News
By Philippa Hitchen*
Just a stone’s throw from the United Nations headquarters in Geneva lies the English-speaking Roman Catholic parish of St John XXIII. Together with the central Notre Dame Basilica, it provides for the spiritual needs of a diverse international crowd of diplomats, UN staff, business people and domestic workers.
It’s a vibrant, if transient, community, with five English Masses celebrated each weekend and a host of other educational and social activities and prayer groups taking place in its recently renovated community centre.
Two previous popes came to pray in its modern circular church, and parishioners are a tiny bit disappointed that Pope Francis isn’t going to provide them with the hattrick they had been hoping for. But over two thousand of them are going to be attending the Mass he’s celebrating at the Palexpo convention centre, the final event on his 21 June schedule in Geneva, following celebrations to mark the World Council of Churches' 70th anniversary.
Fr Paul Friel, from Glasgow in Scotland, is the priest of St John XXIII parish. He says everyone is very excited about the visit because Francis is “a pope who touches many hearts by his actions.” He adds that “His call for mercy and joy of the gospel is fantastic, and he also is a pope who encourages strong dialogue and ecumenical growth within the church.”
* Philippa Hitchen is a Vatican-based journalist
