Bishop Francis visited California Diocese
January 25-31I visited the California Diocese in late January. The purpose of the visit was strictly to strengthen the bonds of unity between the church in California and the rest of the communion. I met with the lay delegates to Synod, most of the clergy, and Bishops Armando and Peter. Every diocese or area of the country is naturally going to have a local flavor, and thus the Church is going to “incarnate” differently in each milieu. Our unity will be held together, I believe, through the wisdom of the ancient phrase of unknown authorship, quoted by Pope John XXIII in his first encyclical: “But the common saying, expressed in various ways and attributed to various authors must be recalled with approval: in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.” (Ad Petri Cathedram, 1959, paragraph 72). I so enjoyed being with these beautiful people, as always.
