In his General Audience, Pope Francis remembered his recent trip to Hungary and Slovakia—reflecting on what he says were the three central aspects of his trip: prayer, roots, and hope.
The Pope called his 34th apostolic journey a pilgrimage of prayer, in which he remembered the deep roots of the Christian faith in Europe, and witnessed signs of hope for a future built together with those of different faiths
He also gave a special greeting to pilgrims from England and the United States, particularly to the new seminarians at the Venerable English College in Rome.
SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
My recent Apostolic Journey to Budapest and Slovakia was centered on prayer, roots, and hope. Above all, it was a pilgrimage of prayer, framed by the closing Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, and the celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows at the shrine of Šaštin in Slovakia.
Prayer, witness and reconciliation are especially important for a Europe where the sense of God’s presence has become weakened. In the Divine Liturgy celebrated in Prešov, we recalled the deep roots of Christian faith and life in those
lands, grounded in the evangelizing efforts of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and often forged by the experience of suffering and martyrdom.
Throughout my Journey, I saw signs of hope for the future: in the enthusiasm of the young people at Košice, in so many young families and many quiet examples of charity and concern for those in need.
In my meetings with our Jewish brothers and sisters, with the followers of other religions and with the Rom community, we stressed that the path to the future must be traveled together, in a spirit of fraternity.
I am grateful to all who made my Journey possible and I ask you to pray with me that the seeds we have sown will bear much fruit.
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially the groups from England and the United States of America. In a particular way my greeting goes to the new seminarians of the Venerable English College as they begin their priestly formation here in Rome. Upon all of you, and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord.
May God bless you!
