[Excerpt]

When Pope Francis told a group of U.S. community organizers that their work was "atomic," Jorge Montiel said, "I thought, 'Oh, you mean we blow things up?'"

But instead, the pope spoke about how the groups associated with the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation in the United States take issues patiently, "atom by atom," and end up building something that "penetrates" and changes entire communities, said Montiel, an IAF organizer in Colorado and New Mexico.

Pope Francis' hourlong meeting Sept. 14 with 15 delegates from the group was a follow-up to a similar meeting a year ago. Neither meeting was listed on the pope's official schedule and, the delegates said, both were conversations, not "audiences."

Elizabeth Valdez, an IAF organizer in Texas, said the delegates told the pope about their work to promote a living wage, to welcome immigrants, to protect the environment, to improve schools and to get more people access to mental health services -- all efforts that grew out of listening to people in their communities talk about what they needed and then building partnerships with churches, synagogues or mosques, unions, local nonprofits and community service providers.

Pope Meets US Leaders Patiently Building Culture of Solidarity, US Conference of Catholic Bishops / Catholic News Service [pdf]

San Antonio's COPS/Metro Met with Pope Francis, Catholic Television of San Antonio [video]

Pope Francis Meets Colorado Catholic and Other US Leaders Patiently Building 'Culture of Solidarity,' Denver Catholic [pdf]

Pope Francis Gives 'Big Thumbs Up' to Together Louisiana Solar Program at Vatican, The Advocate  [pdf]

Pope Meets US Community Leaders Building 'Culture of Solidarity', Angelus News [pdf]

Ayala: 'Like Talking to a Friend' -- San Antonio Activists Inspired by Meeting with Pope Francis, San Antonio Express-News [pdf]