When the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics visits the U.S. next September, West Chandler residents will be among those on hand to greet him.
Pope Francis, elected two years ago, seems to have captured the world’s imagination with his humble ways and blunt — and at times surprising — commentaries. He not only made the cover of Time magazine but has been featured on the cover of Rolling Stone — no small achievement in a publication that isn’t known for lauding religious leaders.
Father John Coleman, pastor of St. Andrew Church, will lead a group of 30 parishioners on a journey to Philadelphia to see the pope at a Sept. 26 festival and a Sept. 27 outdoor Mass expected to draw a million participants.
Founded 30 years ago when Ray Road’s speed limit was 50 miles an hour and sheep and horses grazed in the vicinity, St. Andrew’s is home to 4,000 families that worship in the expansive, mission-style church.
John Scheibt is one of them. The retired information technology professional has belonged to St. Andrew’s since the very first Mass, held in a nearby junior high on Super Bowl Sunday in 1985. He’s never seen a pope before and said he’s enthused about the trip.
When the late Pope John Paul visited the Valley in 1987, Scheibt said his parents and son went to see him, but he himself didn’t attend.
 “I didn’t realize what a great experience it could be. I thought it would be a big crowd and be real crazy. OK, so I missed one of them — I can’t miss it again. I get another chance,” Scheibt said.
Coleman said the upcoming trip to Philadelphia will be the first time he’s seen Pope Francis in person. The new pope, he said, has caused a stir.
“I guess you could say he shook us up a little bit but I think that’s good. We could use a little shaking up. Sometimes we get so caught up in the rules that we forget why we have them in the first place,” Coleman said.
In particular, he noted the pope’s compassion for those who are divorced.
“I know priests that won’t deal with them at all. So I’m hoping that maybe that will change. They’re quite vulnerable when they finally decide to come to us.”
As for Scheibt, he says he’s not sure yet what he thinks of Pope Francis, but he agrees the church’s leader is size large when it comes to compassion.
“I’m concerned that a lot of what we hear about the pope is filtered through the reporters,” Scheibt said. “I think he’s misunderstood a little bit. I want to hear it for myself and see what’s going on. I do like what I’ve heard.”
The group from St. Andrew’s will tour Philadelphia and visit Villanova University before heading the Festival of Families Sept. 26. Pope Francis arrives in Washington, D.C., Sept. 22 where he will visit the White House.
He’ll also travel to New York to address the United Nations and visit the 9/11 memorial.
