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Philadelphia Welcomes Pope Francis; The Pope's Message. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired September 26, 2015 - 18:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:00:13] POPPY HARLOW, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. We want to welcome viewers here in the United States and around the world. I'm Poppy Harlow here with my friend, Chris Cuomo.

CHRIS CUOMO, CNN HOST: And I'm Chris Cuomo. I'm very happy to join you. We are live here, obviously, the Benjamin Franklin parkway in Philadelphia. This is special coverage of the Pope's visit to America.

HARLOW: Right now, the city still echoes with cheers, the goodwill, the excitement of this historic visit to the city in particular by this Pope.

CUOMO: For the Pope, for the people throwing this festival, it's all about the people gathering for the festival of families. This was the world meeting of families that happened this week have this festival sums it all up. And it is a great crescendo and finale for Pope Francis.

Just few minutes ago, the pontiff stood in front of Independence Hall at a lectern that Abraham Lincoln used for Gettysburg address, someone that he referred to in his speech to Congress and called a symbol of the American way. He made a point to greet recent immigrants to the United States particularly those of Hispanic descent.

HARLOW: We would just want to highlight in what has been a quite a day, quite a whirlwind day since touching down here, just around 9:30 a.m. this morning in Philadelphia. A crowd of about a million plus people lining the streets just to catch a glimpse of the pontiff. He kissed many, many babies that were brought to him along the way. Holding them up, blessing them to their parents, just were amazed and thrilled to see that.

Carol Costello is among the crowd. So is Rosa Flores.

CUOMO: Well, this is all about the people, certainly, for the Pope. But this is different, Carol. You and I have worked big crowds in so many different situations. These people have come with the intensity of purpose which is unusual. What are you finding out there?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: My goodness, you are right about that. People are intent on their feelings about Pope Francis. And I just want to take -- I just have to show you the crowds because they're so intense. If you look down this way, come with my, Jay, sorry, I changed the plan on you, but we'll go down this way. You can see tens of thousands of people waiting for the Pope's arrival. And notice again that police are keeping people behind the barricades. Hi over there.

People are awesome. Police keeping people behind the barricades because they don't want them to run into the street to get near the Pope. Everybody, of course, hoping that the Pope will get out of the Popemobile and dispense with the officers. But we'll see.

Come this way, because this is the stage where the Pope will be appearing and I've been watching this little guy. You've been so patiently holding that baby. So, what's the baby's name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is Teddy Brown.

COSTELLO: Teddy Brown. Are you hoping the Pope blesses him today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be great. We've been here all week celebrating families and marriage here in Philadelphia and what better way to end with the Holy Father here. It is so exciting.

COSTELLO: What will your reaction be when you see him in the Popemobile?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. I got to see Pope Benedict in Rome and that was so inspiring but to have him here in the United States. Obviously Teddy won't remember it, but for us to be, you know, we've been married two years, to have this exciting moment in our marriage, it is going to be so amazing.

COSTELLO: Teddy's two months old.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, born August 4th. Yes, Theodore Francis.

COSTELLO: Francis is his middle name, after Pope Francis?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, my grandfather, but it doesn't hurt.

COSTELLO: True. Every little bit helps. I wanted to can you, since you saw Benedict, what's the difference between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Pope Francis has put a new face on teachings that are age-old but still so important. He -- Pope Benedict, you know, spoke to these things in a way that was very European and very academic and Francis speaks them through actions, and through just being, you know, a Pope from the Americas, son of immigrants. He's been such a fresh voice on a church that has need a face-lift at times but teaching hasn't changed but certainly the way it's been lived out and emphasis for sure.

COSTELLO: Well, I hope that little Teddy gets to be blessed. Thank you so much. And congratulations, by the way.

So you see, Chris, you're right. Intense feelings about Pope Francis. And I think that people love him so much because he puts himself out there. He dares to be human in a way other Popes past have not.

CUOMO: That's a good explanation, Carol. I mean, first of all, sleeping baby, that's a blessing already, Poppy, especially in a situation, it could go a very didn't way for them. But, you know, you can't look at Pope Francis as we would these other big figures that we see, whether it's a president, when you have royalty come.

There is something special for people, especially the faithful, just by proximity of contact, that this is a blessing in and of itself. Remember, religion matters more to people than anything else in their lives when faithful. And this is a Pope that has done something that we haven't seen. I was alive, you know, you weren't even a thought yet, when John Paul II was here, Poppy and that was in the '70s. I was eight years old. I remember like it was yesterday, this is different. This is more. And I think it's going to mean more in terms of the legacy of it but you never really know.

[18:005:21] HARLOW: And in also a different context, a different time, a very divided country right now politically that he comes into. But what a Pope of the people, a pope of the periphery of the margins. Tomorrow morning. he goes to a prison to be with prisoners, first Pope to ever do that in this country. Today he stopped his vehicle to get out to kiss the forehead of that 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy.

CUOMO: But that's is his point of emphasis. He has to meet with leaders, he wants to meet with the people. Listen to my words, listen to the message, don't get caught up with the man but most importantly, do something with it.

HARLOW: Absolutely.

Let's go to Rosa Flores. She is not only amongst the people, she has been with the Pope the entire time flying with him here on the papal plane, being blessed by him last weekend.

Rosa, the message that you heard strike most today in his remarks in independence hall and what people are saying around you.

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, the Pope has been quoted before with saying that he wants a church that is not a regulator of the faith, but a transmitter, a facilitator of the faith. And I think that is what he is accomplishing here, a Francis effect. Thousands of people coming together to celebrate their faith.

Take a look, because I want to show you, we've been down here, talking to a lot of these folks from multiple countries, Mexico, Ecuador, his beloved Argentina, Zimbabwe, you name it. These people are hungry to meet Pope Francis, to see him, to simply see him on a jumbotron.

Now, one of the things that a lot of these folks are hoping for is for a blessing. So you and I know that if you are in the shadow of Peter, you receive a blessing. So we're expecting Pope Francis to take this route, the road that you're looking at, before he goes up to the stage for the event that's coming up.

Now, for the world meeting of families, Pope Francis actually sent out a letter for the world meeting of families. And, Chris and Poppy, hear this, he said there is no progressive family because of course this is all about the family, there is no liberal family. He said, a family is a family, and you shouldn't question its virtue. You should question yourself inside to make sure that you're doing the best for this planet, for this earth.

So, again, all of these messages that we're receiving from Pope Francis and all of his flock listening closely -- and I believe that flock could be growing, we talked to people who are not of the catholic faith, who are still here, wanting to listen to the pontiff -- Chris, Poppy.

HARLOW: Rosa, thank you very much.

It's exciting to see, you can imagine how they'll react when they actually see the pontiff make his way here for what is going to be a million plus people tonight.

Let's go straight to CNN's Jim Sciutto. He is at independence hall, where we just heard from the Pope.

And Jim, the most applause came before that standing ovation he got at the end, most applause came two times he went off-script.

JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Let me tell you, Poppy, what more can I say? The Pope, the leader of the Catholic Church, standing in front of independence hall where the declaration of independence was signed with those iconic words "all men created equal" standing before the podium that Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg address in a decisive battle of the civil war that ended slavery, and you had him standing here in this location, this historic place, a man conscious, ever conscious, of the power of symbolism. He repeated those lines, of course updated them, all men and women created equal. And he urged America, he emphasized that those values only live if they are reaffirmed over time.

He started a speech talking about religious freedom, that's what the archbishop of Philadelphia asked him to do but it was when he turned, as you said, Poppy, to the issue of immigration and globalization that he went off script. That his energy jumped. And I'll tell you the energy in the crowd here jumped, as well, and responded with applause and cheers and you can feel the energy when he repeated lines like, do not be ashamed of your differences. Do not be ashamed of your culture. Be aware of the contributions you are making to this country, think of the current political context here where you have some politicians speaking of very contrary message to that, how this crowd of 50,000 people, many of them Latinos, many of them immigrants, responded to that. I'll tell you, they jumped. You could feel the wave of energy rising. And I saw the Pope's energy rising as well, as he went off-script, almost pounding that podium with that message. What better place to deliver that message, really unforgettable moment.

I'll just add one more thing, Rosa talks about being the presence of the Pope when he gives a blessing. At the end here, again off script, he said the Our Father prayer. Everybody joined in. I will admit, I'm a catholic, I joined in as well. And then he gave a blessing to the crowd and I felt it, you know. I could only add personally that I felt that as a special moment, to listen to what I think in echoing Chris will be historic words in terms of their effect, but also to have that spiritual power as well. It was special. Wouldn't want to be any other place in the world as this spot as we were today listening to the Pope.

[18:10:45] HARLOW: Yes. I imagine, I can only imagine being there, what it felt like, Jim Sciutto. Thank you.

And to you, Chris, last hour, right after he gave that address, Miguel Marquez in a crowd talked to a group - a family of immigrants who waiting trying to get citizenship. An 11-year-old girl said, I feel encouraged for the first time after those words.

CUOMO: Well, look. I'm not surprised. Is it the man? Probably not. Is it the message? It's familiar.

HARLOW: And the delivery's special.

CUOMO: But it's the moment, right? Timing is everything in life.

HARLOW: Sure.

CUOMO: We know whether it's our business, anything that happens. This country right now is very divided. The most divided, the least divided, it doesn't matter. It's very divided and it's popular. Negativity is popular right now. It's driving the presidential election. All right. It is personified by the people at the top of the poles, then comes Pope Francis.

HARLOW: Uniter.

CUOMO: Diametrically opposed, reminding of virtue. The timing alone, his authenticity with it, I think, is enough to move the needle. Now, what Pope Francis I think would suggest is, yes, but for how long?

HARLOW: What happens when he leaves tomorrow?

CUOMO: What are you going to do with it? He has got a beautiful formula. He says 25 percent inspiration, that's the message, that's the man, 25 percent aspiration, you deciding to do something with the message, 50 percent perspiration, get out, go out and make a raucous, do something on the problems in the world that matter.

HARLOW: All right. We'll get to a quick break. Chris is with me, live for the next three hours. It is going to be a glorious concert behind us with a million people cheering along the way. We will be right back. Stay with us, live from Philadelphia.

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[18:15:52] HARLOW: All right. Chris and I are here live at the festival of the family. A million people expected, right? Here tonight, we just heard from Matt Maher who is a very popular Christian musician. We're going to hear shortly from Jim Gaffigan, again, a catholic comedian who we had on the show earlier who is absolutely hysterical. How do you prepare for the Pope? How do you open for the Pope?

CUOMO: I think, in a way, you can't lose because people are so excited to see the Pope that they're going to stay no matter what it is. But also, I just think it's a great thing to be connected to. And the beauty of it is, it has nothing to do necessarily with faith.

If you're not a catholic, this Pope's message is entirely resonant anyway and he wants it that way. To think of a Pope, somebody who is supposedly defined by their faith to say to the workers at U.N., pray for me. And by the way, if you don't believe, just send me good thoughts, in a place, in a society, in a time when people use faith as a badge of aggression, this Pope says, if you don't believe, it's OK.

HARLOW: And whether he's speaking about climate change, very controversial issues within the church, whether he's speaking about immigration, he talks about fighting against the globalization of indifference, being united and connected and engaged and putting the work into bring the world together, over and over that's the message. And that is not a particularly religious message. That is a human message.

CUOMO: Yes. And I think the distinction is felt by people. And I think that's why the crowds have been so in religious parlance ecumenical. You know, it's really been universal, no matter what denomination you are, and whether you are an agnostic or whether you believe in things that are nonspiritual in nature. Helping each other, interconnectedness, interdependence, those aren't religious words.

HARLOW: He's being certainly taken advantage of the backdrop at independence hall to speak about those seeking freedom today, speaking about refugees, the crisis going on right now with so many Syrian refugees, refugees from Africa trying to get into Europe and within moments of starting, he spoke of the quote "gradual effort" to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at successive waves of new Americans.

CUOMO: Look, the message doesn't just make sense. It has weight because from whom it comes. The Catholic Church is 1. 2 billion strong. It is the biggest denomination in America. Yes, self- described evangelical protestant are more, but they're not a denomination. So when this man talks about fundamental human rights, he is speaking to his own, and that is a big population to begin with. And putting a responsibility on you, if you're a catholic, that's what I felt the most as a catholic, by the way, a call to do something with my life.

HARLOW: For you as a practicing catholic, it's a very central part. I know of you who are and have been, but I think also speaking to those who have lack the faith or those who are trying to find their way within the faith.

CUOMO: And look, there's no question, he is here to evangelize with a small "e." He wants to grow the block. That's his job. He believes in the faith. He believes the message in this way of life is beneficial to you. It is what God intends.

But I have to tell you, even on a secular level, when you hear this man speak, you do think, I have to do the something with - you have to do the right thing. You have to do good things. And I think services is important in life no matter what you believe.

HARLOW: And that's when he says over and over again and he calls up -- I do want to bring in Father Edward Beck here for some analysis with us. And he calls up Matthew 25 over and over again. And he also says, at the end of the day, what have you done for others? What have you done to make this world better?

FATHER EDWARD BECK. CNN COMMENTATOR: He said that quoting, he said, what will you do? He was quoting Katharine Drexel who is a saint in the church, who is speaking today to the religious. And it's a wonderful story. She was the rich from the very rich aristocratic family. And her family would minister to the community and also to native-Americans. And she actually got to speak to Pope Leo XIII and she was talking about the plight of the immigrants and the native- Americans and he looked at her and then he said what will you do? And she actually, internalized it, she left her life of wealth and she became religious and she served the poor.

So that one question, what will you do, changed the life of Katharine Drexel. And he thinks it can change our life, too, if you really ask yourself the question what will you do?

[18:20:09] CUOMO: And look, and that's a big question. Bring in Delia Gallagher.

You know, people of faith, very often, focus on the rules and focus on, you know, what they believe and end there, in terms of that being the devotion of their faith.

For this Pope, Delia, how important is it that it's not what you say, it's what you do?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's both for him, I mean, certainly --

CUOMO: Delia says that whenever I ask her anything, by the way, I want you to know.

GALLAGHER: We have been listening to this man speak for about five days now. It's not important what he says, I don't know what we're doing here. But you know, clearly, the gesture is important. He's telling people to go out. He is telling people to do things. But you've got to communicate, too, right? So that's the power of the word. I mean, his whole religion is founded on the word.

The law goes, Jesus is the word, made flesh. So the word is very important in what you say. It's obviously very important. I think he's been able to do both. And we've heard from people in the crowds, saying what's really touched them about what he said.

I was sitting here today watching our air and thinking, my goodness, how many times have I heard on CNN mercy and all of the phrases that the Pope has been using and religious terminology, I mean? He's absolutely transformed this entire nation.

HARLOW: We know that he is a brilliant communicator. Whether you agree with him, Jake Tapper, on with me earlier, saying there's not a single politician in office right now who fully agrees with the Pope on everything, whether you agree with him or not what is it, Father Beck, about the way that he sends his message that is so accessible?

BECK: It is because he makes it universal. He doesn't care as Chris said, when he began, if you're Catholic, if you are protestant, if you are atheist, agnostic. Really, it's about what you do unto the least. Can you put whatever you believe, if you're a humanitarian can you serve humanity then?

Do something. And he does the same thing to church members. Don't sit in your ivory towers, don't sit on your rectories, don't sit in your churches, in that speech today, I'm in a beautiful basilica, but it's not about these walls. You're supposed to break down these walls, get out of the basilica. And I mean it was a remarkable statement. They want to show this place off and he's saying this isn't what matters.

CUOMO: He sent the priest to the slums in Buenos Aires, OK. They have surrendered to the government there. A little bit of a controversial statement, nevertheless, true, I've been there. The drug lords that now predominate there, the priests are allowed to be there, why? Because they do things for the people that they don't want to do.

When you meet those priests they say, I say how do you preach? What the message? And he is like the message is when I give them food. The message is when I help them inoculate their kids. The message is when I teach them how to read.

I said, but when you preach? He's like, that is my preaching. That's what Francis said. That's what I'm talking about the difference between people who want to say I believe, I believe, and if you don't believe this, you're not religious.

And he has an advantage over politicians. Politicians sometimes believe things, out of virtue, out of value, but most also believe things out of advantage. This is a man who only believes what he believes because that's what he is.

HARLOW: Yes.

CUOMO: That's a big advantage in delivering a message.

BECK: He'll say, you quoted Matthew 25, that's what it says, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, visit the imprisoned, you're doing that, you are serving Jesus, that's what he says.

HARLOW: He'll do that tomorrow morning. He will go to the Curran- Fromhold correctional facility on the outskirts of Philadelphia. It is the only time, Delia, I found this interesting, I was there last week, reporting on it. This is the only Pope to ever visit a U.S. prison.

GALLAGHER: I didn't realize that.

HARLOW: It is. The first time. And we know Francis has done that in Rome or he has kissed the feet of prisoners in Bolivia. He went to the most notorious prison. But no Pope before him has visited a U.S. prison.

GALLAGHER: Well, then that's another first for Francis, isn't it? I mean, that shows his outreach to the excluded wherever he goes. I mean, that is common practice for him whenever he travels in these last two years. So certainly the outreach to the excluded in word and deed is what we're seeing from him, yes.

CUOMO: That was a nice note he hit, by the way, I can't forget, I've heard so many messages now. But at some point, he brought in the death penalty, which hasn't been as resonant in American politics in recent years. So he's talking to Congress. And he brings in the death penalty and he played it in a very interesting way. One moralistic and one practical. And the practical one is a paradox that exists in Catholicism and many Christian faiths of, I am pro-life but I'm also pro-death penalty. And in recent years the Vatican, and this priest especially, (INAUDIBLE), and I often think of him that way because he's never stopped being a pastor, if you're pro-life be it across the board.

HARLOW: And you can't have it both ways.

CUOMO: Yes. And he added a moral layer to in the speech, I though was very interesting, if not even clever, which is, look. If life mats are the life matters that's in prison and the reason it matters is because maybe they can do better. And I was interesting to me online, it is one of the only things I got negative feedback on.

People are like, hold on, a baby is one thing, but these people, they are in jail, leave them there. You know, America's got work to do in the idea of incarceration and rehabilitation.

[18:25:18] BECK: Your father would be very proud of you.

CUOMO: My father would be proud of Francis. I'm not saying that not my opinion. I'm just reporting it.

HARLOW: Your father would be proud. No question about it.

A little later in the program, we are going to show you some of the inmates that we met who will be meeting with the pontiff tomorrow and the questions posed to them.

I want to get a quick break in because when we come back, there's a guy on stage you're not going to want to miss. Jim Gaffigan, the catholic comedian, absolutely hysterical. The tough job of opening for the Pope.

CUOMO: Catholic comedian, is that an oxymoron?

HARLOW: I don't think so.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:29:38] HARLOW: Welcome back. We are glad you're with us to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Poppy Harlow with Chris Cuomo here in Philadelphia.

We have some great video that we want to show you, we haven't seen before. So we'll watch it with you for the first time. First, let's roll video from inside the motorcade earlier today. Take a look.

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[18:30:00] HARLOW: And as we do watch this, I want to bring back Father Edward Beck, Delia Gallagher with us as well and Washington, D.C., Father Tim Casecki.

Chris, what do you make of the shot?

CUOMO: You know, look, it's so beautiful that he wants to demonstrate his belief in the future, his belief in the needy, his belief in the least fortunate and he just loves kids. I think that's who he is.

But you know what I love about this video, we keep talking about how people experience Pope Francis. This lets you see how Pope Francis experiences these people. Delia has been very helpful in saying how grueling his schedule is. But imagine what this is for him to be in America for the first time he get this.

HARLOW: This is also the first time that we're seeing the Pope inside the assembly room in independence hall. You remember he went in there for about ten minutes this afternoon, right around 4:15 p.m., before he came out, before he came out and gave those remarks. This, of course, so significant where the constitution, the declaration of independence were signed.

CUOMO: One of the times in American history where we were hewing most closely to the message Francis is giving right now and I'm sure that's of significance to him.

HARLOW: Delia, back to the video from inside the Popemobile, as well, you actually know the photographer.

GALLAGHER: Well, all of this video, I believe, is probably from the Vatican television. When you see the Popemobile, you see a man standing behind him with the camera. Vatican has its own television station and generally provides inside footage like this to all of the stations then.

And the other thing you see is, of course, only they are allowed to do it, the other thing you see often when he's kissing is a man who is snapping a picture, he coming up now on the right of the screen, with his camera, he is the only one that is allowed to get that close to the Pope and he's the official Vatican photographer for all Pope encounters. So he takes pictures, and anytime anybody shakes the Pope's hand,

kisses a baby, he takes the picture, and then it goes on the Vatican Web site. You can on go on the Web site. And perhaps people should know that, if they had their child kiss, they can go on the Web site and buy the picture. So if you happen to meet the Pope, and you shake his hand, that photographer will be next to you, and he must snap a million pictures in a trip and they all go on the Web site and then they are available to buy.

CUOMO: Wow.

HARLOW: So as he gets ready, Chris, for tomorrow morning, the final event, the big event, we've seen him go off-script a few times.

Let's take a listen to Jim Gaffigan, the catholic comedian, who was on the program earlier. This is sure to be a good show. Let's watch.

JIM GAFFIGAN, COMEDIAN: Thank you. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What are you guys doing here? There's like hanging out. What an amazing, amazing event this is. I am so honored to be here. I really am. I'm only staying a couple blocks from here, so it only took me five hours to get here. And it is -- you know, this is a special day, but it is -- I'd like to point out that it is Archbishop Chaput's birthday, archbishop of Philadelphia. Not only that, it is also Jim Caviezel, it's his birthday. He played Jesus. And so technically, this is Christmas. And good news is there's no church tomorrow. I've been given the authority to cancel church.

It's -- you know, if you can do me a favor, I know I'm going to be up here a little bit, do me a favor in the audience. I know when I'm done, you're going to be tempted to leave. You're going to be like, the show is over, but you know what? Stick around, we've got some amazing people coming up. There's a guy coming up, 78 years old. Used to be the bouncer of a dance club. He's going to -- he's going to talk for a little bit. Amazing.

But you know, Philadelphia, I love Philadelphia. What an amazing -- Philadelphia really stepping up, you know, amazing event they're hosting here. And you know, Philadelphia loves the Pope. Philadelphia loves the Pope. It's amazing. It's not that I was worried. I wasn't worried that Philadelphia wasn't going to love the Pope. But let's just say, Philadelphia was not too nice to Santa Claus. So -- are they booing me or Santa Claus? The Santa Claus, the state, there's still problems with Santa Claus.

But it is amazing. We have amazing weather tonight. What a beautiful night. You know, I -- a beautiful fall day. I hope everyone had a good summer because there's pressure, there's pressure to have fun during summer, right? It's like, get outside, go out there, winter's coming to kill us. Hurry up, have fun. Such pressure. Because summer is presented as a vacation. It's like a three-month vacation. For nobody but your children. And who doesn't deserve a couple months off after the rigors of kindergarten?

I have five young children, they lounge around like they just returned from fighting ISIS. And it was amazing. But now it's fall. You know, I love how we're never ready for the seasons to change. We're always -- we're always caught off guard, especially by winter. Even in November, we're going to be surprised. We're like, it's cold. What is this, every year now? And we get angry when it gets cold. We want to blame someone. We're like, it's freezing! Obama! Darn Obamacare! Obamacare, 72 degrees out there.

But I should be used to the cold weather. I'm from the Midwest, and I love the Midwest. But really, no one should live there. For over half of the year, in the Midwest, it's like -- and 200 years ago people are like, yes, let's move here. Let's settle here. That's why they were called settlers, it's pretty bad but I'll settle for it.

All of the memories of my childhood, it's always winter. It was always winter, I was trudging through slush. When I was in high school, I saw a photograph of Siberia where Stalin would send Russian prisoners. It looked exactly like my hometown. I was like, is that my bike? That's my bike. I asked my dad, I was like, why do we live here? Why would you stay? He's like, you know, severe winters, they really make you appreciate summer. It was that the moment that I realized he was an alcoholic. You're just drunk all the time.

I'm from a big Midwestern catholic family. Nine parents, thank you very much.

[18:37:41] CUOMO: Gaffigan working the crowd. Not easy. They are starting to warm up a little bit. But they are so focused on Francis that Jim Gaffigan's got his workout for him. But he is so funny. And he is really lightening the mood here, not that it needs it.

Let's take a quick break. When we come back, we'll catch more of his act. And obviously, he is opening for someone that everybody is going to stay for. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:41:11] HARLOW: Welcome back to special continuing coverage of this Pope's historic visit to the United States. I'm Poppy Harlow here with Chris Cuomo who can't help but laugh because Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan is working the crowds behind us.

CUOMO: I love calling him catholic comedian.

HARLOW: I know you don't think I should be.

CUOMO: No. He's a comedian and he's catholic, but I don't think he's billed it that. I think only for tonight, he is going to play up the first descriptor. But he's been pretty funny. It's not easy for him. You know, these people are so amped to see Francis, you know. It's already a light mood. But you know what? The crowd's warming up to him and it's going well.

So we are here on the Benjamin Franklin parkway in Philadelphia. And you know, the city has been so kind of contorted to accommodate what's happening here. You know, it is a worry that people wouldn't come because it was so -- such tight security. But, boy, have the crowds come. Let's show you some pictures of how many people in the amphitheater, that's obvious. But there are streets lined for square blocks, where there are people just up against the fence, Poppy, where you think something's about to happen and nothing's going to happen for a long time and they know it and they're still there.

HARLOW: And they have been there since early this morning. You are on the -- I'm sure, when you go off the air, and they were there. When I got off the plane this morning, they were cheering, cheering and waiting. And they have not been disappointed hearing from the Pope, thus far, and seeing him kiss so many babies on the route. He will be up on -- here in about an hour. So we'll bring you live pictures when we see the Popemobile.

I do want to bring in Father Tim Kesicki. He is in Washington, D.C. He is the father of the Jesuit conference.

And let's talk, Father, about the remarks that we heard this afternoon. The remarks on religious freedom, the remarks on immigration from Pope Francis at independence hall. The two moments that got the most applause, and frankly, the most attention, the two times he went off script.

FATHER TIMOTHY KESICKI, S.J., PRESIDENT, JESUIT CONFERENCE: Yes, this is characteristic of Pope Francis. People love when he goes off script because they feel he's speaking from his heart. It occurred to me as I was listening to him that this is really a Pope who has gone through so many changes. He saw the second Vatican council and really, he couldn't have said when he said when he was a boy.

All of what he said about pluralism and tolerance was a result of the second Vatican council. So this is a Pope who has seen change in the church. And I think he sees that change is something that is part of growth and he wants to see the church grow. So it's just so consoling and encouraging to see his spirit and his love for the church and his love for the world just come alive, especially when he speaks to a crowd like that.

CUOMO: So, let's talk impact on this specific of clergy. The bishops are going to be the ones that direct the resonance of the message after Francis leaves, certainly here in the United States. So what is the next step? We know the Senate is coming up, the Greek word for meeting, bishops will be there. How does this message get carried through in dogmatic practices across the country?

KESICKI: We're all looking to see what the Pope's message is going to be at this world meeting of families. We know that the world meeting of families is different than the Senate and yet the timing of it the Senate is coming really in a couple of weeks, early October, I believe that what the holy father says is going to be in the minds and the hearts of those who gather at the Senate.

Pope Francis already tipped his hat. He wants a more merciful approachable church. He's particularly concerned with people who feel they're out of communion in the church and that they can't have a path back to coming into full communion with the church. And he wants the Senate to address that. So I think he's going to capture the spirit of the festival of

families and the mass tomorrow in such a way that it helps to inform the conversation, the dialogue, the encounter that will take place at the Senate in October.

[18:45:07] HARLOW: It will be interesting to see sort of how his message tomorrow, Father, may change, may have been shaped, by the days that he has spent here in the United States and his time before that in Cuba and what the final parting words are before he go backs to the Vatican.

Stay with us, Father Kesicki. Thank you for that. We are going to take a quick break. When we come back, continuing live coverage of this Pope's historic visit here to Philadelphia. Live pictures coming up of his motorcade as he comes here to a million plus adoring fans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:49:15] CUOMO: We're here live in Philadelphia, a city that literally been brought to its feet. There are people ling the streets all over the place getting ready for Pope Francis. The one thing we understand he wanted to make sure he did while in the United States is hear sister sledge. And sure enough, they are performing tonight at the festival of families. It was not easy to get them. There is a little bit of a double booking issue. Pope got on the phone, it's going to happen.

Now, as you see in your screen right now. We are trying this out on Twitter. There is the hashtag, #Popein3words. How would you describe the Pope in three words? Tweet responses to #Popein3words. Poppy has been working on hers.

HARLOW: I knew Chris is going to do this. So I'm going to punt. And I'm going to go to the man who it matters more than you know when his three words about Pope. I consider mine, I think merciful, certainly is one of mine.

Father Thomas Rosica, your take on - well, let's do that first, the Pope in three words and then to you, Delia Gallagher.

FATHER THOMAS ROSICA, HOLY SEA PRESS OFFICE: I have to say my three words now?

HARLOW: You have to do it.

ROSICA: Boy. Great, happy, normal.

[18:50:17] HARLOW: I love those. He is so normal but two words. Delia?

GALLAGHER: All right. I'm going to do it one last time and give you the Latin.

CUOMO: No. Not the fiat one.

GALLAGHER: This is the classic. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE). Those are the three words the Pope uses to describe him. That's his motto. Looking on him with mercy, he chose him. And that was a references to Jesus choosing St. Matthew and that is the time when the Pope felt this kind of conversion experience. And he chose that as his own motto.

CUOMO: You aren't going to go with, you know, Delia has a theory, Father. I wanted to see what you --

HARLOW: The fiat theory?

CUOMO: Right. So the car comes. And I say, you know, this is the Pope. Humble, small, nothing grand.

HARLOW: Italian carmaker.

CUOMO: So this is more economical. And Delia looks at me and she kind of gives me like the sideways look. I said this isn't going to be good? I said what is this? She said (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE). I said what did you call me? She goes, no, no, no. This is the car. So she believe that the car is a metaphor and suggestion of that phrase. Do you believe that?

ROSICA: She has really studied very well. She's done her research. She forgot one word to add to that. It is a fiat focus. The Ford focus in Rome. The Fiat in America.

GALLAGHER: You are going some publicity for Ford.

CUOMO: I still think sometimes a car is just a car, Poppy.

HARLOW: Sometimes, I think I mind a Chris a seat. But who am I to question a Vatican expert here?

ROSICA: The key is the simplicity of this man. He doesn't need those big SUV or, you know, Rolls-Royce.

HARLOW: It makes him more among the people, of the people in a car like that.

CUOMO: No question about that. And that is going to be a lot of people's car I predict going forward. I think he made the popular.

Now, when are at the conflate, Father Rosica came right after Jorge Mario became the Pope. And I was like so what's your enthusiasm about what this is? And he said -- you said this is going to change things. Has it lived up to your expectations? Quickly tell us and we'll go to break?

ROSICA: No. There has been remarkable change. But it is interesting what that change is. Pope Benedict was an outstanding Pope, a great mind. He will be a doctor of the church one day in my mind, a theologian. But the church was going through some very difficult times. We needed a lift. We needed a shot in the arm.

And when I saw that night, and you're the first one I spoke to after I came down from the balcony from the arms, the upstairs. And I said something happened tonight. It's going to bear much fruit for the church. And you know what it was, when he asked people to pray over him, that screaming crowd. And he bowed and asked us to pray over him.

HARLOW: And he still asked that very important question.

ROSICA: Pray for me. Pray for me.

HARLOW: At the end of every set of remarks.

We will get a quick break in. Stay with us. Live special coverage of the Pope today. Remarkable trip to the United States. And remarkable night ahead here live in Philadelphia. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[18:57:27] HARLOW: This is the moment Chris Cuomo has been waiting for all week.

CUOMO: This is my jam.

HARLOW: This is his jam. This is sister sledge performing here at the festival family, ahead of the Pope. Let's take a moment to listen in.

(SISTER SLEDGE PERFORMING)

END