Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing met with Pope Francis this morning along with his fellow bishops from Michigan and Ohio. Tu es Petrus!
“We met for about two hours and throughout that time the Holy Father was very friendly, very forthright, very keen to listen, and very fraternal in his approach to us as brother bishops,” said Bishop Boyea, December 10.
“We discussed a wide range of topics including the health of our parishes, our evangelization efforts, which he applauded, and again and again he reminded us that bishops and priests have to have a deep intimacy with God in prayer. That’s something he hit on very strongly.”
The bishops of Michigan and Ohio are currently on their week-long ad limina visit to Rome in order to meet with Pope Francis and various Vatican departments. The aim of the visit is to discuss both the present and future health of the Catholic Church in each of the dioceses of Michigan and Ohio.
The term ad limina refers to the Latin phrase ad limina apostolorum meaning "to the threshold of the apostles", a reference to the pilgrimage to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome which is required of every bishop. The visits usually take place every five years.
Credit photo: Vatican Media/CNA
