Naples couple traveling to Philadelphia for Pope Francis’ visit

NAPLES, Fla. – A couple is getting ready to head to Philadelphia to see Pope Francis. WINK News spoke with the couple ahead of their visit to the City of Brotherly Love.

Lois and Charles Leggerie joined St. Peter’s the Apostle Parish when they moved to Florida 17 years ago. They’ve been very active in the church ever since, Lois sings in the choir.

The couple is thrilled the pope is coming to the United States to share his message of world peace.

“The meeting of world families, which to me is an important thing right now,” said Lois Leggerie. “This whole week in Philly is really just going to be monumental.”

This isn’t her first time seeing a pope there.

“I also had seen St. John Paul ll when he was in Philadelphia in 1979 and I’ll never forget the experience it was just wonderful,” said Leggerie. “We put a blanket down on the street, we sat down, and everybody was just into that religious experience.”

She adds, “there’s just something about a gathering like that, you just get these vibes from everyone around you, and I’m looking forward to that experience and reflecting back on 1979 really.”

Even though she looks forward to comparing the two experiences, she knows this time will be different.

“I’m sure security is going to be at the max, there is concern,” she said. “The media can almost talk you out of doing something like this but they wont talk me out of it, I’m not worried.”

She tells WINK News she hopes Pope Francis’ visit will accomplish what it’s set out to, “to bring us maybe closer to world peace, believe in God’s mercy, bring people back to the church because that’s what we need. Maybe the world will change and he’s certainly trying to do it for us.”