Michigan, Ohio bishops say 'ad limina' visits were time of prayer

Published: 2004-05-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Bishops from Michigan and Ohio said they soaked up strength, encouragement and peace during their early May "ad limina" visits to the Vatican. Whether explicitly mentioned or not, the clerical sex abuse crisis and its impact on U.S. Catholics influenced the atmosphere and the discussions during the May 2-8 visits. In interviews with Catholic News Service, several bishops agreed with the assessment of Bishop Carl F. Mengeling of Lansing, Mich., who said, "this 'ad limina' was far more spiritually oriented" than the 1998 visit. Bishops are required to make the visits every five years to report on the status of their dioceses; the six-year gap in the U.S. visits was due to the fact that all "ad liminas" were pushed back a year after the visits were suspended in 2000 because of the pope's busy Holy Year schedule. Each group of U.S. bishops begins the visit with a concelebrated Mass near the tomb of St. Peter in the grotto of St. Peter's Basilica. The Latin phrase "ad limina apostolorum" (to the thresholds of the apostles) is a reference to the pilgrimage to the tombs of Sts. Peter and Paul the bishops are required to make.

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