Bishop Mark Edwards OMI has taken the news by storm, with stories flowing across the globe of a monumentally historic occasion. During the final weeks at the Synod, each small group needed to prepare their final statement to relay back to the Pope and Bishops. Bishop Mark gave the honour of presenting the report to Yadira Vieyra, a young female lay auditor from the United States. This the first occasion ever in history where a female and a layperson have had the honour of presenting a document at such a high level as ordinarily it would have been done by a Bishop. This simple act by Bishop Mark has touched the hearts of many young people around the world, and particularly many young females in the Church. It shows Bishop Marks’ Oblate heart, which yearns to be close to the people and to work alongside them for the Mission of God. After her reading, Pope Francis asked Yadira for a hug and told her in Spanish, that “she shone up there.” Let us continue to pray for the Synod and particularly the youth of the Church who will be affected positively by its outcomes.
The event was featured on Salt+Light TV in Canada.
See the video below.