WASHINGTON, D.C. - Mary Jo Copeland, founder of Caring and Sharing Hands, met with Pope Francis Thursday in Washington, D.C.
About six months ago, she and Bishop Andrew Cozzens sent a hand-writer letter to the Pope requesting he visit Minneapolis during his time in America. Three weeks later, they received a call saying they had been invited to meet the Pope. Copeland, 73, her husband, Richard Copeland, and Bishop Cozzens traveled to Washington to meet the Pope at the Vatican Embassy.
"It was like touching the face of Jesus. I mean that. He is a very warm, spiritual, loving man and he has the heart of Jesus," Copeland said. "I said oh Pope Francis, Holy Father, would you pray for me so I can continue my work? There's a lot of work to do, you know? Then I knew. He shook his head like he would pray for me forever."
Copeland said she hugged Pope Francis and he hugged back. She says she then gave him her book and a sacred heart. She was so overjoyed she nearly cried.
"It's called one of those powerful moments that will never happen in life again, unless he comes back and you never know ... I have enough faith to know that he might."
