Pope's Historic Address Gets Special Focus For Catholic Students

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Catholic students in the Twin Cities stopped to listen in school Thursday to Pope Francis' address to Congress.

Teenagers and teachers alike praised his message and were grateful to be able to hear from the pontiff during his three-city visit to the United States.

At Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul, a big part of the curriculum has focused on the pope in recent days.

The school has combined classes on religion, art and government to mark his visit to the United States.

After the pope's address, religion teacher Martha Boerschlein says her students are now a part of history.

"It's kind of wonderful," she said. "They're learning about the history of our country, which [Pope Francis] talked about in his speech here, and they're also seeing him as a spiritual leader."

One student said she liked how the pope's message connected people across borders and cultures.

Ahead of the pope's address, students watched documentaries on the pontiff.