Rome
Bishops: meeting with Pope was ‘remarkable and intimate’
The bishops of England and Wales have described their two-hour meeting with Pope Francis last week as a “most remarkable and intimate experience”. In a statement after a week-long ad limina visit to Rome, they said the Pope gave them a simple message: “to live the gift of our faith with joy”. They continued: “As we spoke with Pope Francis we realised, more and more, that he simply radiates this joy and peace. Even in this time of turmoil, the Holy Father is so clearly rooted in God and blessed by God. His peace is secure. His life is serene. We know, because he showed us his heart. It is the heart of a loving father.” Francis has changed the format of ad limina meetings, preferring open conversation to giving a speech.
