Pope Francis wraps up Cuba visit before US trip
WASHINGTON (WLS) -- Pope Francis is wrapping up his historic trip to Cuba before he heads to the United States on Tuesday.
On Monday, he traveled to the Cuban city of Santiago to visit the shrine of Cuba's patron saint. Earlier, joyful crowds welcomed Pope Francis to the city of Holguin.
VIDEO: Chicago woman born in Cuba reflects on pope's visit
For Cuban-American Margarita Garcia, this visit by Pope Francis to Cuba is filled with mixed emotions.
"I don't know what the fruits of this are going to be. I don't know where it's going to take us," Garcia said.
But Pope Francis gives her hope.
"A Latin American, one of us, who understands what we think, how we think, how we act," Garcia said.
Her own personal history was filled with uncertainty. She was airlifted from Cuba at the age of 15 in the "Peter Pan flights" of 1961. Separated from her own family, she and 14,000 other Cuban children were fostered by American families.
She lived with Margaret and Frank O'Dowd in Wilmette and their huge family.
"There were 9 of them and two Cubans," Garcia said.
Five years ago, she returned to Cuba for the first time when she was invited by Chicago's Francis Cardinal George. She'll never forget the moment she and the cardinal stepped on Cuban soil.
"He turns to me and he says, 'Margarita, welcome home.' I lost it," Garcia said.
And now, her prayer is that this visit by Pope Francis will help to improve the lives of those who live there.
"We've tried so many things and nothing has worked. I don't know, maybe it's time to try something different," Garcia said.
Pope Francis will step foot on U.S. soil for the first time Tuesday, where he'll visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia.
The pope will fly from Cuba to Washington D.C. around 3 p.m. Tuesday, when he'll be greeted by President Obama and the first lady at Andrews Air Force Base.
An official welcoming ceremony will be held Wednesday at the White House, where about 20,000 invitees are expected on the South Lawn. The pope will have a private meeting with the president and later, he will meet with hundreds of U.S. bishops at St. Matthew Cathedral.
Finally, there will be a papal Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where the pope will name Junipero Serra, a Spanish Catholic missionary to California, a saint.
On Thursday, the pope will speak to Congress in the morning and bless the crowd expected to gather outside the Capitol building on the National Mall. His New York City stops include the United Nations and Ground Zero.
VIDEO: Chicago students prepare to see Pope Francis in Philadelphia
Some Chicago students at St. Ignatius College Prep are heading to Philadelphia to see Pope Francis' final U.S. Mass.
"I'm really looking forward to not only being in the presence of Francis but also experiencing all the people there who are united in our love for Francis," said Robbie Skoronski, St. Ignatius.
"We're just sleeping on the floor, in the classrooms and possibly the gym, so it's going to be a fun week with sleeping bags," said Tess Russell, St. Ignatius.
Pope Francis will be in Philadelphia for the World Festival of Families and a huge outdoor mass in front of Philadelphia's famous art museum steps. For these Chicago students, it will be a field trip of a lifetime.
"I've never been in an atmosphere like that so it will be different but it will be exciting," said Seamus Brennan, St. Ignatius.
"Just experiencing the Francis effect in an up close and personal way," said Greta Rauch, St. Ignatius.
"I really hope to bring back an encounter of joy with Francis, he's such an innately joyful person, you can really tell that it comes from inside," said Catherine Beavis, St. Ignatius.
MORE: Pope Francis schedule of events
Stay with ABC7 Eyewitness News for continuing coverage of Pope Francis' visit to the United States. Alan Krashesky and Tanja Babich will be reporting live from Washington, New York and Philadelphia all week.
