In November 2024, FADICA pilgrims attended a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis at the apostolic palace in Vatican City. The audience was a blessed beginning to FADICA’s five-day Rome pilgrimage, in which FADICA members engaged multiple leaders at the Vatican on topics like safeguarding, global human development, faith consistent investing, and education and culture. The audience was covered by Deborah Castellano Lubov in a Vatican News story.
Pope Francis delivered an official “Greeting to the FADICA Catholic Philanthropy Network“ to our fifty-person delegation. In this memorable address, His Holiness said:
“I am especially grateful for the support that you give to the offices of the Holy See that seek to discern the signs of the times and to help the universal Church to respond with wisdom, charity and foresightedness to the needs and challenges of the present moment. At the same time, I thank you for your quiet encouragement of so many initiatives that enrich the life and apostolate of the Church in the United States.”
FADICA’s 2024 Rome pilgrimage, “A Journey in Synodality,” occurred just weeks after the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality in Rome. FADICA pilgrims sought to apply synodal-style methods during the week of shared learning, discernment, and prayer. In the greeting, Pope Francis drew a connection between a synodal spirit and the nature of a network such as FADICA. His Holiness said:
“As a ‘network’ FADICA is naturally ‘synodal’ in that it counts on the common vision, commitment and cooperation of so many individuals, families and foundations. I ask that this synodal spirit of solidarity and generous concern for others will always be nurtured by a sense of gratitude for the abundant gifts the Lord has bestowed upon us and an ever-deeper experience of the transforming power of his love.”
At the private audience, FADICA CEO & President Alexia Kelley and Board Chair Michael Wolohan delivered a message from the delegation conveying gratitude and blessings, as well as reinforcing FADICA’s interest areas informed by His Holiness’s leadership:
“We are in Rome on a pilgrimage to deepen our faith and knowledge of the Church and Synodality. We are grateful for the opportunities to partner with the Vatican to support the Church’s mission, including FADICA members’ partnership with the COVID Commission and the Synod.
Your leadership has guided FADICA over the last 12 years, including our focus on Faith-Aligned Investing, Safeguarding, and Caring for our Common Home. Next year, on the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si, we will host a Summit with Church leaders to support the work of the Church in the US to care for our common home.”
The papal audience concluded with time for individuals from the delegation to greet His Holiness with a prayer, question, or brief message.
Deborah Castellano Lubov covered the audience in a Vatican News article, “Pope to Catholic philanthropists: Keep spreading Jesus’ love.” You can read more here, on Vatican News.
A public version of Pope Francis’s greeting to FADICA pilgrims can be found here, on the Holy See’s Press Office’s online bulletin.
We are grateful to His Holiness Pope Francis for generously giving time and blessings to our pilgrimage.
