UNITED STATES
Crux
By Michael O’Loughlin
National reporter September 16, 2015
In Brazil, Pope Francis questioned whether bishops there were capable of keeping Catholics in the Church.
In Korea, he lectured the prelates to shed worldliness, success, and power. In Paraguay, he warned bishops not to put themselves on a pedestal.
With extraordinarily high profile addresses planned for his US visit next week – to Congress and the United Nations – a third, more intimate address has so far escaped intense scrutiny, but nonetheless holds potential to be among the most consequential: The pope’s prayer service with US bishops.
Next Wednesday, Francis will gather with about 300 American bishops at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Washington for a 45-minute gathering, during which he’ll deliver an address in Spanish.
If the pope’s tough speeches to bishops during past apostolic visits are any indication, US bishops should prepare for more than just a papal pep rally.
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