PARISHIONERS JOY AT MEETING POPE FRANCIS
On Saturday 5th September thirty three Cell People from Leixlip and the surrounding areas met with Pope Francis in the Vatican. On foot of an invitation issued by the Pope there were over five thousand in attendance from around the world. In his remarks to those present in the Paul VI Hall, Pope Francis on Saturday spoke about the importance of being a missionary and said above all this requires listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit who is at the heart of evangelization. He also underlined how their daily work helps the parish community become a family, where, the Pope said, “we find the rich and multifaceted reality of the Church”, and where no one is judged. He also added, that sharing time together, such as in the home “is a genuine experience of evangelization that is very similar to what happened in the early days of the Church. “Finally, the Holy Father encouraged the group present to make the Eucharist the heart of their mission of evangelization, so that each cell is a Eucharistic Community “where the breaking of the bread is to recognize the real presence of Jesus Christ in our midst.” Fr. John McNamara who accompanied the Leixlip group celebrated Mass on Saturday in the Vatican and on Sunday in the Pontifical Irish College for all those present and at home.
