Dear friends in the Lord,
You are formally invited to Rome to celebrate together with Pope Francis, in the Vatican City, the 175th anniversary of this ecclesial service now recognised as a Pontifical Work. The occasion takes place on the Solemnity of the Heart of Jesus, Friday 28th June 2019, in the Paul VI Audience Hall. This invitation is extended to the youth branch, the Eucharistic Youth Movement.
We are not gathering only to celebrate the founding of the Apostleship of Prayer in 1844, a past event of our history. We our celebrating our present as the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (which includes the EYM), after 175 years. We want to celebrate the ten years since the start of the process of recreation, encouraged by Fr. Adolfo Nicolás SJ, then superior general of the Society of Jesus (2009), as well as the five years since Pope Francis gave his approval to this process (2014). Our birthday leads us to give thanks to the Lord for His loyalty, to see the ways in which He continues to act in the present as in the past, and to open ourselves to our future.
We extend the invitation to everyone in the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) – including the EYM – to participate in their home country or to come to Rome:
FRIDAY 28TH JUNE – Solemnity of the Heart of Jesus
– Celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Apostleship of Prayer) and the meeting with Pope Francis. Paul VI Audience Hall – time: 10:00 – 12:30.
– Eucharistic Celebration in the Church of the Gesù at 19:00 with the Father General of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Arturo Sosa SJ and the International Director, Fr. Frederic Fornos SJ.
We want 28th June 2019 to be an occasion to give thanks to the Lord for all the good we have received over the years of this process of recreation.
SATURDAY 29TH JUNE – Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
– Meeting of all the national directors and coordinators in the world. The Father General will be present for part of this occasion. Time: 10:30-12:00
– Meeting of the young people, supervisors and team leaders of the Eucharistic Youth Movement in Rome – San Saba. Organisation and coordination: EYM Italy: 19:00 onwards.
We invite all national teams to organise a celebration in their own country on the same days, or at another suitable time, to share together in prayer and joy. See the practical document.
Let us place this meeting and celebration in the hands of the Heart of Jesus.
Fr. Frederic Fornos SJ
International Director
International Assistants
Fr. Luis Ramirez SJ – Sr. Lourdes Varguez RJM