For pope visit, local homeless advocate invited to White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A nationally recognized advocate for the homeless is just one of the many of local people who are in Washington, D.C. for Pope Francis' first stop on his trip to the United States.

Sister Mary Scullion, of Philadelphia's Project HOME, was personally invited by the White House to be among 1,000 guests on the South Lawn to greet the pope Wednesday morning.

She spoke to Rick Williams and Monica Malpass, calling her invitation a "great honor," adding she is "excited" and "grateful."

But she is also hopeful and challenged to do even better in the coming months and years.

"We've made a lot of steps forward in addressing the issues of hunger and homelessness, but we have a long way to go. The only way we're going to get there is if more and more people get involved, and that's what Pope Francis is challenging all of us to do," Scullion said.

Crowds cheered as the pope arrived at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, D.C. on Tuesday afternoon.

President Barack Obama waved to the crowds as he accompanied his wife and daughters to the red carpet at the front of the plane.

The pope stopped at the end of the red carpet to accept a bouquet of flowers from a young girl. Then he and Obama proceeded with their entourages past the crowd and into the terminal.