U.S. Catholic officials gather in El Paso before the pope’s visit
It’s not just Pope Francis who’s coming to the Borderland. Catholic officials from across the country are also making their way to our region. ABC-7 spoke to a prominent Cardinal who has some thoughts on what the pope is likely to tell worshipers Wednesday.
The US bishops in the region to see Pope Francis gathered at St. Pius for mass Tuesday morning, including Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, no stranger to the message a visit from the pope can bring.
“I think the presence of the holy father here at the border is precisely to draw attention to the plight of refugees and immigrants,” O’Malley said, “not just here in the southwest but all over the world.”
O’Malley was a part of the pope’s visit to the United States and has also ministered to Central American refugees. He said he’s seen how people suffer because of the separation of their families and living in fear.
“I think the holy father, particularly with his emphasis on the gospel of mercy, the social gospel of the church,” O’Malley said, “has helped to change the conversation about the church in the United States and other parts of the world. It’s very encouraging, but he’s simply preaching the essence of the gospel. It’s something he’s always done.”
