Papal visit, Synod on Family top agenda at USCCB meeting

(Vatican Radio) The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is meeting in St Louis this week for their annual Spring General Assembly.

At the top of this years’ agenda: Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in September, and the upcoming Synod on the Family which will take place in Rome in October.

“We have a packed two and a half days,” Archbishop Joseph Kurtz told Christopher Wells. Speaking in a phone interview, the President of the USCCB said the September visit of Pope Francis to the United States would be high on the Bishops’ agenda. “We’re all thrilled that he’ll be coming, and spending a good deal of time with us.” Archbishop Kurtz said he expected the papal visit to be a great source of renewal, not only for the Church in the U.S., but also for the country as a whole. “We’re eager for our Holy Father to be present with us, for us to be in union with him, for us to hear from him, because his words captivate people throughout the world. And he’ll be a great source of renewal and conversion and new energy, for the Church, and I hope for our nation when he comes in September.”

As President of the Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Kurtz will be presenting a summary to the bishops on the consultation of U.S. dioceses for the 2015 Synod on the Family. Of the many themes that have come up in the course of the consultation, Archbishop Kurtz spoke about three in particular:

1. The need to highlight the beauty of the teaching of Jesus on marriage and the family, to which the Church must always be true;

2. The call for Catholics to be witnesses to their faith and to the beauty of married love; and,

3. The need to accompany families that are hurting.

Archbishop Kurtz emphasized that the Bishops’ message to the faithful and to the nation “will always begin with the message of prayer and centering our faith in Jesus Christ.” During the two and a half day gathering, the Bishops will gather for Mass and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and will have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Confession. “Those spiritual events are highlights for all of us, and I think symbolically speak volumes that we as Bishops need to beseech the Lord, to call ourselves to holiness, and God willing, to lead all in that path of holiness.”

The Church’s teaching on marriage and family, he said, would be another major part of the Bishops message. “There’ll be a great call with regard to marriage and family, and the need for our renewal. There are really challenges in our nation today, and people  hunger to hear about the beauty of marriage, as we also acknowledge the dignity of every human person.”

Listen to the full interview of USCCB President Joseph Kurtz, Archbishop of Lousiville, Kentucky, with Christopher Wells: