Do loud pipes help God hear our prayers better?

Ask the bikers whose loud and proud Harley engines almost drowned out the Latin recitation of the "Our  Father" prayer spoken by Pope Francis as he greeted the crowd before Mass this morning (June 16).

Standing in his open-top "popemobile", the Pope drove up the main road leading to St. Peter's Square, blessing the thousands of people in what served as a giant Harley parking lot.

Once the service started, bikers in their trademark leather Harley vests sat in the square alongside nuns and tens of thousands of faithful Catholics taking part in an unrelated pro-life rally.

Francis addressed both groups afterwards, giving a blessing to the many participants of the Harley gathering. According to Fox News, there were estimates of a half million Harley owners from around the world gracing the streets of Rome for the four-day anniversary of the Harley Davidson company. The main events were yesterday's parade past the Coliseum and other historic landmarks and today's Vatican blessing.

A Vatican spokesman said that there were probably quite a few Catholic riders in the crowd and that regardless, anyone is welcome to a papal Mass.

.In his comments to the crowd, Pope Francis offered prayers "for every human life, especially the most fragile, defenseless and threatened."

He then spent about a half hour after the Mass caressing, kissing and chatting with a few dozen sick or disabled people in the square, including one on a motorcycle wearing Harley apparel.

Let's all watch out for motorcycles. Look twice. Save a life.

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