The Plenary Assembly of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, welcomed the invitation of His Beatitude the Latin Patriarch Fuad Tual of Jerusalem, to meet in the Holy Land from September 11-16th.
The Assembly consisted of meetings, pilgirimages and celebrations, all lived with true fraternity which reigned throughout the meeting which had two themes: The person of Jesus and the sharing of joys and challenges of the Church in Europe.
Pope Frances sent a message on september 14th, in which he greeted the Bishops and said: “May your rest in the Lord renew you in holiness of life and apostolic zeal toward those who are entrusted to your care. It can also revive the freshness of the Gospel“.
From Galilea, the prelates visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem and after visiting the institutes for charity which are at the service of the community, there was a solemn Mass, presided by His Beatitude, in the church of St. Catherine, next to the grotto of Bethlehem where the Son of God was born. Our sisters of the Sacred Heart of the Incarnate Word from the Bethlehem community participated with joy in this Celebration to mark the ‘Year for Consecrated Life.
Read the final message of the Ordinaries for Plenary: