ROME, mda. A couple of days ago, Father Pedro Pergañeda, pastor of Arroyo Seco Assumption Parish in Argentina, along with Monsignor Mario Maulión, Bishop Emeritus of Paraná, had the immense gift of having a personal meeting with Pope Francis within the context of the canonization of John XXIII and John Paul II.
After carrying out a series of dealings, along with Bishop Maulión, he obtained an audience with Pope Francis, who he had only seen from a distance before this emotional meeting became a reality.
Father Pedro Pergañeda relates:
Dear all, at last we were able to work out this greatly desired moment, and God’s gift was beyond our expectations; we were with Pope Francis.
When we arrived at Santa Marta House (St. Martha), we were kindly asked to enter a library, and we expected that the Pope would enter at any moment. The heart was beating rapidly. At a given moment, a Swiss guard appeared, but wearing a black suit and he asked us to accompany him. He asked us to enter an elevator, and he took us to the 2nd floor. It was a very large hall and what a surprise! A door opened and Francis appeared, and we were speechless.
He, very humorously, asked us to enter a room with some blue chairs (as are seen in the photos); it was his private apartment. He invited us to sit and he began a beautiful and informal conversation about different subjects.
The simplicity of this man of God is incredible. Then he gave us some gifts, and we asked him if he could send a greeting to Bishop Eduardo Mira. He not only gave us something for him; but rather, he wrote a short letter (as you can also see in the photos). While he was doing this, I was taking pictures of his desk, his bedroom, and an altar where he had some statues, among them was a beautiful one of Saint Joseph sleeping.
Then we asked a Swiss guard to take pictures of us with him. The meeting lasted for forty-five minutes more or less, and at the end, we asked his blessing for us and for our families and all the people that we know. I especially asked him for his blessing for all of Arroyo Seco. This moment was impressive.
At the end, Pope Francis accompanied us to the elevator and we bid him farewell, promising to pray for his ministry. ALLELULIA!!!!!!!!!
You have no idea with what joy we left. From there we went with the Bishop to Saint Peter’s Basilica, and we prayed a Hail Mary in front of the picture of Piety in thanksgiving for what we had just experienced.”
The simplest and most missionary of Schoenstatt with Francis
In another example of his simplicity and freedom, Francis allowed the Argentinean priest to take photos of his bedroom. On the Holy Father’s night table, there is a picture of the Blessed Mother, a Pilgrim MTA that he received during World Youth Day in Río de Janeiro. The Pilgrim MTA, the symbol of the simplest and the greatest missionary of Schoenstatt close to Francis, who calls us to be simpler and greater missionaries…
Dear Mother of the Lord and our mother…Educate us to be your missionaries for this century, in covenant solidarity with Francis.
Original Spanish: Translation Celina M. Garza San Antonio, TX USA
With material from Religión digital , Spain, and http://arroyodiario.com.ar, Argentina
