NZ Pontifical Mission Societies director meets Pope Leo XIV

Christchurch priest Fr Michael Pui was in Rome for the annual assembly of national directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS). The encounter with Pope Leo took place in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican.

The Pope “gave a short address in English, and encouraged us in our work and asked us ‘ . . . to give priority to visiting dioceses, parishes and communities, and in this way help the faithful to recognise the fundamental importance of the missions and supporting our brothers and sisters in those areas of our world where the Church is young and growing’”, Fr Pui said.  

“After the speech, there was an air of excitement as the Pope greeted each one of us personally.“

When Fr Pui was waiting in line with other national directors to greet the Pope, he was told not to say anything, so as not to slow down proceedings.

“Instead, when the time came, I said to Pope Leo, holding up four fingers – ‘Your Holiness, it’s been nearly forty years since a Pope came to our shores.  Please come and visit New Zealand . . . ‘.  If he comes to New Zealand, I am going to claim the credit!

The previous day, the Assembly of Directors was addressed by the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.

Fr Pui posed the final question from the floor to the cardinal, “asking his thoughts about our task to update the statutes of the PMS; and that the ‘draft’ statutes may still contain elements that stifle ‘creativity’, which Pope Francis asked us to explore in our work”.

During his visit to Rome, Fr Pui was on hand for Pope Leo’s first Wednesday public audience. He was also among a group of people who paid their respects at the tomb of Pope Francis at the Basilica of St Mary Major.

FULL STORY

https://missio.nz/news-articles/lastest-news/ (MissioAoteroa)

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