Fr. Joe Tedesco attends Superiors Chapter Meeting in Assisi, Italy
Fr. Joe Tedesco, Superior of Mepkin Abbey, meets Pope Francis during the General Chapter Meeting of the Superiors of The Order of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance
The Order of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance held a General Chapter of all Superiors in Assisi, Italy for three weeks, September 2-23, 2022.
During this occasion, all participants were invited to a private audience with the Holy Father, Pope Francis. It was a singular honor to be in the presence of the Pope.
In his talk, the Pope went on to list the four dreams summarizing them as “a dream of communion, a dream of participation, a dream of mission and a dream of formation.” In conclusion, he said, “Let the grace of your Baptism bear fruit in a journey to holiness. Let everything be open to God and to this end choose Him, choose God again and again. Do not be discouraged, for you have the power of the Holy Spirit to make it possible, and holiness, after all, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life.”
After his talk each of us had a moment to greet the Holy Father and receive his blessing.
Participants in the General Chapter Meeting of the Superiors of The Order of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance with Pope Francis in Assisi, Italy.