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| Pope Francis meets with Bishop Robert C. Morlino. (Photo by Servizio Fotografico/L’Osservatore Romano) |
Bishop Robert C. Morlino met with Pope Francis for the first time at his audience on October 9 in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
In his column in the October 17 issue of the Catholic Herald, Bishop Morlino said of Pope Francis, “I was overwhelmed by the genuine human warmth that he exuded — a warmth which was at the same time deeply spiritual.
“They were brief moments but warm ones, and I told him that I was bringing the prayers, the love, and the fidelity of the people of the Diocese of Madison, and he wanted me to assure you all of his special blessing.”
Bishop Morlino said that during his audience, the Holy Father spoke of that unity which we find in the Church by way of the Church’s nature of being “catholic.” It is a unity in diversity, he said, because the Church provides the fullness of faith to all.
“In conjunction with our Year of Faith theme, Pope Francis used the beautiful metaphor of a symphony in which each of the members has his or her own role, but in which those unique members are called to harmony — harmony with the Holy Spirit, who he called the “master of harmony.”
The goal, he said, is not simple uniformity, but harmony in our Catholic faith — all peoples coming, from where they are, into unity,” said Bishop Morlino.
To read Bishop Morlino’s column, click here.