As of 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday September 22, 2015, Pope Francis for the first time walked on U.S. soil.  After arriving at Andrews Air force Base, Pope Francis was greeted by the first family. While on his trip in Washington, New York, and Philadelphia the Pope will address the “hot topics” around poverty, immigration, and climate change.

Pope Francis will do more than just talk about global issues.  He is scheduled to meet with hundreds of American Bishops at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, there they will pray and ideas that Pope Francis has for the Church will be discussed (mostly in Spanish).  Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the “Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception” where he will then canonize Junipero Serra (an 18^th-century Franciscan friar who built missions all across California).  This will be the first canonization on U.S. soil.

A controversy is brewing over the canonizing of Junipero Serra.  Native Americans oppose Junipero Serra’s canonization and say that Serra is responsible for the extinction of indigenous populations that lived in the areas of his missions.

September 25 is when the Pope is scheduled to meet with the United Nations.  Like his two predecessors before him, Pope Francis is expected to touch on the subjects of poverty, climate change, world hunger, and world peace.

September 26 is when Pope Francis will arrive in Philadelphia.  There a mass will be help at “Cathedral Basilica of saints Peter and Paul.”  The estimated one million members of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will greet Francis.  Following the mass, a “Festival of Families” will begin (approximately at 7:30).  The festival will include musical acts, games, food, and remarks from the Pope.

Pope Francis will depart for Vatican City on Sunday September 27.  Altogether the Pope will have spent five days and six nights in the United States.  Let’s hope that the Pope has an enjoyable time and will want to visit again in the future.