Virginia Flens has seen three popes in person — two of them on the White House Lawn in Washington, D.C. Flens, the mother of Father Dan Flens, former assistant to Cardinal George, was one of 15,000 on hand to see Pope Francis Sept. 23 as he met with President Obama. Later that day she and her family also attended the canonization Mass of Junipero Sera at the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Flens’ son Bill works for the State Department and obtained tickets for Flens, himself, her daughter and her son-in-law. This most recent experience on the White House lawn was disappointing. “The whole set up was disastrous,” Flens said. Screens were set up broadcasting the speeches but there was no audio on the lawn. Also, the screens faced into the sun and made it difficult to see the broadcast. It was a much different set up from when Pope Benedict XVI visited the White House in 2008. During that visit the pope and President George W. Bush spoke from the balcony. “Everything there was much more organized and coordinated,” she said. “But this was a sad situation for those of us standing. We didn’t see. We didn’t hear.” The podium where Pope Francis spoke from was only a few feet off the ground so those behind the first few rows didn’t have a clear view of the pontiff. Those beyond that had no chance to see him except for on the large screens. “Everybody had their cell phones out following everything on TV,” Flens said. Despite the poor audio and visuals, she said she appreciated being there and witnessing the historic occasion. The canonization Mass at the basilica was totally different. “In a score of one to 10 it was a 10-plus,” Flens said. The crowds were courteous and the event organized. Pope Francis even passed by her and her family in the popemobile. The peaceful nature of the Mass stayed with the mother of six afterward. “There weren’t massive protests,” she said. “It was such a peaceful, blessed event.” The universality of the church was also apparent with the people from various ethnic backgrounds attending Mass and saying Mass responses in their own languages, she said. “It’s such a melting pot and yet it’s such a unified melting pot,” she said. And at the end of the day, it’s always good to see a pope of the Catholic Church, no matter who he is — John Paul II, Benedict XVI or Francis. “We get his message, but what makes it special is when you can see the messenger and he’s saying the same thing,” she said.