On Monday 13 March last, as Pope Francis marked the tenth anniversary of his election as Pope, Irish bishops offered prayers of thanksgiving for the Holy Father, for his pastoral leadership of the Universal Church and for his intentions.
During their Spring General Meeting this week in Maynooth, bishops remembered in a special way the inspiring pilgrimage of Pope Francis to the 9th World Meeting of Families in Ireland in August 2018. Bishops also recalled the warm welcome and open conversation with Pope Francis, for over two hours, when he met with members of the Bishops’ Conference at that time met during their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit to Rome in January 2017.
Bishops expressed particular gratitude for the writings of Pope Francis – such as his 2013 apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world, Evangelli Gaudium; his 2015 encyclical letter on care for our planet, Laudato Si’; and his 2016 apostolic exhortation on love in the family, Amoris Laetitia – which have all been popular and bestsellers in Ireland.
ENDS