Salesian among recipients of “Ecclesia in Europa”

Vatican City 28 June 2003 – Among the representatives to whom the Holy Father personally presented copies of his Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Europe” this evening was the English Salesian Fr Bernard Grogan, since 1996 member of the Casa Generalizia community in Rome. 

In the context of the celebration of the First Vespers of the Solemnity of SS Peter and Paul held in St Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father signed and promulgated his Apostolic Exhortation “Ecclesia in Europa” following the Continental Synod of Bishops for Europe, held in the Vatican in 1999.

Then, in a simple but suggestive ceremony, he gave copies of the new document to 11 representatives of the Church in Europe who had taken part, in various capacities, in the Synod of Bishops in 1999. These included seven members of the Synod of Bishops: four Cardinals and three Bishops; two female religious and a young lay man who had been observers at the Synod; and Fr Grogan who as a priest and religious had been an “expert” at the Synod.

Fr Grogan, who since 1996 has been the Secretary of the General Councillor for Formation and responsible for some of the translation work at the Pisana, had in fact been privileged not only to be present at the Synod, but also to have worked as part of the team that beforehand prepared the working document for the Synod, and afterwards helped draft the document that was given to the Holy Father so that he might prepare his Apostolic Exhortation.

The full text in seven languages  is available on the Vatican site:  http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/