Vatican City, Mar 4, 2017 / 06:35 am
As Pope Francis leaves Sunday to begin his annual Lenten retreat, Fr. Giulio Michelini, the priest leading this year's spiritual exercises, said he hopes Christians around the world will be inspired to join in.
"I will be grateful to all those that are listening to us, that these exercises will be shared by all who believe in Jesus Christ," Fr. Michelini told CNA. "We can do them together."
"I know that people will go to work, will go to school, will be busy during these days," he said, but "we can read the Passion according to Matthew's Gospel, and that can be a way to pray to the Holy Spirit so that the Church will be more united."
Pope Francis and members of the Roman Curia will make their annual five-day spiritual exercises retreat at the Casa Divin Maestro in Ariccia, a city located some 16 miles outside of Rome. Located on Lake Albano, it is just a short way from the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.