Talking about Pope Francis is all the rage!  I found these with just a quick search on my facebook feed:

From a priest:  I was supposed to meet a parishioner for dinner this evening at a local watering hole but he has apparently forgotten. Sitting here alone in my collar, more people have come over and said hello and talked about the pope’s visit and their practice of faith than I have ever experienced. I’ve run out of business cards and am down to telling people to “follow the bells”. As a priest, I have never been happier to sit alone in my collar in a saloon!

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I just heard a CNN commentator remark that she grew up Catholic, was a lapsed Catholic then a disgusted Catholic because of the abuse scandal. Now she’s been back to Mass because of Pope Francis and was moved watching his motorcade pass.

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At the County Fair Evangelization booth, a young lady (covered in tattoos, btw) stopped and asked how she and her infant son could get baptized. She had watched some of the coverage of Pope Francis this week and figured it was about time. Her family is nominally Catholic but she was never taken to Church. That was definitely the highlight of my experience at the booth this year.

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A comment on a friend’s blog: “I don’t identify myself as a Catholic, though watching Pope Francis this past week has taken me back to my childhood days in the Catholic Church. I must say, this visit by the Pope has been SUCH a blessing to me…I have literally not been able to turn my eyes away from the almost constant news coverage of this historic visit. There’s just such a positive, and loving energy that radiates from Pope Francis, even from watching on tv! This has prompted deep reflection on my part…on my love for God and has ignited a yearning for MORE–more of God, in MY life. I’ve decided that I will be attending Mass next Sunday…there’s something about the reverence of God that is so strong in a Catholic mass, and I miss that and want to have that experience again. I’m also glad to have stumbled across your blog….some pretty awesome stuff here. God bless you!”

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“I went to confession yesterday and Father assigned for penance to say a Hail, Holy Queen for all those who are being touched by the Holy Spirit during the Pope’s visit. He shared that he is being stopped in the street, people are knocking on his door asking how to come back to the Church! One man went to confession after 58 years!! Please pray for all these men and women…”

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Pope Francis has opened the door for all of us to engage our friends and family in talking about Jesus (/the Church/Christianity in general).  This is a time of great grace for the Church in America!  Don’t let any of these opportunities slip by.

Related: “I’m not Catholic, but…” 24 Quotes from Non-Catholics About Pope Francis’ Visit to the U.S.