Pope Francis encourages laity to step up during Mass in Philly

Pope Francis
(Image credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images)

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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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.