During their last visit to the Vatican, bishops of southern Spain received a request from the Pope: to take care of popular piety and brainstorm on how to evangelize better.
In the Spanish city of Seville alone, some 700 organizations participate each year in worship projects, like the Holy Week processions.
Now, they have decided to organize an international congress of brotherhood to share experiences and promote evangelization. Over 3,500 members are expected to participate.
ABP. JOSE ÁNGEL SAIZ MENESES
Archbishop of Seville
At the present time, I believe that the fraternities resolve, in a very positive and convenient way, an issue that is key to the mission of the Church today: the transmission of the faith.
They are like a treasure in the life of the Church that we must value, that we must accompany, that we must love.
The congress is endorsed by the Vatican. Pope Francis has designated a top Roman Curia official, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, as his speical envoy.
Three prefects of dicasteries will also attend and will lead presentations. They are Marcello Semeraro of the Causes of Saints; José Tolentino de Mendoza of Education and Culture; and Kevin Farrell of Laity, Family and Life.
Notable Spanish figures in Rome will also be at the congress, including the rector of the Church of Santiago and Monserrat, who is also a canon of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major.
The international congress will end with a procession on December 8 that will reflect the traditional processions in Seville and include the notable members who traveled for the conference.
ABP. JOSE ÁNGEL SAIZ MENESES
Archbishop of Seville
These figures have never coincided together in a procession. It will be a historic moment, a moment that I hope evangelizes and a moment of prayer and expression of love and fervor to the Lord and to Mary.
But the work will not stop with the closing procession. This congress is the prelude to a meeting that will take place next year in Rome during the Jubilee.
ABP. JOSE ÁNGEL SAIZ MENESES
Archbishop of Seville
We are going step by step. First, the congress, then we will participate in the Jubilee of the Brotherhoods in Rome, that will also feature two traditional images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
This will be the second time that Spanish floats from the region of Andalusia are seen in a procession in Rome. This also happened in the Jubilee year 2000 under the watchful eye of Pope John Paul II.
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