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‘Baby’ Bishops in Rome

The Vatican’s New Bishop School was back in session.
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Bishop Karol recently travelled to Rome to meet with the Pope and join more than 150 other newly ordained bishops, or as they are more light-heartedly known ‘baby bishops’, to attend a weeklong closed-door formation course.

The seminar, usually held annually, culminated in an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall. The theme of the 2022 edition was “to announce the Gospel in the changing epoch and after the pandemic: the service of bishop.”

The course included talks on the topics of crisis management, especially in the context of abuse, social media, and canon law in diocesan administration.

Other themes covered were the meaning of a synodal Church, education for synodal leadership, and the Church after the pandemic.

The formation also addressed the holiness of bishops, family, and universal fraternity.

On the last day the bishops celebrated Mass at St Peters, venerated the relics of St Peter and had an audience with the Pope

Then it was off to Molfetta for Bishop Karol where he addressed the debutants in Port Pirie;

‘Please receive my apology for not being present with you on such an important celebration. As I am not able to join you in this important celebration, I will visit your hometown of Molfetta to experience and pray in your Cathedral.

The main celebration of Madonna dei Martiri in Molfetta is held on the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bishop Domenico Cornacchia wrote in his message on this occasion:

Our city of Molfetta has a profound link with the Mother of God, invoked for centuries with the title of Madonna dei Martiri. This relationship is a profound and lively devotion that is expressed above all with the traditional September festival capable of strengthening the beauty of the past with the topicality of the present, originating a renewed community sense.”

May this celebration of Madonna dei Martiri and blessing of the fleet fill your hearts with peace and joy. May it be a time of renewal of your love for one another, may it be a time of strengthening the bond in your families’.

Jennifer Wainwright

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Author: jennifer