Bishop Gomez: "Hispanics have a great potential for evangelization".– Supernatural National Association of Hispanic Priests The United States is holding a convention in Rome from November 14 to 17. The congress, entitled "In Dialogue with Peter", included an audience with Pope Francis on the 16th.
During the meeting, the Holy Father delivered an address in which he spoke about the openness of the Church, the National Eucharistic Congress and the need to lean on Christ.
At the beginning of his speech, Francis said that "the Church is a house with open doors, to which all come from East to West to sit at the table that the Lord has prepared for us. For this reason, the Pope warned against the danger of "ecclesiastical exquisiteness". He encouraged those present to focus on what is essential, on Jesus, whom "must be sought in Scripture and in the Gospel, in silent adoration".
The Pontiff also took the opportunity to mention the National Eucharistic Congress. Drawing inspiration from the two models chosen as patrons, the Pope highlighted St. Manuel Gonzalez. Following the example of this priest, Francis urged those present not to abandon neither those who suffer nor the Lord in the Tabernacle.
Serving in faith
The Pope encouraged priests to recover "the call of Jesus to serve," to always be at the disposal of others, without closing the door on them. He concluded his speech by inviting those present not to put "their trust only in great ideas, nor in well-designed pastoral proposals".
Francis affirmed that he is terrified "when they come with all the pastoral programs". On the contrary, what he asked of priests is that they abandon themselves "in the One who has called them to give themselves, and asks them only for fidelity and constancy, with the certainty that it is He who brings their work to completion and will make their efforts bear good fruit."
