Genuine happiness with the Pope

My name is Alison Jenyon, I am aged 48 and I work as a HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) at St Joseph’s RC Infant and Nursery school, Reddish and I am also a trainee teacher studying at Liverpool Hope University as a distance learner.

I feel incredibly honoured to have been chosen from so many to be a part of this amazing historical event, particularly knowing the small number that were to attend this special audience.

We arrived on Thursday afternoon and joined hundreds of excited school children already watching the Mass being shown live from Bellahouston Park. It was fantastic to think that this pilgrimage was really underway and that we were all a going to witness something very special.

Friday morning we students were equally as excited as the school children on the field. We had already seen the Popemobile parked up outside the chapel whilst we were having breakfast and that really was the first occasion when we realised it was really happening. After rehearsing the hymns a few times we watched the big screens for his arrival at the chapel. This was a lovely moment, everyone joined in with the prayers and responses as though they were attending the service.

When he arrived and travelled around the track to the stage the Pope was so close to us all, there was one small child and a barrier between me and the Holy Father. When he spoke I found him genuinely happy to be with us all. His address was pitched beautifully for all to appreciate from the youngest child to the more mature student as myself! It was all over too soon but in that short time he had left me with lots to think about.