MASS and VISIT with POPE FRANCIS

Today, Thursday, January 16, it was a great grace to concelebrate Mass with Pope Francis in the Chapel at Domus Sanctae Martae, and then later in the morning, to have a private Audience with him.

The MASS          Each weekday morning Pope Francis celebrates Mass at 7:00 AM in the Chapel of his residence, Domus Sanctae Martae.  Today, Cardinal Carlos Amigo Vallejo, OFM, the Archbishop Emeritus of Seville in Spain, also concelebrated, together with a group of Italian priests.

It is so evident that Pope Francis is a man of prayer, a holy Successor to St. Peter.  It is remarkable how he is able to reflect on the Scriptures of the day without any notes or text--but flowing directly from his prayer life and from his heart. Vatican Radio provided this synthesis of the Pope's homily:

"Scandals in the Church happen because there is no living relationship with God and His Word.  Thus, corrupt priests, instead of giving the Bread of Life, give a poisoned meal to the holy people of God.

Commenting on the day's reading and responsorial Psalm which recount the crushing defeat of the Israelites by the Philistines, the Pope notes that the people of God at that time had forsaken the Lord.  It was said that the Word of God was 'uncommon' at that time.  The old priest Eli was 'lukewarm' and his sons 'corrupt; they frightened the people and beat them with sticks.'  In their battle against the Philistines, the Israelites brought with them the Ark of the Covenant, but as something 'magical,' 'something external.'  And they are defeated: the Ark is taken from them by their enemies.  There is no true faith in God, in His real presence in life.

 

"This passage of Scripture," the Pope says, "makes us think about what sort of relationship we have with God, with the Word of God:  is it a formal relationship?  Is it a distant relationship?  The Word of God enters into our hearts, changes our hearts.  Does it have this power or not?  Is it a formal relationship?  But the heart is closed to that Word!  It leads us to think of the so many defeats of the Church, so many defeats of God's people simply because they do not hear the Lord, do not seek the Lord, do not allow themselves to be sought by the Lord!  And then after a tragedy, the prayer, this one:  'But, Lord, what happened?  You have made us the scorn of our neighbors.  The scorn and derision of those around us.  You have made us the laughing stock among nations!  All the nations shake their heads about us.'

And of the scandals in the Church, Pope Francis said:

"But are we ashamed?  So many scandals that I do not want to mention individually, but all of us know....We know where they are!  Scandals, some who charged a lot of money....The shame of the Church!  But are we all ashamed of those scandals, of those failings of priests, bishops, laity?  Where was the Word of God in those scandals; where was the Word of God in those men and in those women?  They did not have a relationship with God!  They had a position in the Church, a position of power, even of comfort.  But the Word of God, no!  'But I wear a medal, I carry the Cross.'  Yes, just as those bore the Ark!  Without the living relationship with God and the Word of God!  I am reminded of the words of Jesus about those for whom scandals come ... And here the scandal hit:  bringing decay to the people of God, including the weakness and corruption of priests."

Pope Francis concluded his homily, turning his thoughts to the people of God, saying:

"Poor people!  We do not give the Bread of Life to eat; we do give--in those cases--the bread of Truth!  And many times, we even offer a poisoned meal!  Awaken!  Why do you sleep, Lord?  Let this be our prayer!  Awaken!  Do not reject us forever!  Why do you hide your face?  Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?  We ask the Lord never to forget the Word of God, which is alive, so that it enters into our hearts and to never forget the holy people faithful to God who ask us to nourish and strengthen them."


After Mass, the Holy Father greeted the priests and the lay people who had attended the Mass.

The AUDIENCE          Later in the morning I had the great privilege of a private Audience with Pope Francis.  Since my Italian is not fluent, we spoke in Spanish.  Most of our conversation focused on the plight of migrants, immigrants, and refugees around the world.  I recounted for the Pope that in 2012, during our last Ad Limina visit, Pope Benedict had requested a proposal on how to address the plight of these many peoples on the move.  I had told Pope Benedict that the last Papal document on the pastoral care of peoples on the move was some 60 years ago--it was entitled Exsul Familia issued by Pope Pius XII.  The Bishops of our Region had requested a possible updated pronouncement from the Holy Father.

 

I gave Pope Francis some materials about the reality of migrants, immigrants, and refugees in our day.  Back in 1952 when Pope Pius XII issued his document there were about 50 million people on the move--many as a result of the Second World War.  Today, there are some 425 million people on the move, suffering from so many human problems--many related to wars, terrorism, political instability, and the search for economic stability for their families.

Pope Francis expressed an interest in this entire matter, and pointed out that in Evangelii Gaudium he had made reference to some of these issues.  He also saw the need for a possible new document dealing with today's vast numbers of peoples on the move.

Pope Francis also emphasized the need for all of us, disciples of Jesus, to be ever more attentive to the needs of the poor and disadvantaged in our midst.

He made it clear that he intends to keep bringing the dreadful plight of so many millions of people to the attention of the world and to all of us in the Church.




[Photos courtesy of Servizio Fotografico of the L'Osservatore Romano Publications, 00120 Vatican City]

POPE FRANCIS FACES MAJOR DECISIONS

Now that Pope Frances has been elected, and has concluded his Mass of Inauguration in St. Peter's Square, the really difficult work awaits him.

He has several key and meaningful appointments to make, and he needs to make them very soon:  the first and most important will include the Secretary of State, Substitute Secretary of State, Priest Secretaries, and Prefect of the Papal Household.

Pope Frances knows well that one of the major themes during the ten General Congregations of the Cardinals prior to the Conclave was the reform of the Vatican Curia.  Reform will only take place with the appointment of top collaborators with the Pope--and soon.  The longer he waits, the greater the danger that the current leadership may feel that they will remain in their jobs and will function as in the past.  But the world's Cardinals want something else.

With the fresh new vigor of Pope Francis and his vision of a Church which is "poor and for the poor," and with far less bureaucracy, that will only happen if the upper leadership in the Vatican is changed.

Fortunately, there are many fine candidates around the world for the various positions which he needs to fill.  He will be well served if he calls upon a small group of Cardinals who serve as Archbishops of Dioceses around the world to advise him on his choices.  Most likely, his new appointees will not be men presently serving in the Vatican Curia, but men with a broad working knowledge of the Church world-wide and seasoned in their experience.

Recall his words during his March 19 homily:  "Let us never forget that authentic power is service...."  We can consider that criterion to be high on his list when he prays and consults others about his appointees.

POPE FRANCIS' HOMILY --Feast of St. Joseph

 Homily of the Holy Father at the Inauguration of his Papal Ministry 19 March 2013:

Dear Brothers and Sisters, I thank the Lord that I can celebrate this Holy Mass for the inauguration of my Petrine ministry on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the patron of the universal Church. It is a significant coincidence, and it is also the name-day of my venerable predecessor: we are close to him with our prayers, full of affection and gratitude.

I offer a warm greeting to my brother cardinals and bishops, the priests, deacons, men and women religious, and all the lay faithful. I thank the representatives of the other Churches and ecclesial Communities, as well as the representatives of the Jewish community and the other religious communities, for their presence. My cordial greetings go to the Heads of State and Government, the members of the official Delegations from many countries throughout the world, and the Diplomatic Corps.

In the Gospel we heard that “Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took Mary as his wife” (Mt 1:24). These words already point to the mission which God entrusts to Joseph: he is to be the custos, the protector. The protector of whom? Of Mary and Jesus; but this protection is then extended to the Church, as Blessed John Paul II pointed out: “Just as Saint Joseph took loving care of Mary and gladly dedicated himself to Jesus Christ’s upbringing, he likewise watches over and protects Christ’s Mystical Body, the Church, of which the Virgin Mary is the exemplar and model” (Redemptoris Custos, 1).

How does Joseph exercise his role as protector? Discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand. From the time of his betrothal to Mary until the finding of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, he is there at every moment with loving care. As the spouse of Mary, he is at her side in good times and bad, on the journey to Bethlehem for the census and in the anxious and joyful hours when she gave birth; amid the drama of the flight into Egypt and during the frantic search for their child in the Temple; and later in the day-to-day life of the home of Nazareth, in the workshop where he taught his trade to Jesus.

How does Joseph respond to his calling to be the protector of Mary, Jesus and the Church? By being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply to his own. This is what God asked of David, as we heard in the first reading. God does not want a house built by men, but faithfulness to his word, to his plan. It is God himself who builds the house, but from living stones sealed by his Spirit.

 

Joseph is a “protector” because he is able to hear God’s voice and be guided by his will; and for this reason he is all the more sensitive to the persons entrusted to his safekeeping. He can look at things realistically, he is in touch with his surroundings, he can make truly wise decisions. In him, dear friends, we learn how to respond to God’s call, readily and willingly, but we also see the core of the Christian vocation, which is Christ! Let us protect Christ in our lives, so that we can protect others, so that we can protect creation!

The vocation of being a “protector”, however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; it also has a prior dimension which is simply human, involving everyone. It means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world, as the Book of Genesis tells us and as Saint Francis of Assisi showed us. It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live. It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about. It means caring for one another in our families: husbands and wives first protect one another, and then, as parents, they care for their children, and children themselves, in time, protect their parents. It means building sincere friendships in which we protect one another in trust, respect, and goodness. In the end, everything has been entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it. Be protectors of God’s gifts!

Whenever human beings fail to live up to this responsibility, whenever we fail to care for creation and for our brothers and sisters, the way is opened to destruction and hearts are hardened. Tragically, in every period of history there are “Herods” who plot death, wreak havoc, and mar the countenance of men and women.

Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be “protectors” of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world! But to be “protectors”, we also have to keep watch over ourselves! Let us not forget that hatred, envy and pride defile our lives! Being protectors, then, also means keeping watch over our emotions, over our hearts, because they are the seat of good and evil intentions: intentions that build up and tear down! We must not be afraid of goodness or even tenderness!

Here I would add one more thing: caring, protecting, demands goodness, it calls for a certain tenderness. In the Gospels, Saint Joseph appears as a strong and courageous man, a working man, yet in his heart we see great tenderness, which is not the virtue of the weak but rather a sign of strength of spirit and a capacity for concern, for compassion, for genuine openness to others, for love. We must not be afraid of goodness, of tenderness!

Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power. Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it? Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46).  Only those who serve with love are able to protect!

In the second reading, Saint Paul speaks of Abraham, who, “hoping against hope, believed” (Rom 4:18). Hoping against hope! Today too, amid so much darkness, we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others. To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope; it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds; it is to bring the warmth of hope! For believers, for us Christians, like Abraham, like Saint Joseph, the hope that we bring is set against the horizon of God, which has opened up before us in Christ. It is a hope built on the rock which is God.

To protect Jesus with Mary, to protect the whole of creation, to protect each person, especially the poorest, to protect ourselves: this is a service that the Bishop of Rome is called to carry out, yet one to which all of us are called, so that the star of hope will shine brightly. Let us protect with love all that God has given us!

I implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, Saints Peter and Paul, and Saint Francis, that the Holy Spirit may accompany my ministry, and I ask all of you to pray for me! Amen.

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WHY THE NAME "POPE FRANCIS"??

In an Address to journalists covering the election of Pope Francis, he explained how and why he chose the name "Pope Francis."  I am reprinting his words below which are a true vision and mission statement for the Church, and for his ministry as Successor to Peter:

“Some people didn't know why the Bishop of Rome wanted to call himself 'Francis'. Some though of Francis Xavier, Francis de Sales, even Francis of Assisi. I will tell you the story.

At the election I had the archbishop emeritus of Sao Paulo next to me. He is also prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes [O.F.M.]: a dear, dear friend. When things were getting a little 'dangerous', he comforted me. And then, when the votes reached the two-thirds, there was the usual applause because the Pope had been elected. He hugged me and said: 'Do not forget the poor.'

And that word stuck here [tapping his forehead]; the poor, the poor. Then, immediately in relation to the poor I thought of Francis of Assisi. Then I thought of war, while the voting continued, until all the votes [were counted]. And so the name came to my heart:: Francis of Assisi.

For me he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and safeguards Creation. In this moment when our relationship with Creation is not so good—right?—He is the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man … Oh, how I wish for a Church that is poor and for the poor!”

Those words, that challenge, have galvanized my own life and ministry for the remaining time left to me on this earth:  Oh, how I wish for a Church that is poor and for the poor!"  For the Church to be poor means to possess very little--not wealth, not nobility, not reputation.  It means to live our lives as Jesus did in the loving service of others.  In southern California we have many people who are poor:  the homeless, the hungry, the abandoned, the victims of all types of abuse, the immigrants, the hopeless.  Like Jesus, we must seek out and be found with all of "the wrong people" so that we can bring God's love, forgiveness, and comfort to them.

I will pray over and ponder the Pope's challenge these coming days, and will accept this challenge as a personal mandate for my own continuing ministry.