Pope Francis spoke to a crowd of about 2,400 during Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia on Saturday. He urged laypeople to take on more active roles in the Catholic Church while still respecting spiritual authority, The New York Times reports.
"We know that the future of the church calls for a much more active engagement on the part of the laity," Francis said.
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After landing in Philadelphia, Francis' last stop on a nine-day trip to the U.S. and Cuba, the pope stopped on the airport tarmac to bless a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, The Los Angeles Times reports.
Francis is also expected to visit the Independence Mall and the Festival of Families on Saturday.
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