U.S. Bishop Delegation to Join Bishops of the Americas in Mercy Congress

WASHINGTON—A delegation of U.S. bishops led by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, USCCB president, will join bishops from the Americas and the Caribbean in a jubilee gathering to celebrate the Year of Mercy in Bogota, Colombia, August 27-30.

WASHINGTON—A delegation of U.S. bishops led by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, USCCB president, will join bishops from the Americas and the Caribbean in a jubilee gathering to celebrate the Year of Mercy in Bogota, Colombia, August 27-30.  
The gathering of bishops, clergy, religious and lay leaders, titled the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy on the American Continent was organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Latin-American Episcopal Conference in conjunction with the bishops of the United States and Canada, and the Knights of Columbus. 
"Pope Francis has spoken on the need to go out to the periphery and not to be turned in ourselves as a Church. This jubilee gives expression to this call," said Archbishop Kurtz. "As a wave at a sporting event makes its way around the stadium, so this world wide wave of mercy is the grace of Jesus touching hearts."   
Other U.S. bishops attending the gathering include Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami; Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas; Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California; and Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Through a series of discussions those gathered seek to communicate the gift of God's mercy and witness of personal, pastoral and missionary conversion in the Church, and a service toward a culture of encounter, reconciliation and peace.---Keywords: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, jubilee gathering, Year of Mercy, U.S. bishops, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy on the American Continent, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Bishop Mark Seitz, Bishop Jaime Soto, Bishop Oscar Cantú
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