PALM BEACH GARDENS | Called to the Vatican in September to participate in an annual formation program for new bishops, Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez was able to do some fundraising for the Diocese of Palm Beach around the same time. Following eight days of scheduled events at the Vatican, he was able to enjoy some quality time with a group of 27 pilgrims from the diocese who donated funds to aid priestly vocations.
In an interview with the Florida Catholic before Pope Leo’s lung surgery, Bishop Rodríguez said it was good to be back in Rome, where he lived three years as a Salesian seminarian before being ordained a deacon there in 2003. He had been back to Italy several times over the years.
The formation course, held by the dicasteries for bishops and evangelization with the theme of “In Christ, Guardians of the ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ in Times of Transformation,” is held to inform recently appointed bishops on current policies of the Holy See and the worldwide situation of the Church, he said. The attendees were versed in the “pastoral challenges that the Church has in general, and also to offer the new bishops a possibility to strengthen their personal bonds with the Holy Father as the successor of Peter and among the other new bishops. It’s a beautiful experience.”
Insights into a bishop’s role
The bishop said he gained several insights during the training about the role of a bishop, including that he must serve the needs of all in his care.
“The diocesan bishop is to make sure that he provides support to the entire community in a way that is, at the same time, pastoral and in a way that is also effective, making sure that the right decisions are being made at the right time and that people are being served in the best way,” he said. “That’s always the focus of the mission.
“At the same time, it remains absolutely important to focus on, at a personal level for the bishop, not to get dragged into activism, but always prioritizing time to be in a communion of prayer with the Lord, living a personal sacramental life in a very consistent way, and allocating time to study and to reflect in order to be able to lead with an appropriate comprehension of issues,” Bishop Rodríguez said.
The heads of various Vatican dicasteries who spoke to the new bishops emphasized the importance of understanding the complexities in a given situation, working with others and not rushing to conclusions.
“We are living in a society that is rapidly changing. So, discernment is very important,” he said. “The centrality of people’s dignity remains an urgent call in the different ministries that we are to develop. All of that was part of the discussions, in general.”
The challenge of safeguarding children and others who are vulnerable was also given particular attention as one of the core aspects of concern, along with the procedures the Church has set in place to address the situation, the bishop added.
The course stressed “dialogue, fraternity, and openness and simplicity of communication,” he said. In February, he plans to attend a similar program organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Then in July, a team from Villanova University, the alma mater of Pope Leo XIV, will offer training for bishops on Church management. Bishop Rodríguez said he is already registered for it.
Meeting Pope Leo
It’s no wonder that a high point of attending the formation course was the chance to meet Pope Leo. On Sept. 10, the last morning of the program, the bishops were invited to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father, meet him and have lunch. What was it like meeting Pope Leo for the first time?
“I greeted the Holy Father with love and affection, and the Holy Father was very pleased to see all of us,” the bishop said. “And then I invited him to come to Palm Beach. He promised that he would be happy to come. I gave him a bandana, our sign for World Youth Day, and a copy of my book on sexual abuse victims. He was very kind and very wonderful.”
Another highlight of Bishop Rodríguez’s time in Italy was being with local pilgrims to help support the House of Discernment for men considering the priesthood. Operated in the rectory of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Riviera Beach, participants can experience a structured environment of prayer, fraternity, spiritual accompaniment and pastoral life while continuing to fulfill their professional, academic or personal responsibilities.
Thanks to the generosity of the pilgrims, the diocese was able to raise more than $100,000 for the House of Discernment, Bishop Rodríguez said. The latter part of his time in Italy, Sept. 10-17, “was an opportunity to appreciate the love and the commitment that all of the participants in the pilgrimage have for the Diocese of Palm Beach. How much they love the diocese, how much they love to help, and then it was an opportunity to get to know them personally, having so many meals with them, going to Assisi, going to Castel Gandolfo.”
They enjoyed a two-night stay in Assisi, where they visited and celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis, then to the Basilica of St. Clare, the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels that contains the Portiuncola — the tiny church rebuilt by St. Francis, where he died — and the Church of St. Mary Major, which houses the body of St. Carlo Acutis.
Memorable moments
Back to Rome, the pilgrims “went to Castel Gandolfo (the papal retreat) and we had a very privileged visit with the head of a program that the Holy See is putting together now known as Borgo Laudato Si’. He’s a priest from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Father Manny (Father Manuel Dorantes, administrative and operations director), and it was beautiful to see a firsthand account
of how they do everything, the facilities that they have,” the bishop said. Borgo Laudato Si’ is an ecological and sustainability center that brings to life Pope Francis’s vision of integral ecology, circular economy principles and environmental stewardship.
Other significant events on the pilgrimage included tours of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome and the Wednesday general audience with Pope Leo XIV, where he again got to greet the Holy Father and introduce the pilgrims to him.
That was the part of the trip that left a lasting impression on Bishop Rodríguez — being with Pope Leo, “a man of peace and a man of profound, profound respect for people’s dignity and an incredibly wise and courageous man.” The bishop added that it was a high honor to be with the Holy Father and thank God for the gift he is to the Church.
“The Church is stable and growing. This is a time of stability and a time of peace, and we need to keep praying for our Holy Father because he’s setting the Church on the rock of communion with the Lord and communion among ourselves. We need to keep working in a very steady, conscientious manner toward the goals that will ensure stability for all,” he said.
In true Italian style, like tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain that “guarantees” a return trip, Bishop Rodríguez is planning to be back in Rome in September 2027 for the Florida bishops’ five-year ad limina visit.
To keep up to date on activities in the Diocese of Palm Beach, visit www.diocesepb.org/news.
