This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the representatives of the El Sembrador-Nueva Evangelización Network.

The following is the greeting the Pope addressed to those present:

Greeting of the Holy Father

Dear “Noeles Díaz”, welcome!

I greet Noel Díaz, founder, who shone my shoes on a journey; I thank him for having initiated this communicative “mission” that led him to create the ESNE television channel. I still remember when I met him, on the aeroplane that took us from Rome to Cuba and then to Mexico in February 2016. I was finishing my tour among the journalists, when I saw that one of them – it was when he polished my shoes – threw himself to the ground, he landed there, and started cleaning my shoes. Noel had promised his mother that he would have polished the Pope’s shoes. And here I will pause a moment, so that each of you may think of your mother. For some she is alive, others have her in Heaven, but with a heart of gratitude for all that they have received from their mother. That legacy that only mothers can give.

I am struck by the look of faith he has, and the dedication to Providence. And that is how ESNE began. And so began that dream, which is possible and continues thanks to the commitment of this community of communicators, of those of you who are here, and of so many other collaborators. Do you know who the main patron of communication is? The Holy Trinity, because they live by communicating with each other. They live by communicating with one another. Think about it! Thank you for continuing to dream! Thank you for continuing to evangelize, faithful to Saint John Paul II’s call for the new evangelization!

I have heard of the fine project “Yo soy el 73”, a special consecration to Jesus to build a community of evangelizers capable of communicating the joy of the Gospel and God’s mercy. And today we have a great need for disciples who continue the mission entrusted by the Lord, by Jesus Christ, also evangelized through the communications media. Thank you for the work you do.

And thank you for bringing the voice and the message of the Pope to so many people in the United States and in other Spanish-speaking countries. Thank you, because you help so many brothers and sisters to pray, to follow the Holy Mass from home if they are unable to move, to receive Christian formation and ecclesial news.

I thank you also, and above all, because with your work you are close to so many immigrants from various countries in Latin America, who need points of reference, messages of consolation in their mother tongue. Do not stop doing this. I thank you also for the collaboration you have maintained for years with the Vatican media and the Dicastery for Communication.

I encourage you to keep going, without ever ceasing to look to Heaven and to your brothers and sisters who are most in need: look to Jesus, look to those most in need, and do so generously and creatively, always anchored to the rock of Peter, always docile to the directions of the Church.

I pray for you, and I accompany you with my blessing. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Pray for, not against! Pray. Thank you.