Vatican City, Jun 23, 2017 / 13:42 pm
Pope Francis offered encouragement Friday to members of Serra International, which promotes religious vocations, urging them to persevere in their "beautiful vocation of being laity who are friends to priests" and to "(k)eep moving forward!"
Pope Francis said June 23 that friendship "is central to the experience of faith."
Serra International is a lay apostolate dedicated to promoting vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and does this by both prayer and assistance to discerners.
Serra's conference is taking place from June 22-25 in Rome under the theme Siempre Adelante, "keep moving forward." Friday's papal audience was open to all attendees after a Mass in St. Peter's.