Family meets Pope Francis after 13,000-mile journey

An Argentinian family that made a detour into South Jersey during their 13,000-mile, 194 day trip to see Pope Francis got to meet his Holiness.

A Vatican spokesman said Francis met with Catire Walker and Noel Zemborain and their four children Sunday morning. The family made the trip in a Volkswagen bus. Walker and Zemborain quit their jobs in food service and marketing to lead their children on the unforgettable tour of the Americas. They made 12 border crossings to make it to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

The Courier-Post reports that toward the end of their journey the VW broke down in Delaware and the call went out to the community of VW fans to track down replacement parts. Parts from found in Edison and Volkswagen of America and brought to Steven and Nikki Toughill's auto shop in Hainesport for repair.

“They are very inspiring people,” Steven Toughill said of the Walkers to the newspaper.. “They don’t care about material things. It was very refreshing to hear them tell their story.”

Father Frederico Lombardi says it was a very interesting moment and that the family's experience has touched the pope, who is from Argentina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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