Pope Francis visits New York City

Pope Francis has arrived in New York City, where he will deliver mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral early Thursday evening. His plans this evening include a motorcade along Fifth Avenue and a vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

He speaks to the U.N. General Assembly on Friday, visits the 9/11 Memorial and goes to Madison Square Garden for a Mass with thousands of attendees. (AP)
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Evening prayerPope Francis leads an evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Jason DeCrow/AP)

Pope Francis leads prayer
Pope Francis leads an evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Robert Deutsch/USA Today/AP)

Pope Francis gives a sermon
Pope Francis speaks during evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, Sept. 24, 2015. (Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP)

Pope Francis delivers a speech
Pope Francis delivers his speech as he leads an evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Evening prayers
Pope Francis is joined by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, during prayers at the altar of Saint Elizabeth before the evening prayer service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Mary Altaffer/Getty Images)

Entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral 
Pope Francis enters St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Anthony Behar/Getty Images)

Acknowledges well-wishers 
Pope Francis acknowledges well-wishers outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (L) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) © look on, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Damon Winterl/Getty Images)

Arriving at St. Patrick’s
Pope Francis waves as he arrives at St. Patrick’s Cathedral to lead an evening prayer service, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Julie Jacobson/AP)

Bird’s-eye view
Pope Francis is viewed from a window at the St. Regis Hotel as he makes his way down Fifth Avenue towards St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Pope in a handbag 
A picture of Pope Francis peeks out of a handbag along Fifth Avenue before his arrival at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: John Minchillo/AP)

Pope waves to crowd
Pope Francis waves to the crowd with Cardinal Timothy Dolan as they ride down Fifth Avenue in the popemobile, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Julie Jacobson/AP)

On the way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral 
Pope Francis’s motorcade travels down Fifth Avenue, Sept. 24, 2015, on the way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. (Photo: Richard Drew/AP)

Motorcade on Fifth Avenue
Pope Francis’s motorcade moves through New York City streets, Sept. 24, 2015, on the way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he will lead an evening prayer service. (Photo: Richard Drew/AP)

Crowds await motorcade
Crowds watch as the pope’s motorcade moves through New York City streets, Sept. 24, 2015, on the way to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where he will lead an evening prayer service. (Photo: Richard Drew/AP)

Down Fifth Avenue
Pope Francis makes his way down Fifth Avenue towards St. Patrick’s Cathedral Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Anthony Behar/Getty Images)

Heightened security
A New York City police officer searches nuns outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral prior to the arrival of Pope Francis in New York, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015. (Photo: Damon Winter/The New York Times/AP)

Helicopter ride to city
Pope Francis boards a waiting helicopter during his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport Sept. 24, 2015 in New York City. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/Getty Images)

A kiss for Maria
Pope Francis greets Maria Teresa Heyer, a first-grade student from Brooklyn, after his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/AP)

Engaging well-wishers
Pope Francis engages well-wishers, including Gerard Gubatan of Brooklyn, after arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/AP)

Pope blesses children
Pope Francis reaches out to fifth grader Omodele Ojo of Brooklyn, John F. Kennedy International Airport Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/AP)

A gift for the pope
Pope Francis is given a gift at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Sept. 24, 2015 in New York City. (Photo: Craig Ruttle: Getty Images)

Pope Francis arrives at JFK
Pope Francis arrives at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Craig Ruttle/Getty Images)

The pope is a doll
Pedestrians take photographs of Pope Francis dolls displayed in front of a 7-Eleven on Fifth Avenue, Sept. 24, 2015, in New York City. (Photo: Bryan Thomas/Getty Images)

Prayer of the Day for Friday, September 25, 2015

The Prayer Thank You God! Dear Loving and Compassionate God,
Giver of all gifts,
we pray especially today for the mercy and love You give us.
Open our hearts and minds to You.
Give us the grace to accept your mercy.
As we live each day,
we pray for those less fortunate,
especially those who are hurting,
and whose wounds need to be healed.
Help us become involved in ways that show them how deeply
we care.
Give us the personal courage to listen to their concerns
and help them find the solutions to which they are
entitled.
as Your children and our brothers and sisters.

Amen.

Daily Reading for Friday, September 25th, 2015

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Reading 1, Haggai 1:15--2:9

¹ In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of Yahweh was addressed through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel governor of Judah and to Joshua son of Jehozadak the high priest as follows,
² 'Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "This people says: The time has not yet come to rebuild the Temple of Yahweh." '
³ (And the word of Yahweh was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows,)
⁴ 'Is this a time for you to live in your panelled houses, when this House lies in ruins?
⁵ So now, Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "Think carefully about your behaviour.
⁶ You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but feel no warmth. The wage-earner gets his wages only to put them in a bag with a hole in it."
⁷ Yahweh Sabaoth says this, "Think carefully about your behaviour.
⁸ Go up into the hills, fetch timber and rebuild the House; and I shall take pleasure in it and manifest my glory there -- Yahweh says.
⁹ The abundance you expected proved to be little. When you brought the harvest in, I blasted it. And why? - Yahweh Sabaoth declares. Because while my House lies in ruins, each of you is busy with his own house.
¹⁵ This was on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month. In the second year of King Darius,

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 43:1, 2, 3, 4

¹ Judge me, God, defend my cause against a people who have no faithful love; from those who are treacherous and unjust, rescue me.
² For you are the God of my strength; why abandon me? Why must I go around in mourning, harrassed by the enemy?
³ Send out your light and your truth; they shall be my guide, to lead me to your holy mountain to the place where you dwell.
⁴ Then I shall go to the altar of God, to the God of my joy. I will rejoice and praise you on the harp, O God, my God.

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Gospel, Luke 9:18-22

¹⁸ Now it happened that he was praying alone, and his disciples came to him and he put this question to them, 'Who do the crowds say I am?'
¹⁹ And they answered, 'Some say John the Baptist; others Elijah; others again one of the ancient prophets come back to life.'
²⁰ 'But you,' he said to them, 'who do you say I am?' It was Peter who spoke up. 'The Christ of God,' he said.
²¹ But he gave them strict orders and charged them not to say this to anyone.
²² He said, 'The Son of man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.'

Papa Francisko yuko Marekani

Papa akipokewa na Rais Obama mara baada ya kutua katika uwanja wa Kijeshi wa Marekani akitokea Cuba - EPA

Jumanne,Baba Mtakatifu Francisco alikamilisha ziara yake kisiwani Cuba na kupanda ndege katika uwanja wa kimataifa wa Santiago akielekea Marekani Washington D.C , kwa ndege ya Altalia , safari iliyomchukua muda wa saa sita akiwa angani.Hii ni mara ya kwanza katika Maisha yake Papa Francisko kwenda Marekani.
Akipita katika anga za nchi,  kwa njia ya telegramu alipeleka salaam zake za matashi mema kwa wakuu wa nchi akianzia Rais Raul Castro Ruz, akisema “wakati naondoka katika taifa pendwa la Cuba, napenda kutoa shukurani zangu za dhati kwako wewe na watu wote wa Cuba kwa mapokezi mazuri mliyonipatia. Nami nawaombea Baraka za Mwenyezi Mungu, kwenu nyote na ninawahakikishia maombi yangu kwa ajili ya amani na ustawi wenu nyote”.