200 NY Catholics traveled to Rome to meet Pope Francis — and attended his funeral instead

A group of nearly 200 prominent New York-area Catholics traveling in Rome this week were hoping  to meet Pope Francis — never guessing they would be on hand to pay their final respects instead.

After months of planning, worshippers from the Archdiocese of New York — including former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly — were gearing up Wednesday to leave for a week-long trip to Italy’s capital.

The trip was meant to celebrate both New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan’s 75th birthday, as well as this Jubilee Year, a special time for grace and forgiveness observed every 25 years in the Catholic Church…

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