Pope Francis receives Western Catholic Bishops in audience

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Following the Ad limina visit of the Bishops from Atlantic Canada, it is now the turn of the members of the Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops. On the first day of their Ad limina visit, 27 March to 2 April 2017, after celebrating the Eucharist in Saint Peter’s Basilica at Saint Peter’s tomb, they were received in a private audience by Pope Francis. During the audience they had the opportunity to present an overview of the life of the Church in their pastoral region. The Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg, is the President of the Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops.

In the coming weeks, Canada’s other Catholic Bishops of the Latin Rite, as well as the Eparchial Bishops and Apostolic Exarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches whose Sees are based in Canada, will travel to Rome on their Ad limina visits. The next regional group of Bishops from Canada to visit the Holy See will be the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, 24 to 29 April 2017.