The 800 priests from the Redemptoris Mater Seminaries in the Americas (North, Central, and South), along with their formators and itinerant catechists from their respective countries, participated this morning in the General Audience with Pope Leo upon his return from a mission to parishes in Italy, where they proclaimed the Gospel without a bag, without money, and without a cell phone.
During his catechesis, the Pope commented on the Apostolic Constitution *Sacrosanctum Concilium* on the Liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, and invited Christians to experience the Eucharist to the fullest, through proper preparation and by embracing the full richness of the Word of God, thanks to the lectionaries prepared after the Council. At the end of the audience, the Pope addressed the priests with these words:
“I warmly welcome the priests of the Neocatechumenal Way, who come from various countries: I hope that the daily celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice will be a source of strength for you in your ministry to the People of God.”
Pope Leo XIV
These words were met with a long and enthusiastic round of applause.
Before setting out on their mission, the priests met with Kiko Argüello at the “Tent of Gathering” in Porto San Giorgio, where he encouraged them to go from city to city proclaiming Christ:
“When you proclaim the kerygma, you announce that the divine nature revealed in Christ is that God loves humanity infinitely—even if they are wicked—and desires to be a part of them. If a person believes this through a divine miracle, God can dwell within them! God desires to be within them, but He cannot do so without that person’s free will, and the only way is to ask them. That is why He has chosen to save the world through the foolishness of preaching, through the kerygma. There is nothing greater than proclaiming the Gospel, and that is why we say with Saint Paul: ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!’”
Commenting on the words of Jesus Christ, when he sent the apostles out two by two to proclaim the Kingdom of God: “Whoever receives you receives me,” Kiko reminded the priests of the early days of the Way: “It is God who does these things; it is God who wanted someone to receive us, who led the Archbishop of Madrid, Monsignor Casimiro Morcillo, to the shantytowns and then led us to the parishes. It is God who guided Father Dino Torregiani—founder of the Servants of the Church—to attend the catechesis in Ávila and invite us to come and preach in Rome.”
Faced with the discouragement of so many priests—due to the crisis of faith, nearly empty parishes, and the lack of vocations—Kiko told them: “We would like to bring this new wind, this charism for Christian Initiation, to the entire Church in Italy. It is a gift from the Holy Spirit to the Church to help her. Many holy priests today are suffering from the de-Christianization that is currently taking place.”
No bag, no money… And no cell phone. It was as if St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic de Guzmán, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and so many other saints had risen and set out once more to proclaim the Gospel. Bishops and parish priests came to visit them as a sign of kindness and love for the Church.
Inviting them to walk with the Bible and the Rosary, Kiko reminded them that “St. Louis Grignon de Montfort prophesied that in recent times a legion of evangelizers would walk with a double-edged sword in their hands—the Bible on the left and the Rosary on the right—and would walk the roads of Europe.” St. Louis Grignon de Montfort was an itinerant preacher who proclaimed the Gospel throughout southern France, deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary. You, too, will set out, walking with the Bible and the Rosary, proclaiming the Gospel in Italy.”
Everyone returned from the mission happy, having witnessed miracles they could not even have imagined, and having brought comfort to so many parish priests who welcomed them. After participating in the papal audience, the priests capped off these days of mission with a joyful Eucharist at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica to celebrate the Solemnity of St. John the Baptist. They then returned to the Neocatechumenal Center in Porto San Giorgio, where they continued to meet with Kiko Argüello until Sunday; but before returning to their parishes in various countries throughout the Americas, they visited the Holy House of Loreto, where they celebrated the Eucharist and entrusted their mission to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
