July 2016 | Hōngongoi
Diocesan News | Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a Rohe Pīhopa
Photo: L’Osservatore Romano
Bishop Owen Dolan, Emeritus Coadjutor Bishop of Palmerston North, is pictured with Pope Francis, pointing out to him the presence of the St Vincent de Paul group at the General Audience, just 50 metres away. Pope Francis acknowledges the group with a wave.
Bishop Dolan was at the International Assembly of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, held in Rome 3‒5 June 2016. There were National Presidents from well over 100 countries present at the Assembly.
New Zealand was represented by Terry Comber, National President of the Society of St Vincent de Paul in New Zealand.
At the meeting Mr Renato Lima de Oliverira from Brazil was elected as the new International President of the Society.
The Gospel reflection of the day from Pope Francis was ‘I exhort you to pray with special intensity to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary that they will teach you how to love God and neighbour with full dedication’.
Bishop Owen said it was a wonderful experience to be there in Rome with people from over 100 different St Vincent de Paul Societies from all around the world. ‘Seeing and meeting Pope Francis was absolutely marvellous. He is so relaxed and easy going and very much alive and animated with everyone he meets.’