Pope Francis recently issued an Apostolic Letter on the liturgy, encouraging Catholics to recall the profound meaning of the Eucharistic celebrations. Pope Francis’ "Desiderio desideravi" follows the motu proprio "Traditionis custodes” and reaffirms the importance of ecclesial communion. The Apostolic Letter is not a specific directive but rather a meditation on the beauty of liturgical celebration and its role in evangelization. Bishop Luis Zarama reflected on "Desiderio desideravi", which he described as “simple and beautiful” and echoed Pope Francis’ appeal to, "Let us abandon our polemics to listen together to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Let us safeguard our communion. Let us continue to be astonished at the beauty of the Liturgy.”
Bishop Luis also recently spoke at a Eucharistic Congress in the Diocese of Atlanta. Nationally, there is an effort underway by the American bishops to promote a better understanding of the Eucharist in the life of the Church, which will culminate in a National Eucharistic Congress scheduled for 2024 in Indianapolis. Here in the Diocese of Raleigh, leaders are discussing the potential for a local Eucharistic Congress in 2024, the same year the diocese will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding.