The executive committee of the Conference of Major Superiors met with the pope on May 6 to discuss male religious life in the States. I was Vice President so I got to go! He spoke to us about the need for catholic education, vocation promotion, ongoing formation of religious and the relationship between male religious and bishops.
He called for religious to awake the dawn, live authentic lives of service and prayer, and be joyful in proclaiming the gospel in our religious communities and our ministries. And he thanked us for our lives.