The Pope met today with old acquaintances, the team of CELAM, the Latin American Episcopal Council, which brings together bishop conferences from Mexico to Cape Horn.
There were jokes during the meeting.
'Having fun?'
CARD. RUBÉN SALAZAR Gí?MEZ
CELAM President
'It is always a very beautiful meeting with the Pope, for the Pope certainly has the charisma to discern what is the most important, the most fundamental, and this helps us a lot to discern our task.'
The six senior CELAM members are visiting the Vatican departments this week to exchange viewpoints, and especially to present to them the 80 programs in which they are working on in Latin America.
Next year is the 10th anniversary of the historic conference that Benedict XVI opened in Aparecida, Brazil, bringing together representatives of the Latin American Church. Although for now it is not necessary to organize a new conference, these bishops are dreaming of another papal visit to their continent.
CARD. RUBÉN SALAZAR Gí?MEZ
CELAM President
'Everytime I meet the Pope, I remind him about the trip. The Pope always tells me, you can be sure I'll go to Colombia. The problem is that it is not easy squaring a date, squaring circumstances. But the Pope is going to Colombia.â?
Pope Francis has assured the bishops that in 2017 he will travel to Colombia. A tour that could include stops in other countries in the area, and also in Argentina.
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