“The news of the death of Pope Francis was the first thing many people woke up to Monday morning, and for the Catholic community in Reading, the loss felt personal.

At St. Peter’s Church, parishioners came together quietly, some with candles, others in tears, looking for space to reflect, to grieve and to pray.

One of them was Veronica Hidalgo, who has been part of the church since she was a little girl. She joined the choir at 13, and on Monday night, she stood in front of the congregation, singing for someone who had meant so much to her.”

WFMZ

wfmz.com

Community in Reading gathers to mourn, pray for Pope Francis

Pope Francis was the first Latin American pope, and for many in Reading's Latino Catholic community, that connection ran deep.