to touch him.
MAXIMILIANO RODRíGUEZ
'I have many friends that are Christians but are not Catholics and sometimes we see each other differently. But his message is that we are all equal, that God loves us all equally and that we have to be more united as a Church to thank God.â?
They also brought along the Argentine flag for their visit. They said they wanted to draw the Pope's attention, even if they're not from there. The group also plans to attend the World Youth Day this summer in Krakow, Poland. It's their next objective.
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