The International Vice Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, Fr. Cristóbal Fones SJ, along with the National Director of the United States and Continental Coordinator, Fr. Joe Laramie SJ, spent several weeks visiting various aspects of the organization’s work in this part of the world. In Miami, they celebrated the Eucharist and led a prayer through songs with the Ignatian community at the Manresa Center. They also met with Archbishop Thomas Wenski to discuss the mission in this land that unites so many diverse peoples from Latin America.
The highlight of the visit was their participation in the grand gathering of youth leaders from the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement, which is celebrating 40 years of presence in the United States. More than 1,400 young leaders from various parts of the country gathered, along with their chaplains and formators. It was a true celebration of hope. In addition to their participation in the opening concert, Fr. Cristóbal and Fr. Joe addressed the assembly with a talk about the spirituality of the Heart of Jesus and the history of the EYM in its broader global context.
Later, in Washington D.C., they presented the work to officials from various departments of the Episcopal Conference and had a personal meeting with the president of the USCCB, Archbishop Timothy Broglio. Additionally, the national team met with the president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States, as well as the president of the Prayer Network Foundation in the USA, to review their efforts together and plan the organization’s presence for the coming years.
