Podcasts about cardinal bergoglio

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Best podcasts about cardinal bergoglio

Latest podcast episodes about cardinal bergoglio

Frontiers of Faith
The Joy of the Gospel: Pope Francis's Missionary Vision

Frontiers of Faith

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 49:45


In this episode of the Frontiers in Faith podcast, Monsignor Roger Lanry and Ines San Martin discuss the legacy of Pope Francis, particularly in light of his recent funeral. They explore his role as a missionary leader, the significance of the Aparecida document, and the stages of Christian growth that emphasize the importance of communion and mission in the Church. The conversation reflects on the impact of Pope Francis' teachings and the call for all believers to engage in a permanent mission of faith. This conversation explores the life and legacy of Pope Francis, focusing on his journey from Cardinal Bergoglio to becoming the first Jesuit Pope. It highlights his emphasis on evangelization, the joy of the Gospel, and the pride felt by Argentinians during his papacy. The discussion also reflects on his missionary vision and the impact of his leadership on the Catholic Church, culminating in reflections on his funeral and the call to continue his mission.Click here to learn more about supporting the Pontifical Missions Societies:https://pontificalmissions.orgFollow us on socials!https://x.com/tpms_usahttps://www.instagram.com/tpms_us/

The Terry & Jesse Show
24 Mar 25 – Monsignor Marini on Cardinal Bergoglio

The Terry & Jesse Show

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 51:07


Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Father Charles Murr joins Terry Gospel - Luke 4:24-30 - Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove Him out of the town, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl Him down headlong. But He passed through the midst of them and went away. Bishop Sheen quote of the day

The Terry & Jesse Show
19 Feb 24 – Did Cardinal Bergoglio Fool Cardinal Marini?

The Terry & Jesse Show

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 51:16


Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Mt 25:31-46 - Jesus said to His disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before Him. And He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, a stranger and you welcomed Me, naked and you clothed Me, ill and you cared for Me, in prison and you visited Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and welcome You, or naked and clothe You? When did we see You ill or in prison, and visit You?' And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for Me.' Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, a stranger and you gave Me no welcome, naked and you gave Me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for Me.' Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to Your needs?' He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for Me.' And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Bishop Sheen quote of the day Father Charles Murr joins Terry to discuss if there was deception by Cardinal Bergoglio when discussing certain subjects to Cardinal Marini in an effort to "get ahead' in the Vatican

Bad Dads Film Review
The Two Popes and Young Sheldon

Bad Dads Film Review

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2023 66:05


Welcome to another thrilling episode, where we, a merry band of Dads, deep dive into the entrancing world of film and TV, sharing our musings, reviews, and occasional dad jokes. This week, we've put together a divine roster of segments that will take you on a heavenly cinematic journey.First off, we'll be exploring the 'Top 5 Gods in Movies'. From Greek to Norse, from benevolent to vengeful, we'll delve into the grandeur and mystique of these omnipotent beings as they've been portrayed in film. We explore how these depictions have evolved over time, reflecting society's changing attitudes and our enduring fascination with the divine. Buckle up as we ascend Mount Olympus, brave the chilling winds of Asgard, and even dare to enter Hades, all in the name of cinematic excellence.For our moive choice, we're diving into the intricacies of religious dialogue and power dynamics with the 2019 film, 'The Two Popes'. Directed by Fernando Meirelles and penned by Anthony McCarten, this film explores the human side of the Vatican's highest echelons through the conversations between Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and Cardinal Bergoglio, later Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce). We'll dive into the incredible performances, the sharp dialogue, and the insightful commentary on faith, tradition, and reform in a world that's changing faster than ever.Lastly, we lighten the mood with our 'Kids TV Show of the Week' - 'Young Sheldon'. This charming prequel to 'The Big Bang Theory' has won us (err, not Sidey!) and our little ones over with its humor, warmth, and relatable family dynamics. We'll discuss Sheldon's early years, his eccentric genius, and how this show brilliantly balances comedy with moments of real tenderness.From heavenly realms to papal dialogues, from child prodigies to ordinary family life, this week's ReelTalk episode promises a divine blend of insights, laughter, and thoughtful conversation. So grab your popcorn, get comfy, and tune in!We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com. Until next time, we remain... Bad Dads

Inside The Vatican
Pope Francis calls out ‘cancel culture' in address to ambassadors

Inside The Vatican

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2022 29:20


Pope Francis addressed ambassadors from the 183 countries that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See about his top international priorities on Monday and, surprisingly, devoted a portion of his talk to the problems he sees with “cancel culture.” This week on “Inside the Vatican,” host Colleen Dulle and veteran Vatican correspondent Gerard O'Connell take a look at the pope's talk and why he thinks cancel culture is a threat to international cooperation. “Under the guise of defending diversity, it ends up canceling all sense of identity,” the pope said, “with the risk of silencing positions that defend a respectful and balanced understanding of various sensibilities.” Gerry also recaps how Pope Francis baptized 16 children in the Sistine Chapel this weekend—which brought back memories of when then-Cardinal Bergoglio baptized Gerry and his wife's children in Buenos Aires. Read more: Pope Francis critiques ‘cancel culture' in address to diplomats from around the world Pope Francis removes from Vatican doctrine office archbishop who is believed to have banned same-sex blessings Pope Francis stopped by his favorite record store to say ‘hello' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CinemaCafe
สันตะปาปาโลกจารึก The Two Popes (ผู้กำกับ Fernando Meirelles, 2019)

CinemaCafe

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2020 13:08


The Two Popes (ผู้กำกับ Fernando Meirelles, 2019) ภาพยนตร์ดราม่าที่นำเสนอชีวประวัติของพระสันตปาปาองค์ปัจจุบัน หรือ Pope Francis (รับบทโดย Jonathan Pryce) และอดีตพระสันตปาปา Pope Benedict XVI (รับบทโดย Anthony Hopkins) การยื่นจดหมายลาออกของ Cardinal Bergoglio ที่ปัจจุบันได้รับตำแหน่งพระสันตปาปา การพูดคุยเรื่องชีวิต ปรัชญา และการทำงานของทั้งสองพระองค์ รวมถึงการขอลาออกจากการเป็นพระสันตปาปา ภาพยนตร์เข้าชิงรางวัลมากมายทั้งจากเวทีออสการ์และลูกโลกทองคำ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นรางวัลดารานำชาย สนับสนุนชาย บทดัดแปลงยอดเยี่ยม และภาพยนตร์ยอดเยี่ยม ดำเนินรายการโดย ดร.ภัสสร สังข์ศรี และ พลอย ศรีสุโร

Among The People
Gerard O'Connell, The Election of Pope Francis

Among The People

Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2019 70:54


We are joined by Gerard O'Connell, associate editor and Vatican correspondent for America Magazine, who recently authored Orbis Books' the Election of Pope Francis, an Inside Account of the Conclave that Change History. Gerry, who's covered the Vatican for nearly 35 years, brings special insight into the current pope as he and his wife, who's also a Vatican correspondent from Argentina, were friends with Cardinal Bergoglio before he was elected in 2013. Contrary to the predictions of most Vatican watchers, both Gerry and his wife predicted Bergoglio might well become the next pope. We hope you enjoy this fascinating and detailed perspective of the historic 2013 Vatican conclave.  Gerard O'Connell is an associate editor and Vatican correspondent for America magazine.  He has covered the Vatican since 1985, reporting for a number of English-speaking news outlets, including The Tablet (UK), Our Sunday Visitor, The National Catholic Reporter, and Inside the Vatican.  He is the author of Do Not Stifle the Spirit: Conversations with Jacques Dupuis (Orbis).

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast
251: Did They Rig The Election Of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 71:02


Did they rig the Election of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue)? #TnT discuss recent Catholic events and the description by Cardinal Kasper of a meeting of cardinals before the election of 2013 to elect Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope ...

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast
251: Did They Rig The Election Of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue) [Podcast]

Dr Taylor Marshall Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2019 71:02


Did they rig the Election of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue)? #TnT discuss recent Catholic events and the description by Cardinal Kasper of a meeting of cardinals before the election of 2013 to elect Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis. Do you find benefit from my videos and podcasts? If so, please […] The post 251: Did They Rig The Election Of Pope Francis (plus Chile refusal of Communion on tongue) [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Swimming Upstream
80: Is Benedict XVI Still the Pope?

Swimming Upstream

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2018


Discontent with Pope Francis has led some Catholics to suspect that perhaps he's not the real pope. Instead "Pope Emeritus" Benedict XVI is still the true pope. I look into this assertion in this episode of Swimming Upstream.

The Institute of World Politics
The Devil's Pleasure Palace: The Cult of Critical Theory and the Subversion of the West

The Institute of World Politics

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2016 76:54


Michael A. Walsh, former associate editor of TIME magazine, gave a lecture about his book, "The Devil's Pleasure Palace: The Cult of Critical Theory and the Subversion of the West " at The Institute of World Politics. About the book: In the aftermath of World War II, America stood alone as the world's premier military power. Yet its martial confidence contrasted vividly with its sense of cultural inferiority. Still looking to a defeated and dispirited Europe for intellectual and artistic guidance, burgeoning trans-national elite in New York and Washington embraced not only the war's refugees, but many of their ideas as well, and nothing has proven more pernicious than those of the Frankfurt School and its reactionary philosophy of "critical theory." At once overly intellectualized and emotionally juvenile, Critical Theory - like Pandora's Box - released a horde of demons into the American psyche. When everything could be questioned, nothing could be real, and the muscular, confident empiricism that had just won the war gave way, in less than a generation, to a central-European nihilism celebrated on college campuses across the United States. Seizing the high ground of academe and the arts, the New Nihilists set about dissolving the bedrock of the country, from patriotism to marriage to the family to military service; they have sown (as Cardinal Bergoglio - now Pope Francis - once wrote of the Devil) "destruction, division, hatred, and calumny" - and all disguised as the search for truth. In The Devil's Pleasure Palace we will look at the ways Critical Theory took root in America and, once established and gestated, has affected nearly every aspect of American life and society - and what can be done to stop it. About the author: Michael Walsh, a former associate editor of TIME magazine, is the author of six novels and six works of nonfiction, as well as a columnist for the New York Post and a contributor to National Review and PJ Media. He was a winner of the 2004 American Book Awards for his novel, And All the Saints.

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0497: Pope Francis meets Benedict; Stays in his simple quarters; His pre-conclave remarks to the cardinals; Holy Thursday and Good Friday

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2013 55:32


Due to some production technical difficulty, the first 1.5 minutes of the show were not recorded today. We apologize for the inconvenience. Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, and Gregory Tracy review the headlines of the week, including Pope Francis' historic meeting with his predecessor Benedict XVI; his decision not to move into the Apostolic Palace, but to stay in the simple quarters of the Domus Sancta Martae; his pre-conclave address to the General Congregation of cardinals; the annual recognition of two Boston priests; and reflections on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Pope Francis meets Benedict; Stays in his simple quarters; His pre-conclave remarks to the cardinals; Holy Thursday and Good Friday 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show as we begin the Sacred Triduum with Holy Thursday. Scot welcomed Gregory Tracy to the show and noted that as an adult convert he came into the Church at the Easter Vigil. Scot said the only Mass on Holy Thursday in this diocese is in the evening at the Mass of the Lord's Supper. Susan Abbott spoke about her preparations for the Sacred Triduum as well. Scot said the world's attention is still focused on Pope Francis. He said last Saturday Pope Francis traveled to Castel Gandolfo to meet with Benedict XVI and he commented how frail Benedict looked. He said they prayed together in the chapel and had a private meeting. Greg said no other pope has had a predecessor to turn to ever like this. He said in essence, it's like when a bishop or archbishop has a living predecessor around so it's not completely unusual. Yet, it's good to have someone to talk to about a unique circumstance of being pope and the reports say they have talked several times on the phone. Greg said that Benedict looks so frail that he wonders if he was keeping up a brave front, keeping private how frail he was. He also noted how when they prayed, Pope Francis didn't take his place of primacy in the chapel, but said that as brothers they would kneel next to each other. He said without the secular papal monarchy of the past, it lets him leave behind many of the trappings of monarchy. Scot said another conspicuous element of the meeting in the photos was a big box of papers sitting between them that hasn't been explained. Some reports have said that it was a 300-page memo that Benedict wrote to Pope Francis, like a transition memo. Susan Abbott repeated that it was startling to see the frailty of Benedict and that it was a special moment between the two men when they knelt together. Scot said Pope Francis didn't have much time to jump into Holy Week after being elected even as it is the busiest week of the year. It's also been announced that Pope Francis has chosen not to move into the Apostolic Palace, where popes have lived since 1903, but to stay in the Domus Sancta Martae. Scot said he was surprised he was going to live in the Domus. Susan said he had said he wanted to live in community and that many parish priests say themselves that living along is very lonely and it must be even more so for the pope. She said a friend has stayed there and reported that it is comfortable but simple. Scot noted that Pope Francis has celebrated Mass there with Vatican gardeners and cleaners and wants to continue to say public Masses. Greg Tracy reported that Antonio Enrique, the editor of the Pilot, once stayed in Room 201 of the Domus, the suite where the Pope is now living. Greg said Antonio was traveling with Cardinal Seán and the other rooms were all filled up and this was the only room left even though it wasn't supposed to be given out. Greg said there's a small receiving room with a desk and chair, about the size of a medium-sized office. Right off that is a bedroom and bathroom and that's it. Very sparse and simple. Scot said we also have to have Fr. Jonathan Gaspar on the show to talk about how he ran into Pope Francis in the Domus and had one of the first private audiences with the Holy Father. Greg said it fits with the personality of the Pope that we've learned about, which is that he doesn't want to be cut off from the common man. He said his concern is perhaps for the Pope's security. Scot said when Pope Francis was given the tour of the Apostolic Palace he was heard to remark that 300 people could live there. Greg did point out that the Pope will continue to work in the Apostolic Palace each day and give the Angelus address each Sunday from its window. Scot predicted that Pope Francis will be living in the Apostolic Palace within two years for security reasons and for the sake of his successors who will live there one day. In the next story, before the conclave, Cardinal Bergoglio gave a talk to the General Congregations like the other cardinals. Afterward, the cardinal from Havana received the notes he spoke from and after the conclave asked Pope Francis to publish them and received permission. In it, he made four points about evangelization. Evangelizing implies apostolic zeal. Evangelizing presupposes in the Church the “parresia” of coming out from itself. The Church is called to come out from itself and to go to the peripheries, not only geographical, but also existential: those of the mystery of sin, of suffering, of injustice, those of ignorance and of the absence of faith, those of thought, those of every form of misery. When the Church does not come out from itself to evangelize it becomes self-referential and gets sick (one thinks of the woman hunched over upon herself in the Gospel). The evils that, in the passing of time, afflict the ecclesiastical institutions have a root in self-referentiality, in a sort of theological narcissism. In Revelation, Jesus says that he is standing at the threshold and calling. Evidently the text refers to the fact that he stands outside the door and knocks to enter… But at times I think that Jesus may be knocking from the inside, that we may let him out. The self-referential Church presumes to keep Jesus Christ within itself and not let him out. The Church, when it is self-referential, without realizing it thinks that it has its own light; it stops being the “mysterium lunae” and gives rise to that evil which is so grave, that of spiritual worldliness (according to De Lubac, the worst evil into which the Church can fall): that of living to give glory to one another. To simplify, there are two images of the Church: the evangelizing Church that goes out from itself; that of the “Dei Verbum religiose audiens et fidenter proclamans” [the Church that devoutly listens to and faithfully proclaims the Word of God - editor's note], or the worldly Church that lives in itself, of itself, for itself. This should illuminate the possible changes and reforms to be realized for the salvation of souls. Thinking of the next Pope: a man who, through the contemplation of Jesus Christ and the adoration of Jesus Christ, may help the Church to go out from itself toward the existential peripheries, that may help it to be the fecund mother who lives “by the sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing.” Scot said it can be seen to criticize the Church today of looking inward to much rather than outward to where people live, in their minds and physically. This must have influenced some of the cardinals in electing him. Greg said he didn't see it as a criticism. Yes, the Church always has human flaws and frailty, but when there have been problems with the Church we have tended to look to our own interests and our own well-being, rather than to turn outward to go out to the whole world. Scot said Christianity is a movement of coming to Christ and going out into the world, never to be stagnant. Susan said she loves the repetition by the then-Cardinal about “sweet and comforting joy of evangelizing” in the opening and closing of the address. Susan said she was talking to Fr. Paul Soper recently who reflected that the apostles were cowering in fear in the upper room, but when the Holy Spirit came they went out with apostolic zeal and never returned. Scot reflected that many cardinals who weren't in the 2005 conclave didn't know Cardinal Bergoglio and so perhaps what he said in the General Congregations made the cardinals think he was the right man for the papacy at this time. Pope Francis said in his Chrism Mass homily to Rome's priests is that he wants them to go out to where the people are, not just to stay in their churches and rectories. In Buenos Aires, he had encouraged priests to say Mass in places where the people are if they found it difficult to get to the church. The Church needs to go out and find the lost sheep rather than wait for them to come back to the parish. 2nd segment: Scot said earlier this week, Cardinal Seán celebrated Palm Sunday Mass at the cathedral and on Tuesday, the Chrism Mass, along with hundreds of priests and many Catholic school students. Scot said after the Chrism Mass, there is typically the announcement of honors for two priests. Fr. Arnold Colletti, who has served 51 years, is pastor in Lexington, and Fr. John Sheridan, pastor of St. James, Salem, who will be moving to Middleboro-Lakeville-Rochester as part of Phase 1 of Disciples in Mission. Scot read the words of Cardinal Seán: “We honor a couple as a way of saying thanks to all of you for your generous service of God's people, fur the selfless ministry that makes the Good Shepherd's love: and pastoral care present and visible among us.” “I thank you for all of your support, fur your prayers. I am so proud co be your bishop and so lucky to be your bishop, and hope that all of you will have a glorious Holy Week. Know that each day during Holy Week, and every day of the year, I lift all of you up in prayer. God bless all of you. Thank you for being Catholic priests,” Cardinal O'Malley said Greg noted that the honors are not for particular acts, but that they have lived the priesthood faithfully and that the honor could go to many more priests. Scot said the priests who win the awards are always holy, happy, and healthy in terms of their relationships with their parishes. Greg noted that Fr. Colletti joked that the award he really wanted was to be the next Archbishop of Boston. Scot said tonight will be the Mass of the Lord's Supper. On this night, Jesus instituted the priesthood and the Eucharist. He taught us all what it means to be a disciple, not in places of honor, but in places of service. He noted that the liturgy doesn't end, but that the Eucharist is processed for silent adoration in a place of recession. Greg said growing up he had neither priesthood nor Eucharist and so he has come to understand what a great gift these are. He was given a gift that had always been there but he had never known. Scot said tomorrow is Good Friday, which we call Good because we recognize that through the cross we have received eternal joy. We can venerate that cross ourselves on Good Friday. Susan said we can't take a shortcut to the empty tomb, nor should we stay fixed on Good Friday. Tomorrow's The Good Catholic Life will be pre-empted by EWTN's coverage of Good Friday at the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0492: Pope Francis' humility; choosing his name; new pastors for pastoral collaboratives

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2013 56:21


Summary of today's show: Our usual Thursday panel of Scot Landry, Susan Abbott, Fr. Roger Landry, and Gregory Tracy consider the news headlines of the week, including the latest examples of humility and simplicity from Pope Francis; how he chose his papal name; his decision to celebrate Holy Thursday in a juvenile prison; the appointment of five more pastors for pastoral collaboratives as part of the Disciples in Mission pastoral plan; the obituaries of two senior priests; and remarkable pro-life essays from grade school contest winners. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Gregory Tracy, managing editor of the Pilot, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Boston, and Fr. Roger Landry, pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Fall River Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Pope Francis' humility; choosing his name; new pastors for pastoral collaboratives 1st segment: Scot Landry caught up with Susan Abbott after not being together on the show for three weeks. Scot asked Susan how she watched the events here at the Pastoral Center. Susan said the days all blur together because every day there's a new story about Pope Francis that captures our attention. She said it was a busy time for everyone in the building on Disciples in Mission and Lent, but when the white smoke came out, there were yells in the halls and everyone stood around a computer watching a webcam of St. Peter's Square. Everyone gathered in the lobby of the Pastoral Center to watch it on TV. Scot said there's been a lot to cover since the election a week ago last Wednesday. The Pilot this week has a lot in a special issue this week. Gregory Tracy said they had a 16-page special edition in the center of the Pilot, which makes it almost two papers this week. The focus of the special edition is giving a perspective on Pope Francis and re-capping his first days. Greg said he learned a lot about Pope Francis because Cardinal Bergoglio wasn't among the most talked-about names. His impression is of his humility and that he is a bit of a free spirit. Scot welcomed Fr. Roger Landry and said his column in the Anchor this week gives his first impressions. Fr. Roger said he's a pastor more than a professor. He's obviously intelligent, but brings his experience of being archbishop of Buenos Aires for so many years. One thing that touched Fr. Roger was seeing a boy in the Vatican choir school singing the responsory psalm during the inauguration Mass, which shows how young the Church is. He also notes how serious Pope Francis is in begging for our prayers. At the end of every talk, he asks for our prayers. He shows us what type of reform he's planning for the Church. When you hear all the talk of reform in the Vatican, people meant administrative and finance and governance issues, but Pope Francis is launching a reform at the root of who he is as a disciple and apostle. He's set an example of the reform of the priesthood to go out and meet the people where they're at. He's going to challenge us by his actions even more than John Paul and Benedict. Scot said he recalled yesterday's show about the book “Rebuilt” about a parish that went looking for the lost sheep. It's been clear to Scot that Pope Francis thinks about going out seeking the lost. Scot said it's clear to him that many people are taking a new look at the Church because of Pope Francis and he's reaching a much broader audience. Greg said it's obvious Pope Francis is one who feels the need to reach out and be with the people. He recalled a story in Argentina where he told his parish priests to go out and find those who weren't coming to church, maybe even opening storefront chapels. His priority is finding souls, not necessarily following all the ways that things have been done. He's much more concerned with practicality. We had this flow from John Paul, with a great media presence, to Benedict, a great theologian, to Francis who isn't as great with media or as great a theologian, but is good with both and with bringing those things to the people. Scot said Pope Francis is about making a Church that prays for one another. Susan said that first moment when the Pope came on the balcony and just stood there. But once he got started, he captivated the entire square of 100,000 people and they fell silent. He reminds us to whom we pray and for whom we pray. Scot asked Fr. Roger what he's learned reading about Pope Francis in Spanish materials. Fr. Roger said he sees how intelligent he is, able to talk about many different issues with deeply Catholic vision. He also struggled with his celibacy in the seminary, falling in love with a girl and deciding to that he loved God more. It's a beautiful and sincere admission and it allows him to relate to a lot of young people. In another interview, he gives a very strong statement on dealing with priests who abuse children, saying that such priests should be removed because they can't be reformed and you can't take chances. As for failures with men or women or alcohol, he is very firm that you can't serve two masters. His embrace of poverty shows how committed he is personally to this vision even when it was inconvenient. He not only wanted to relate to the poor in material poverty, but also show it's not an obstacle to following the Lord. While many are focusing on Pope Francis' tenderness to the overlooked of society, it is a fruit of a lifetime of love for the least, but at the same time he is able to teach with great clarity and firmness. Scot noted in Dwight Duncan's column in the Pilot in which he related that when Cardinal Bergoglio was named a cardinal, he didn't want to pay the usual $6,000 for the complete set of vestments, so he bought cheap cloth and asked a religious sister to sew them. Greg said at the conclave he had been telling other cardinals about how much of a deal he got on his airfare and then told Argentinians not to come to his inauguration, but instead to the give the money to the poor. It's his legitimate way of being, not putting on airs of false humility. People like this, that he's not so attached to the material things of the world. It's not a media strategy, but it has a great effect on people. So much of the western world measures us by what we can buy and what we can consume. We trade our dignity for our consumer goods. But this is a sign that you can be the Supreme Pontiff and yet you can be simple. Scot said he's proven himself to be a pope of gestures. Today it was announced that on Holy Thursday, rather than in St. Peter's, the Mass of the Lord's Supper will be held at a youth prison where he will wash the feet of inmates. It was Cardinal Bergoglio's custom to celebrate Holy Thursday in hospitals and prisons. Susan said she celebrated with Deacon Jim Greer, head of hospital and chaplain ministries, at the symbolism of this act. She said Pope Francis has also called the owner of the newsstand in Buenos Aires where he used to get his daily paper to thank him for his prayers and tell him he won't be coming. But Susan said what disturbs her is when this is used to compare him to what came before. This is not either-or, but both-and. Fr. Roger said yesterday it was said announced he had given out 3,000 tickets for the poor of Rome to come to the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass at St. Peter's Basilica earlier in the day and then going to the prison later. Pope Francis is shining a laser beam on this subset of people of whom Jesus said “I was in prison and you visited me.” There are millions across the globe who will not have Mass on Holy Thursday and this is an extraordinary gesture to them. Scot said on Saturday in the meeting with journalists, Pope Francis revealed how he picked the name Francis. Scot said he had assumed most cardinals went into the conclave with a name in the back of their minds. He was surprised that Pope Francis only picked the name at the last minute. Greg said he had asked Cardinal Seán that very question, comparing it to young couples who marry thinking about names for their children. Cardinal Seán said he's never given it any thought. Greg finds it reassuring that they didn't go with a name picked. Scot said before there was a lot of buzz about Cardinal Seán, he joked with Cardinal Seán that there was a pool about whether he would pick Pope Patrick or Pope Francis. He thinks it unfathomable that it wouldn't come up at all somewhere in the back of your mind. This is a name that will define him for eternity and he picked a momentous one. Susan claims that she had predicted the next pope would be Pope Francis, although she had a different cardinal in mind. Scot said a number of cardinals have talked about their awareness of the Holy Spirit's presence with them as they voted. Fr. Roger said Cardinal O'Brien was on EWTN with him the day after and admitted he'd never really known Cardinal Bergoglio before the conclave and what was remarkable how everyone in the conclave came to know that this was the pope for the Church at this time. Many cardinals said it's very much like a retreat and they're not kibbitzing between votes. 2nd segment: This week's benefactor card raffle winner is Patricia Noone from Stow, MA She wins the booklet “Way of the Cross at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy” and the audio CD “The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality” by Matthew Kelly. If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit . For a one-time $30 donation, you'll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM's weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 3rd segment: Scot said locally in the archdiocese, five appointments are announced in today's Pilot of priests being appointed pastors of new pastoral collaboratives as part of Disciples in Mission Phase one. Fr. Paul E. Ritt has been appointed Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish and St. Maria Goretti Parish in Lynnfield, effective June 4. He was Pastor of St. John the Evangelist, Chelmsford. Fr. Thomas A. Mahoney has been appointed Pastor of St. Joseph Parish and St. Luke Parish in Belmont, effective June 4. He was Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Belmont. Fr. Daniel L. Riley has been appointed as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Anne Parish, St. James Parish, and St. John the Baptist Parish, all in Salem, effective June 4. He was Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Weymouth. Fr. John E. Sheridan has been appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Middleboro-Rochester and Pastor of Sts. Martha and Mary Parish in Lakeville, effective June 4. He was Pastor of St. James Parish in Salem. Fr. Brian L. Flynn has been appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and St. Mary Parish in Lynn, effective June 4. He was previously Pastor of St. Mary in Lynn. Three more appointments related to Phase 1 are still to be made. Greg said we're in the initial stages and this is exactly what the archdiocese said would happen: In some cases the pastors would come from within the collaborative and others from outside. Scot said one of the patterns is that a priest who's been in the parish only a couple years, they will stay, whereas pastors who've been there a long time will be moved to new assignments. Susan said everyone in the Pastoral Center are working daily to support the new pastors and their collaboratives. Greg said when you're connecting parishes that are near each other, people in recent years have tended to gravitate to the parish they prefer based on how they like the pastor or the music or religious education. When you have someone who's been in the parish for many years, people become used to him and his style. Meanwhile someone who is new to the area is able to adjust himself to the needs of the area and how they do things. Scot said it can be difficult on a human level to say goodbye to parishioners when you don't know what your next assignment will be. Fr. Roger said every priest is supposed to be a missionary at heart. At the same time, canon law gives pastors rights in that they don't have to move except in extreme circumstances, so it shows great obedience and openness to the needs of the Church in offering their resignations. Fr. Roger noted that people wanted to keep Jesus for themselves, but he told them that he needed to go out and preach to others as well. Also in the Pilot are the obituaries of two 90-year-old priests, Fr. Joseph Lukas and Fr. William B. O'Connor. In the Anchor this week were the 2013 Pro-Life Essay Content winners, themed “Faith opens our eyes to human life in all its grandeur and beauty”. The contest is open to all students enrolled in diocesan schools and religious education programs. There are winners in the high school and junior high school categories and they are read aloud at the annual diocesan Pro-Life Mass and printed in the Anchor. Susan said the high school is extraordinary. Scot said a week from today it won't be Lent and so Scot asked everyone how they did on their Lenten resolutions.

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0490: Pope Francis' Homily for the Mass Inaugurating His Petrine Ministry

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2013 56:26


Summary of today's show: The Feast of St. Joseph this year was marked by the inauguration of the Petrine ministry of Pope Francis. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor discussed the Holy Father's newly unveiled coat of arms, which are very familiar, and then talked in detail about his homily for today's Mass in which he invoked the example of St. Joseph as a protector who acts with tenderness to encourage all of us to protect one another and all of creation. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Links from today's show: Today's topics: Pope Francis' Homily for the Mass Inaugurating His Petrine Ministry 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed Fr. Chris O'Connor to the show and they discussed the treacherous weather and how there's often a bad snow storm at this time of year. Scot said today our focus will be on the Mass of Inauguration of Pope Francis this morning. Scot said we'll also discuss the Pope's coat of arms and papal motto. Fr. Chris said the star represents the Blessed Mother and the plant, nard, represents St. Joseph. The star and IHS is a common representation of the Jesuits, which Pope Francis has been. He noted that the crest is bright blue, which represents both the Blessed Mother, but also particularly the icon of Mary that all Argentinians revere. Scot said both the crest and motto of bishops represent much of who the bishop wants to be. Scot said the motto comes from the Gospel of St. Matthew, when Matthew was called by Jesus: “Miserando atque eligendo”. It refers to Jesus calling Matthew in mercy. When he was 17, Pope Francis heard this reading at Mass, and feeling unworthy himself felt called by God and that was his vocational call. Pope Francis seems to be telling others that even if they feel unworthy, God is calling them to bring His love and mercy to others. Fr. Chris said Caravaggio shows this in a beautiful image with darkness and light. Matthew is shown surrounded by his ill-gotten tax collector gains and then the hand of Christ coming in and calling St. Matthew. Caravaggio modeled the hand of Christ on the hand of God in the Sistine Chapel, thus saying that a new creation begins in the call of Christ. Scot said the only people who might not like what Pope Francis is doing is the security people because the Holy Father so often goes off script and out into the crowds. It's notable that this morning he was riding in the open-air popemobile. At one point he got out of the car to give a kiss to a disabled man he saw in the crowd. Fr. Chris said he was struck by the news that Pope Francis called his former cathedral in Argentina before the Mass today and had a message relayed to the crowds gathered outside to watch the Mass. He said one of Pope Francis' first acts was to ask for prayer and he's reminding us of the efficacy of prayer and that even the pope needs prayers. Scot said it reminds him of the need to ask others to pray for him in the normal course of his day. He should also be assuring others of his own prayers and doing it. Fr. Chris said one of the important parts of Good Friday is praying for the world by name, atheists and agnostics, Jews, Muslims, and everyone. The Holy Father is showing us the importance of praying for our needs, our daily bread. 2nd segment: Scot said St. Joseph's Day is special especially for fathers and grandfathers. Fr. Chris also wished a happy feast day to the Sisters of St. Joseph. Scot started reading Pope Francis' homily: 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. Scot said the name day, the ‘onomastico', is very important in Italy. In fact, many Italians celebrate the name day instead of their birthday. Fr. Chris said Pope Francis mentions Pope Benedict by name once again. He's scheduled to meet Benedict on Saturday and Fr. Chris said it shows Pope Francis' humility in going to see the former pope. 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). Scot said St. Joseph is the Patron and Protector of the Universal Church. Fr. Chris said it's a reminder of intercessory prayer. He said he's known as the silent saint because no words of his are recorded in Scripture. We see the care, love, and dedication he gave to Mary and the Child Jesus. 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. Scot said Joseph is a man of action, a man of formation. It shows what a faithful holy man should be about. Fr. Chris said the reasons he's such a great patron for dads is that his holiness doesn't come from anything flashy or extravagant, but the day to day work of being a father. Scot recalled a talk he heard once encouraging men to raise their own children in the model of St. Joseph. It is a sacred work to be a dad. Fr. Chris said he sees the choice of this day is Pope Francis giving over his ministry to St. Joseph. 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! Fr. Chris likes the image begin developed that in order to live out our vocation, we have to follow the example of St. Joseph who protected Christ. It's a reminder to protect what's most important, our relationship with Christ, and to keep away from sin and anything that would violate that relationship. We protect time to pray to Christ. How am I protecting Christ in my life? Scot said it brings him back to the Martha and Mary story, where Martha was busy doing, while Mary was at the feet of Jesus. 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! Scot said in 20 years when people come back to this homily, they will come to this paragraph. Fr. Chris said anyone who comes to Assisi understands the beautiful images and vistas and the wonder of creation that St. Francis loved. Pope Francis is reminding us that all of creation is something sacred and bestowed on us by God, entrusting us with it. Scot said Cardinal Seán speculated that Pope Francis chose this name to emphasize that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, which comes with the responsibility to love and care for one another. Fr. Chris said he thinks it's no coincidence that he mentions husbands and wives here, their first duty to one another and being the instrument of their sanctification. Scot said in this age of social media it's much easier to add new “friends” but sincere friendships require deeper trust and protecting them with trust, respect, and goodness. Fr. Chris asked us to imagine a world marked by such friendships. 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! Scot said we've certainly seen “Herods” in our lifetime. Scot noted that there were many people there who are not Christian and who watch who aren't and he was telling all of us to protect each other and nature. Fr. Chris said we have to watch our hearts and emotions because so often that's where the protection breaks down. Forgiveness is a choice. We choose to forgive. We can acknowledge our emotions and still choose to forgive. We need to integrate the heart and mind, but have the mind and intellect which elevate us above creation, rule over the emotions. 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! Scot said so many men he's known have thought the way to love, particularly kids, was with tough love and discipline. Scot said tenderness and toughness are often put at opposite ends of a continuum. Pope Francis said one way to be a good protector and provider is to show a tender form of love too. He protected Jesus in a tender way. Somewhere along the way we came to believe that the way to be a man is to show tough love and the Holy Father is saying the opposite. Fr. Chris said he was also tender with the Blessed Mother, like when he decided to spare Mary by setting her aside quietly. And then you continue to see the tenderness along with great obedience and strength in responding to God's will. 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! Scot said this might be the second-most quoted. He's describing authentic Christian leadership through service. Fr. Chris said Pope Francis tells us why the Church exists because of the holiness and sanctification of all its members. The what of the Church is the Pope, bishops, priests, and deacons and their reason for existence is to serve. If we lose sight of the call to service, that is not of Christ. Christ is found with the poorest of the poor, the sick and lame. Fr. Chris said Bishop Libasci of Manchester, NH, gave a homily at St. John's Seminary yesterday in which he described a fire-and-brimstone seminarian who was taken aside and told that before you can save the world, you have to love it. We're reminded of this on Holy Thursday when the priest washes the feet of others in service. Scot said we need to be willing to lay down our lives so we can serve others in tangible, concrete, faith-filled ways. Fr. Chris said only those who serve with love are able to protect. That's the Pope's job: the protect the unity of the Church, to protect the holiness of the Church, to protect the catholic nature of the Church spread across the globe and making manifest the fullness of the teachings, to protect the apostolic faith passed down by the apostles and guided by the Holy Spirit. 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. Scot said he can't not think of how much hope Pope Francis has brought to the Church. He's heard from people who tell him that Pope Francis makes them want to return to church. Fr. Chris said of the light of hope that in a dark room, one little match is stronger than the darkness and cannot be swallowed by that. Just a little hope in our lives gives us the grace to carry on even in dark and difficult experiences. 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. Scot said he will remember about this homily, like he remembers about the balcony of St. Peter's last Wednesday, is that he ends by asking us to pray for him. Fr. Chris said he's reminding us that we are on flock and that the shepherd relies on prayers just like the sheep. He talks of protecting all the gifts in our life, but also the gift we have been given in Pope Francis. Scot noted that in the Congregation meetings, Cardinal Bergoglio gave an impassioned talk that we need to reform and purify the Church. Scot said that won't be easy, especially with the reform of Roman Curia. Scot said harder than starting a business is a reforming a business even while it continues to do its work and that's similar to what Pope Francis is doing. Fr. Chris said Cardinal Seán in his own inaugural address in Boston in 2003 recalled the San Damiano Cross where Christ called Francis to rebuild the Church. He said he believes Pope Francis has a clear idea of what needs to be done. Scot noted that tomorrow is Fr. Chris' birthday. He said tomorrow is their annual St. Patrick's dinner and that's where they'll celebrate. He noted the celebrate on Wednesday instead of Sunday because so many of the deacons and faculty are out in parishes on Sunday. The one thing that Fr. Chris has loved so far from Pope Francis is the emphasis on the protector. Scot said he's loved that he preaches from the pulpit like a pastor and not so much like an academic.

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0489: LIVE from Rome: Reflecting on the experience and on Pope Francis

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2013 46:16


Summary of today's show: Wrapping up two weeks in Rome covering the end of Pope Benedict's pontificate and the beginning of Pope Francis', Scot Landry, Fr. Roger Landry and George Martell reflect on their experiences and on the moments and images that will endure with them. They also reflected on their participation in Pope Francis' meeting with members of the media on Saturday and on his Sunday Angelus message in St. Peter's Square. Scot also talked with Michael Severance of the Action Institute about his encounter with then-Archbishop Bergoglio at the University of Dallas' Rome campus in 2001 and how it gives a glimpse to the character of Pope Francis. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, George Martell, Michael Severance Links from today's show: Today's topics: LIVE from Rome: Reflecting on the experience and on Pope Francis 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the final program from Rome which has been coming to everyone from there for the past couple of weeks. He welcomed George Martell and Fr. Roger Landry to the show. George has taken more than 3,000 photos over the past week and published about 1,000 in the past couple of weeks. He asked George what he's seen. George said his photos can all be seen at BostonCatholicPhotos.com. The most important moment was the Habemus papam. They'd had no idea it would be white smoke that night and were so surprised. They were wondering if it would be Cardinal Seán because so much attention had been given to him. The night was very rainy and they waited and waited and suddenly it was white smoke and people were celebrating and he will remember that moment most clearly. On Cardinal Seán, George had seen in the cardinal's face that he could sense the weight that he was experiencing. George has been photographing the cardinal for six years and knew him very well. George said when he heard “Francesco” he thought at first it would be him, but when he realized it, he was very happy for him. On the most enjoyable shot was when he was able to get fairly close during the meeting with the media and was able to get several shots of the Pope's face. cot asked George's first impression of Pope Francis, having taken so many photos of famous figures over the years. George said he's very humble and there's a sense that he knows what he wants to do. He laughs a lot and smiles a lot. Scot asked Fr. Roger over the last two weeks and in anticipation of the Mass of inauguration tomorrow, what will stand out. Fr. Roger will remember when he came out on the balcony and asked us to pray to God to bless him and bowed over very humbly. Before that there were two other moments of silence—when his name was announced and then another moment was when he came out on the balcony and just stared at everyone. Fr. Roger said said the cardinals on the balcony didn't know what was going on in the silence of the prayer and even the national media thought they lost audio when the 100,000-strong crowd was hushed. Fr. Roger added that another memory was seeing how comfortable Pope Francis is and giving an example of how the reform of the Church will occur. What we saw with St. Francis of Assisi is that the reform of the Church began with individual men and women. Pope Francis is starting the reform in his own heart. He went to St. Mary Major to pray to Our Lady and emphasized the Church as more Marian than Petrine. Fr. Roger said the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar said the Church is more following Mary than Peter. The Church is virginal in her love for the Lord, loving God above everyone else. The Church is welcoming, like a mother welcoming all her children. The Church says Yes to God (“Fiat”). The Church leads to the New Evangelization, brings Jesus to others. The most important hierarchy in the Church is not the hierarchy of holy orders, but the hierarchy of holiness at the top of which is a woman, Mary. Petrine means Jesus founded a Church with a particular structure, but to have an effective papacy, we need holy popes, who have learned holiness from Mary. The Church's reform is not just changing the heads of some offices, but begins by following Mary by being a faithful recipient of what is given and then giving that to the world. Scot said Pope Francis ends each prayer by invoking Our Lady. He noted that Latin Americans have a special devotion to Our Lady. He asked if there is something particular about this devotion compared to the devotion of Pope John Paul II. Fr. Roger said the truths he just articulated are put into action by devotion. Marian devotion from one country to another has certain differences, devotions based on particular images or titles, but what matters is the person behind the image or title. He said for so many our relationship with Mary was affected by Pope John Paul's deep Marian devotion. Our new Holy Father has grown in his Marian devotion through the example of John Paul. If you don't have a great Marian devotion now, you can learn it from our present Holy Father as he learned it from our previous Holy Father. He said Pope Francis rises at 4:30am each day and prays all 20 decades of the rosary. His Marian devotion is also scripturally based and now recognizes more than at any time in his life how much he needs her. Pope Francis isn't trying to fit into a particular idea of the papacy, but is being himself and living the papacy as himself. Scot asked other enjoyable moments Fr. Roger has had on this trip. Fr. Roger said he was moved by being able to celebrate Mass at St. Peter's every morning. The first time he was celebrating Mass there because he felt spiritually orphaned because Pope Benedict had retired. But during Mass, he noted that he was surrounded by the great popes of the Church, 148 of them buried there. It was a comfort for him to realize he wasn't spiritually orphaned. Then once Pope Francis was elected, to be able to go into the place where one day he will almost certainly be buried, to celebrate Mass for him through the intercession of his predecessors created a spiritual connection with him. Scot said what stood out for him was being in shock on Wednesday night when the white smoke came. He'd thought it would be an awful night for white smoke because of the pouring rain and how difficult it would be for everyone. But then the rain stopped. Then the pope came out and no one really knew who Pope Francis was. On the following day when Cardinal Seán had a press conference with the media, in speaking with the cardinal briefly beforehand, Scot heard clearly how thrilled Cardinal Seán was at the election of Pope Francis. Then seeing Pope Francis be really comfortable with his sense of humor in the meeting with the media. It reminds him of how Cardinal Seán's sense of humor endears him to so many. Scot said he loves what he's already heard from Pope Francis who has a simple message. We've had brilliant theologians over past decades, and Pope Francis is also brilliant, but he's been a pastor for so long, he connects with people as a pastor. Scot said he's realized how much he loves being a conduit for so many prayer requests from a number of countries and from around the United States. Many were for people who were ill or elderly or for family members or for the cardinals or for unique needs. He realized how many millions of requests the Blessed Mother gets asked to intercede for every day and gave him a new appreciation for intercessory prayer. He's also realized how effective blogging is as a communications tool and as he reflects on the past two weeks of writing on TheGoodCatholicLife.com and posting George's photos, he sees how they have been successful in letting people know what it was like to be over there at this time. Scot noted that there have been two significant events on the papal schedule since our last broadcast. The first was a meeting with the media. Scot and George and Fr. Roger attended. He asked George how important it was to have a smaller gathering of about 3,000 people. George said the intimacy was a plus. It was great to be able to see without having to look through a long lens. Looking at this face, you get a sense of what kind of person he is. He was able to see how humble he is. Fr. Roger shared some of the off-the-cuff remarks of Pope Francis. He said Popes in this kind of meeting normally would thank the journalists for all their hard work. The pope would also give them some news, some information that was otherwise unknown to make their time worthwhile. This time he told them the story of how he got his name of Francis. He told them that when he reached the necessary 77 votes, his friend Cardinal Claudio Hummes came to him and said, “Don't forget the poor.” He was saying that he could be the pope who helps the Church become more poor in spirit, like in the beatitudes, but also help the poor. That made him think of St. Francis, who was a man of peace and who was so close to poor. He also noted that Francis is the patron of Italy and it provides him a close to connection his diocese as well. He added that others told him he should have taken other names, like Hadrian VII, after Hadrian VI who was a reformer, or Clement XV, after Clement XIV who suppressed the Society of Jesus in the early 1800s, as a come back from Pope Francis who is a Jesuit himself. He is very funny, even though many people have said in profiles of him that he doesn't smile. Fr. Roger noted that he was hugging many people at the end of the meeting. Pope Francis also talked about the vocation of the journalist and said that covering the journey is different from covering other beats. You have to approach the Church through the lens of faith in order to understand. Journalists and the Church seek truth, beauty and goodness. The Church finds all those in Jesus Christ. On Sunday, Pope Francis had his first Angelus as Pope. Popes typically have two public events per week, the Wednesday General Audience and the Sunday Angelus. George was able to be perched high on the colonnade above St. Peter's Square. George said he was able to show the crowd through his photos. He said was able to capture the anticipation on the faces of the people for seeing the Pope. Scot said his sense is that about one-third of the crowd was seeing the Pope for the first time. Fr. Roger said Pope Francis' message was gratitude for his warm welcome and then deeper meaning of Sunday's Gospel in that God is rich in mercy. He said God never tires of forgiving us, but we tire of asking God for forgiveness. So we should pray to never tire of asking. He also told a story of helping out with confessions and talking to an old black woman who wasn't very well educated and embarrassed to be talking to the archbishop. But she told him how the world wouldn't exist without God's mercy and he replied to her that she must have been educated at the Gregorian University because of the holy wisdom she showed. It shows how God has revealed the important things of the world to the little ones, not to the “wise” of the world. George ended by saying how much of a pleasure and honor it was to be there and communicate it all through his pictures. Fr. Roger said it's been a real joy to be there to witness it firsthand and to communicate it back home. He said the good Catholic life is a life our new Holy Father is calling us to live and he expects to hear more about it tomorrow in his inauguration Mass. He's very happy that our new Holy Father has started to walk us on that journey, asking us to follow him. 2nd segment: Scot was outside St. Peter's Square and welcomed Michael Severance of the Action Institute to the show. Scot asked him to relate a story of then-Cardinal Bergoglio visiting the Rome campus of the University of Dallas. Michael said at the time he was director of the the university's Rome program and they had a monthly speaker and dinner program. In February 2001, the guest was the then-archbishop who was two days from being made a cardinal. Michael's job was to be his liaison and he arranged his travel for his visit, but he said the cardinal insisted on taking a train, which was very inexpensive. When they met, he insisted he call him Father Jorge instead of Your Excellency. And because he'd missed his original train, he'd missed the dinner but he gave his talk anyway. His English was quite good, but it sounded like he worked hard to memorize it. He finished the topic of the talk on the economic crisis in Argentina at the time. His theme was that if people believed in Christ, they would have 100% of what they need and would not have felt the losses as keenly. Afterward, Michael offered to take him out to dinner because he'd missed it earlier. Michael said at the time he'd been used to so much formality in Rome and how important it was to use the correct title for someone, but if this was what the archbishop wanted, then that's what he would do. He understood him immediately to be a person of the people and of great humility. His refusal to take a car or a taxi, but instead to take the cheaper train showed he understood the pain of the people in Buenos Aires who had so little money. And then as for dinner, he said let's go to dinner. But Michael said the cafeteria was closed and offered to take him to Castel Gandolfo for dinner. He said there was no need to take him out for an expensive dinner and asked what they had in the refrigerator. Michael checked his kitchen and found some cheese, sausages, pasta and good Roman bread so he offered a nice typical spaghetti amatriciana and they had a nice family meal with the children and Michael's boss's family. In interacting with the students, whenever asked a question by the students, he would look at this feet and rub his forehead vigorously. Michael at first thought he was having trouble understanding the students' Texas accent. But when he answered it was clear he understood everything and had been recording everything in his mind. He said he has great listening capacity. He chooses his words wisely. His conversational English he rated at upper intermediate. Michael said his reaction upon hearing the name, at first he thought it was Cardinal Pell until others corrected him. He and his wife had talked previously about the possibility of the man they'd had in their home for dinner would be pope. Michael said in just a few days of his papacy we have seen him smiling and happy and speaking from his heart. He has the “teddy bear” factor in his favor. Scot asked what qualities the world will come to love the most. Michael said he's a person not afraid to break with tradition, when they are seen in a negative way, some forms of opulence as we've already seen in some of his choices so far. He will be true to himself and sincere in his austerity. Michael said he heads up the Acton Institute's Rome office. They are an ecumenical think tank that investigate the intersection of faith and economics. 3rd segment: Scot thanked everyone who has listened to the show over the past two weeks over the whole Station of the Cross network. The experience has brought him closer to God and he prayed the same is true for the listeners. Just a week ago, Cardinal Bergoglio was just a name and now he is our Pope. He is different in many ways. He is a man of the poor and wants to help those who are materially and spiritually poor. Scot summarized the work they've accomplished in Rome over the weeks they've been there. He said a chronicle of all the coverage is available on the website. On tomorrow's show, Scot and Fr. Chris O'Connor will discuss Pope Francis' homily at his inauguration Mass and on Wednesday, Scot and Fr. Matt Williams will discuss “Rebuilt”, a book about the change in a parish in Maryland. The Thursday show will return to a discussion of the news.

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0488: LIVE From Rome: Cardinal Seán's first press conference after the conclave

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2013 56:31


Summary of today's show: After emerging from the silence of the conclave that elected Pope Francis, Cardinal Seán O'Malley of Boston met with reporters from Boston and beyond to discuss voting in the conclave, his impressions of the new Holy Father, and what he takes away from the experience. Also, Scot Landry provides his perspective on the events as a pilgrim in St. Peter's Square. Finally, we look at the upcoming Sunday Mass readings. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Cardinal Seán O'Malley Links from today's show: Today's topics: LIVE From Rome: Cardinal Seán's first press conference after the conclave 1st segment: Thank you Rick. Welcome everyone, those listening in Boston and in these weeks of papal transition, those listening to the Station of the Cross from upstate New York and on iCatholic Radio. The world is learning so much more about our New Holy Father, Pope Francis. We are hearing reactions from Cardinals who participated in the Conclave to his election. We are also learning from his actions and from his first homily to the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel a little bit more about his priorities as Pope. We will hear Cardinal Sean's reactions in the first half of the show and then reflect on Pope Francis' first homily as our Holy Father in the second half of the show. But first, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be standing in Saint Peter's Square to see the white smoke, to hear “Habemus Papam” and the new Pope's former name, and then to receive the Apostolic blessing. Until Wednesday night in Rome, I wondered about that too. But I had such a privileged opportunity to be there for the surprise of an earlier election than most anticipated and then to see, hear and experience what it was like. At around 7pm, when the smoke appeared, it was raining heavily in Piazza San Pietro. So you needed to move around the umbrellas to see the sightlines. Here is how I reacted: Then after a period of waiting, here is what it sounded like in St. Peter's Square when they announced who the next Holy Father would be. [audio src=http://media.thegoodcatholiclife.com/2013-03-14-Habemus-Papam-Announcement.mp3] Then about 10 minutes later, we heard the first words from Pope Francis. [audio src=”http://media.thegoodcatholiclife.com/2013-03-14-Pope-Francis-Remarks.mp3”] Then our New Holy Father gave us his first Apostolic Blessing. The whole experience was tremendously moving. For a complete description of what it was like, please visit TheGoodCatholicLife.com and see . We'll be back after this and we'll listen to Cardinal Sean's press conference yesterday with the Boston Media. You are listening to The Good Catholic Life. 2nd segment: Welcome back to the Good Catholic Life on our 2nd full day of the papacy of Pope Francis. Yesterday at the Pontifical North America College, Cardinal Seán greeted the press from Boston. It was a packed room just of Boston journalists. There asking questions were Lisa Zoll from the Associated Press, Joe Mathieu from WBZ radio, Lisa Hughes from WBZ-TV, Kim Khazei from WHDH, Heather Unruh from WCVB, Patricia Thomas from Associated Press TV, Lisa Wangness and David Filipov from the Globe, plus their camera operators and producers. In my brief conversations with Cardinal Seán before and after the media events, it was very apparent that he rejoiced in the election of Pope Francis and that he was extremely happy he would be returning to Boston to celebrate the liturgies of Holy Week. We'll begin with his opening statement and then you'll hear questions from the journalists around the room. Cardinal Seán: Well obviously, for everyone in the Church, that decision of Pope Benedict to resign was a shock, and in some ways, a crisis for us. To be without a Pope is being [spiritually] orphaned. So, the Conclave has given us a new Holy Father, a new representative for the Church, and a new Vicar of Christ. So it's obviously a moment of great joy for the whole Catholic world. Being a part of it was a very humbling and moving experience. The Conclave is a very prayerful experience. It's almost like a retreat. I know that when you read the Italian papers, it seems like it a political campaign, or like the primaries or something. [Laughter] It really is a spiritual and prayerful experience of discernment. When you walk up with a ballot in your hand and stand before the image of the Last Judgment and say, “with Christ as my witness, I am voting for the one whom I feel is the one God wants to do this [Petrine Ministry]. This is a great responsibility. Obviously, we're delighted that the Holy Spirit moved us to elect Pope Francis. I certainly approve of the name! [Laughter] It is a great thing for us to have a Pope from the New World. I won't say he's the first non-European [Pope], because early on there were African Popes in the Church. He's the first one from our hemisphere and obviously that's a part of the world where half of the Catholics live. Also, almost half the Catholics in the United States are also Hispanic. The Pope is everyone's Holy Father, but it's a wonderful connection for him to have that cultural and linguistic tie with so many of the faithful. We're also happy to see the interest of the press. [Laughter.] So many have been credentialed to cover this event. Last night, from the loggia looking down at the multitude in the Square, listening to the roar of enthusiasm, seeing all the flashes going off, hearing the papal anthem being played, and listening to the Holy Father's words, and asking the people to pray with him and praying the very simple prayers that all Catholics know: The Our Father, The Hail Mary, The Glory Be. It was very moving. Rachel Zoll from the Associated Press: Could you talk a little bit about how you got to know Pope Francis? How long have you known him? Cardinal Seán: Well, I first met him in different meetings over the years. A couple years ago I was his guest in Argentina. I have always known of him and been an admirer of his. He's very close to a number of the Capuchins in Argentina, who are the members of my order. [Followup] Rachel Zoll from the Associated Press: Would it be fair to say you know him very well? Cardinal Seán: Yes. Joe Mathieu from WBZ radio. Good morning and thank you for spending time with us. We appreciate you for being so generous. Your name has been thrown around in the Boston press, Italian press, International press for some many days with so much speculation. I am wondering if you feel a sense of relief this morning that you have the same job? Cardinal Seán: As I told someone this morning, if the only prerequisite for being Pope was not wanting the job, I would have been the most qualified Cardinal in the Conclave. [Laughter.] So, of course, I was gratified by the warmth of the Italians in their enthusiasm for me. But that's because they love St. Francis. They got a Pope Francis anyway, so I hope they're satisfied. [Laughter.] Lisa Hughes from WBZ-TV. When we were here last night, Your Eminence, Cardinal Dolan described the moment when Pope Francis said “accepto.” He said that there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Can you describe that moment when former Cardinal Bergoglio accepted this honor? Cardinal Seán: Well, obviously, we were all hoping that he wouldn't decline. [Laughter.] It was a very moving moment. Afterwards, each one of us went up and kissed his ring, hugged him, and congratulated him. It was a very moving experience, truly. Kim Khazei from WHDH. I wanted to just ask that about the popularity. Even though you said you bought a round trip ticket, a lot of people thought that you would be a great fit for the job. Your humility. What else is there about you that you might have been able to bring to the table? You also spoke about Pope Francis, particularly you talked about reforming the Church being a priority. Do you expect to see more the same or change in the Catholic Church? Cardinal Seán: Pope Francis is coming out of Latin America where there is such a contrast of rich and poor, and so many very grave social problems. He is a man who is very much impassioned by the desire to make the Church present to people in their suffering, relieve the suffering of the poor, and make them feel that it is their Church. I think that is going to have repercussions in this pontificate. [Followup] Kim Khazei from WHDH. With some of the pain people have felt back home in Massachusetts and in the United States, with the scandal, do you think there will be healing there? Cardinal Seán: I'm confident that there will be. This is a man who has a great sense of mission. He values transparency. I have great confidence that he will further the process of healing in our Church. Heather Unruh from WCVB - It's great to see you. Thanks for having us today. Can you tell me your reaction when you realized that this was would be the first Jesuit Pope? What does he significantly and uniquely bring to the Papacy? Cardinal Seán: The Jesuit order is one of the most important orders in the Church. I make a lot of jokes about Franciscans and Jesuits [laughter]. Their educational ministry and their presence in our missions is so great. They are known for their discernment. We need a wise and discerning leader in the Church at this time. I'm sure that he will help to re-energize the Catholic identity of Jesuit education and be a great source of encouragement to the Jesuit order throughout the world. It's been a long time since we've had a religious as Pope. I think having somebody in the consecrated life as Pope is also a way of lifting up this vocation in the Church, of men and women religious, who so often around the frontlines throughout the world. We're very, very pleased that we have a Jesuit Pope. Patricia Thomas from Associated Press TV - A Jesuit priest said to me this morning that Pope Francis came out without the mozetto on top of his vestments. This is a Pope who's not going to fit in with the ‘silk and fur atmosphere' of the papal court? Do you agree with that? Also, Thursday he is supposed to go to Castel Gandolfo. How do you think his relationship with the Pope Emeritus is going to work? Cardinal Seán: I'm sure that he will have a very great relationship with Pope Benedict. In fact, I was touched that one of the first things he did [last night] was to ask people to pray for Pope Benedict, and he expressed gratitude for his ministry. Obviously, as a Latin American, he doesn't have the same weight of European history that people from this continent have. So I think he's probably to be a little freer to perhaps jettison some of the traditional things. Those traditions are important to our people too, so there has to be a balance between what is appropriate in the 21st-century and what is a holdover from the past. Scot Landry from TheGoodCatholicLife.com and The Pilot- Cardinal Seán you mentioned you like the name Francis that he took. St. Francis had a mandate to rebuild the Church, primarily spiritually. Do you think that's the significance of him choosing the name Francis, that he thinks he has a mandate to rebuild the Church? Cardinal Seán: I think that there are three themes in St. Francis that he's identifying with. I haven't spoken with him about this, so I'm sort of reading his mind. Certainly , he rebuilding the Church, the reforms of government in the Church and so forth [is one]. Also, certainly Francis as a universal brother. Francis wanted to be a brother to everyone. We have the famous “Brother Sun, Sister Moon.” Yesterday he spoke about the brotherhood, the fraternity, that he wants to reign in the Church and in the world. That people look at themselves as brothers and sisters. That's a very Franciscan theme. Also, St. Francis's love for the poor. For St. Francis the poor person was the Sacrament of Christ. Christ emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and embraced the cross for love of us. For Francis, the poor person was a sacrament of Christ. That's the vision that Pope Francis has and that's why he chose that name. He was very clear right from the beginning. He said this is in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, not Francis Xavier who was the Jesuit. [Laughter]. Rachel Zoll from the Associated Press: Can you talk a little bit about the stability and some the challenges ahead for this Pope? There was some surprise about age. There were expectations and built up that perhaps somebody younger would be chosen as Pope, so that the Pontificate would be a little bit longer. Can you talk about that a little bit? Was that assumption wrong? Cardinal Seán: Obviously the assumption was wrong. [Laughter.] I think age was a consideration, but there were other considerations that weighed more heavily I think on the discernment process. Whether the Pope's reign is long or short is not particularly important. Pope John XXIII was older when he was elected and so was Pope Benedict. I think the experience that he has and the gifts that he brings to the ministry are so precious and wonderful. Joe Mathieu from WBZ Radio - Cardinal Seán, it's been reported many times over the past 12 to 24 hours that Cardinal Bergoglio rejected many of the luxuries that are enjoyed by many Cardinals across the world: no limousines; no mansions; he lived in a small apartment; cooked his own meals they say; took the bus to work. I'm wondering to what extent you relate with that lifestyle and whether this is going to be a change in lifestyle for all Cardinals around the world. Cardinal Seán: I'm not sure what the impact will be. Certainly, the simplicity with which he has lived [is a example for all]. I think he's been very faithful and has tried to live his religious life even as a Bishop and as a cardinal. That's a good example that we hope will have an impact. Lisa Hughes from WBZ-TV. Your Eminence, what do you want to people in Boston to know about Pope Francis today? Cardinal Seán: Well, just that is a very good man, and that he's going to be a good leader for the Church. His experience of coming out of Latin America is also very important to us in the New World, and particularly, in the growing immigrant populations in Boston. I think there will be a great sense of joy and identification with the Holy Father. I'm curious to see what will happen this Summer at World Youth Day. They were already talking about 2 to 3 million young people in Rio. But that was before they counted on all of Argentina coming, [laughter] and the rest of Latin America. It will be quite a wonderful event. [Followup] Lisa Hughes from WBZ-TV. Will you go? Cardinal Seán: Yes. Kim Khazei from WHDH: Cardinal Seán, when you first walked into the room and made your opening remarks, you said you were moved when Pope Francis asked people to pray. It brought you close to tears. What specifically where you were reflecting on that made you so emotional? Cardinal Seán: They were simple prayers that all Catholics know. From children to old people, to those who have university education, and those who are illiterate. Those prayers unite us all in the same family of faith. It was beautiful to see how he was able to hush hundreds of thousands of people who were cheering and so enthusiastic. He was able to bring them to the moment of prayer, to be in God's presence. [Followup] Kim Khazei from WHDH: Did this whole experience end up being one of the most important moments of your life? Cardinal Seán: I never imagined as a child that someday I would be a part of the Conclave. Some of you may be old enough to remember there was a movie out – “The Cardinal” - many years ago. Although the storyline was not the most edifying, they were famous for the way they replicated the scene in the Sistine Chapel. I never imagined that someday I would be in that Chapel, taking that oath before Christ the Judge of the world, and being part of choosing a new successor to Saint Peter. Heather Unruh from WCVB: I know you've made it clear, Cardinal Seán, that you looked forward to that round-trip ticket home. What are you most looking forward to? I know that if you had been as Pope, you would give up the entire life that you've known so far. So now that you know if you're returning to Boston, and the things you love, what are you most looking forward to? Cardinal Seán: During Holy Week, we have the Chrism Mass, which to me is one of the most important moments of the year. I gather with all the priests, we renew our vows to serve God's people, we bless the oils that are used as our tools for baptisms, confirmations, and anointing of the sick. That's always a very important moment for priests. I look forward to sharing that moment with my priests each year. [Followup] Heather Unruh from WCVB: Are you also looking forward to some of the smaller things in life, the things that you like to do? Maybe you could elaborate on if you have a favorite street you walk on. Cardinal Seán: Well I think just being able to go out and walk. [Laughter]. People talk about the palace that the Pope has and everything. He's a prisoner in a museum. [Laughter]. It's not a wonderful life. In fact, I read Cardinal Dziwisz's book about his experience being Pope John Paul II's secretary for so many years. In that book, he reveals that John Paul II used to sneak out [of the Vatican] to go skiing. Nobody knew about that. I was so happy, [laughter] because the Italian government, The Gendarmes, the Army and everyone else would have had a fit. But they used to put him in the backseat of the car and go out and go skiing. I hope Francis will be able to sneak out occasionally, to go to a tango show or something. [Laughter.] Patricia Thomas from Associated Press TV - Last night I was standing at the obelisk just like I was when Cardinal Ratzinger came out in 2005. It was taking longer. I was standing with a lot of Italian photographers who were joking around saying, “it's taking so long, he must be panicking back there because he doesn't want to do it.” Why was it taking so long? Was he doing the tango? [Laughter.] What was going on back there? Cardinal Seán: Well, there was such a crowd of people. Just getting him through took a long time because everybody wanted to congratulate him. A lot of the workers came in at that time. Also I think that they also wait to give people the time to get to the Piazza. I think he could have gone out earlier. The Sistine Chapel is right near the loggia. From the Sistine Chapel, we first prayed the Te Deum, a hymn of Thanksgiving. Then we greeted the Holy Father individually. Then we started walking over toward the big window. Then there was a big crowd out there [in the loggia] that kind of slowed things down. [Overall] I think the plan is always to give enough time for people to get to the Piazza once the word gets out that there is white smoke. Scot Landry from TheGoodCatholicLife.com and The Pilot- Cardinal Seán, you've just gone through a week of General Congregation meetings and a couple of days in the Conclave. You've been a priest for more than 40 years, a Bishop for more than 25, and a Cardinal for 7 years. What have you learned new, over the last week or so, that has helped you appreciate the beauty of the Catholic Faith more, that you look forward to sharing with Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston? Cardinal Seán: The catholicity of the Church. Being with the Cardinals from all over the world and listening to them talk about the experience of the faith and their people in Asia and Africa and South America and North America and Europe. The mission that we share as Catholics. Our fraternity in the Church, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, through our baptism. It's a very moving experience. Lisa Wangsness from the Boston Globe. Could you talk about the kind of relationship you expect to have as Cardinal Archbishop of Boston with the new Pope. Do you expect to invite him to Boston? Do you think because you share a love for Latin America and the Spanish language, that you'll have any particular mission or projects that you'll be working on? Cardinal Seán: It's a little early to forecast. Certainly, as Cardinals, we are at the disposition of the Holy Father and are his advisors. I told him that whatever we can do to help, we stand ready. We would look forward to inviting him someday to Boston. It would be good. It's been a long time since we've had a Pope there. John Paul II was there in 1979. So we're due. [Laughter.] David Filopov from the Boston Globe. We have heard snippets of things that the Pope has said that portray a humility and a sense of humor. Where you there at the toast, for example, when he said “may God forgive you all” [for electing me]. How does he come across as a person? Is he really the soft-spoken, self-deprecating man that was seen glimpses of? Cardinal Seán: He is. He's very disarming. I had lunch with him yesterday before the vote [laughing]. At that point, he seemed very weighed down by what was happening. Last night, I think that was at peace in his heart that God's will has been accomplished in his life. He's very approachable. He's very friendly. He has a good sense of humor. He's very quick and a joy to be with. [Followup] David Filopov from the Boston Globe. Father Lombardi told us that he didn't use the papal car but rather he rode back on the bus with the other Cardinals. How was the atmosphere? Were you surprised that he rode back on the bus? Did you expect that? Cardinal Seán: That's what I would've expected. Lisa Wangsness from the Boston Globe. Can you talk a little bit about the time you spend with him in Buenos Aires in 2010? Cardinal Seán: I was there on business for the USCCB, the Bishops conference, and I was his guest. We did have the time to visit and talk a lot about this situation of the Church in Latin America. We spoke a lot about our some of our mutual friends. He gave me a great CD that I enjoy very much. It is the Misa Criolla, which is Argentine music for a Mass arrangement. It was a very pleasant and very informal visit, because my business for the USCCB was not precisely with him. With him, it was more of a social visit. [Followup] Lisa Wangsness from the Boston Globe. Were you at his house? Cardinal Seán: Yes. [Followup] Lisa Wangsness from the Boston Globe. Did you visit his apartment? If so, can you describe it? Cardinal Seán: He lives in the part of the Chancery, which is a church office building. There's an apartment in there and perhaps his secretaries. I'm not really sure who is in the other apartments. Those are Cardinal Sean O'Malley's remarks at the press conference yesterday with Boston media. I'd like to highlight 7 points from his remarks that stood out to me. Cardinal described the Conclave as a very prayerful experience. It's almost like a retreat. It really is a spiritual experience of discernment. When you walk up with a ballot in your hand and stand before the image of the Last Judgment and say, “with Christ as my witness, I am voting for the one whom I feel is the one God wants to do this [Petrine Ministry]. This is a great responsibility. He also mentioned it was so easy to pray looking at the ceiling and the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal Sean was thrilled that he took the name Francis and he made sure to emphasize that Pope Francis took the name to emulate St. Francis of Assisi. He speculated that he did it for 3 reasons – Because of St. Francis' mission to rebuild the Church. Because of St. Francis' emphasis that we all are brothers and sisters in the Lord. And because of St. Francis' love of the poor. Cardinal Seán expressed his happiness at coming home to Boston soon and clarified that he didn't want the job with his typical humor: “As I told someone this morning, if the only prerequisite for being Pope was not wanting the job, I would have been the most qualified Cardinal in the Conclave. [Laughter.] So, of course, I was gratified by the warmth of the Italians in their enthusiasm for me. But that's because they love St. Francis. They got a Pope Francis anyway, so I hope they're satisfied.” [Laughter.] Cardinal Sean became emotional when he described the experience looking at the crowd in Piazza San Pietro and Francis calling them to prayer. He said “Last night, from the loggia looking down at the multitude in the Square, listening to the roar of enthusiasm, seeing all the flashes going off, hearing the papal anthem being played, and listening to the Holy Father's words, and asking the people to pray with him and praying the very simple prayers that all Catholics know: The Our Father, The Hail Mary, The Glory Be. It was very moving. They were simple prayers that all Catholics know. From children to old people, to those who have university education, and those who are illiterate. Those prayers unite us all in the same family of faith. It was beautiful to see how he was able to hush hundreds of thousands of people who were cheering and so enthusiastic. He was able to bring them to the moment of prayer, to be in God's presence. Cardinal Sean said that age was a consideration, but there were other considerations that weighed more heavily I think on the discernment process. He commented that whether the Pope's reign is long or short is not particularly important. Pope John XXIII was older when he was elected and so was Pope Benedict. I think the experience that he has and the gifts that he brings to the ministry are so precious and wonderful. Cardinal Sean said that he's most looking to returning to Boston for Holy Week. He said “During Holy Week, we have the Chrism Mass, which to me is one of the most important moments of the year. I gather with all the priests, we renew our vows to serve God's people, we bless the oils that are used as our tools for baptisms, confirmations, and anointing of the sick. That's always a very important moment for priests. I look forward to sharing that moment with my priests each year. In describing Pope Francis personally, Cardinal Sean said that he knew him well and mentioned that Pope Francis is very approachable, very friendly, has a good sense of humor, he's very quick thinking and a joy to be with. Next on the Good Catholic Life, we'll discuss Pope Francis' first homily to the Cardinals and to the world. Please stay tuned. 3rd segment: Yesterday, Pope Francis met with the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at 5pm for the Celebration of Mass. He preached without written remarks and he did it from the pulpit instead of sitting in a chair. It was very different from what we've seen over the last couple of decades. It was impressive to me, given all he's been through over the past few days, to hear him deliver such an eloquent homily off the cuff. Here is a translated version of what he preached, courtesy of There is something that I see that these three readings have in common: movement. In the first reading it is the movement of a journey; in the second reading it is the movement in building the Church; in the third, the Gospel, it is the movement of confession. Journeying, building, confessing. First, Journeying. “House of Jacob, come, let us walk together in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:5). This is the first thing that God said to Abraham: Walk in my presence and you will be blameless. Journey: our life is a journey and when we stop it does not go on. Journey always in the presence of the Lord, in the light of the Lord, seeking to live with that blamelessness that God asked of Abraham in his promise. Second, Building. Building the Church. Stones are spoken of: the stones have a consistency, but they are the living stones, stones anointed by the Spirit. Building the Church, the Bride of Christ, upon that cornerstone that is the Lord himself. Building is another form of movement in our life. Third, confessing. We can journey as much as we want, we can build many things, but if we do not confess Jesus Christ, the thing does not work. We will become a welfare NGO but not the Church, the Bride of Christ. When we do not journey, we stop. When we do not build upon the stones, what happens? Everything collapses, loses its consistency, like the sandcastles that children build on the beach. When we do not confess Jesus Christ, I am reminded of the words of Léon Bloy: “Whoever does not pray to the Lord, prays to the devil.” When we do not confess Jesus Christ, we confess the worldliness of the devil, the worldliness of the demon. Journeying, building-constructing, confessing. But it is not that easy, because in journeying, in constructing, in confessing, there are problems, there are movements antithetical to the journey: they are movements that take us backward. This Gospel continues with an important moment. The same Peter who had confessed Jesus Christ said to him: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. I will follow you, but let's not talk about the cross. This is not a part of it. I will follow you in other directions, but not to the cross. When we journey without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we confess a Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord: we are worldly, we are bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, but not disciples of the Lord. I would like for us all, after these days of grace, to have courage, precisely the courage, to walk in the Lord's presence, with the cross of the Lord; to build the Church upon the blood of the Lord, which was poured out on the cross; and to confess the only glory there is: Christ crucified. And in this way the Church will go forward. It is my wish for all of us that the Holy Spirit – through the prayer of Our Lady, our Mother – bestow upon us the grace of journeying, building, confessing Jesus Christ crucified. Amen. Those are the words from the first homily of Pope Francis yesterday in the Sistine Chapel. A few things struck me. He's a talented preacher to do this off the cuff. We are in for some great homilies during his pontificate. He used down to earth analogies, such as sandcastles on the beach that get washed away. He used powerful, striking language. He said if we don't confess Christ and put him at the center of our mission, we become a welfare NGO. He said we need to confess Christ with the Cross. And to his brother bishops – and through them to us – he challenged us by saying “without confessing the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord: we are worldly, we are bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, but not disciples of the Lord. That's tough. I loved how he described that we are always moving. We are either moving forward in the spiritual life or if we're just trying to stay in place we'll regress. He implored the bishops and the entire Church to walk with courage proclaiming the Cross of Christ. The last thing was that he ended his homily calling on the Blessed Mother. I believe Pope Francis will be known someday for his Marian Devotion just like Blessed John Paul II was. I can't wait until his next homily at his installation Mass on Tuesday morning. We'll take a look forward at this Sunday's Mass readings next. You are listening to the Good Catholic Life. 4th segment: Welcome back to The Good Catholic Life here from Rome. For our new listeners, we often try to end our week by turning toward the Sunday readings. Hearing them on Friday gives us the chance to reflect on them before we join our Brothers and Sisters at Mass on Sunday. Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick. Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, for I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, the people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise. Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 17, 2013 (John 8:1-11) Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.” Now some reflections (courtesy of ): Last week, Jesus preached to us the parable of the Prodigal Son, which stressed the Father's undying love for his wayward child, the meaning of genuine repentance and the sadness of the older brother who couldn't share his father's joy. In today's Gospel, that STORY (parable) about God's forgiveness becomes REALITY, in the encounter of Jesus with the woman caught in adultery and with all the “older brothers” who were trying to get her killed rather than trying to bring her to mercy. Just as Jesus wanted us last week to see ourselves as the prodigal son, who acted as if his father were dead and squandered the inheritance of love, so he wants us to see ourselves in the woman caught red-handed. Moreover, just as the Lord wants us to recognize that often we can behave like the older brother in the parable who resents mercy given to sinful siblings, so, too, the Lord wishes us to drop whatever stones are in our hands and use even other's sins as a reminder of our own. The Church gives us this reading on the fifth Sunday of Lent to remind us, first, of the horror and the just consequences of sin; second, of the incredible gift of God's mercy; and third, of what we need to do to receive that mercy. The first big lesson in today's Gospel that the Church wants us to grasp this Lent. Each of us is like that woman caught in adultery, whether or not we've been captured by others in the act of committing such a sin. In the revelation God gave us in the Old Testament, He revealed that every sin is really adultery, because it is being unfaithful to the covenant of love we have entered into with God. He referred to Israel as his adulterous bride, and, in some ways, each of us are part of that adulterous bride. Each of us merits to be stoned. But, as we see in St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Christ laid down his life to make his bride holy and spotless. He, the only one who fully merits to be able to cast a stone, took the stones, the bullet, intended for us and died out of love so that his bride wouldn't have to. Such great love is supposed to lead to three reactions on our part: The first is to have a just horror for our sins and to recognize how deadly they are The second thing is to come to receive his mercy The third reaction is to stop judging others and begin to extend God's merciful forgiveness to them That will conclude today's episode of The Good Catholic Life. For recordings of today's show and all our previous shows, please visit our website, TheGoodCatholicLife.com. We encourage you also to follow our daily blog from Rome which is also available at TheGoodCatholicLife.com and to view George Martell's photos on BostonCatholicPhotos.com. For our production team of Rick Heil, Dom Bettinelli, George Martell and Karla Goncalves, this is Scot Landry saying so long from Rome, God Bless You and Have a wonderful weekend!

The Good Catholic Life
TGCL #0487: LIVE from Rome: Who is Pope Francis?

The Good Catholic Life

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2013 56:31


Summary of today's show: Who is Pope Francis? Scot Landry and Fr. Roger Landry talk about the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, who he is, how he was elected, what he was like as a Jesuit priest and archbishop in Argentina, and what we can expect from him in the future. Plus, how to address all the supposed controversies that will be dragged up to try to throw doubt on him. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry Links from today's show: Today's topics: LIVE from Rome: Who is Pope Francis? 1st segment: Scot welcomed everyone to the show. Last night we heard the announcement of Pope Francis and he said it was a great honor to be in the crowd. He thinks the Church is going to love Pope Francis. He has lived a simple life as archbishop of Buenos Aires. HE thinks he will be a pope of signs and gestures. He welcomed Fr. Roger to the show. Fr. Roger said he was on live with Fox News and while Megyn Kelly was hesitant to say it was white smoke, he said it was clearly white compared to the previous black smoke. As soon as he was done, he ran down the stairs to the street and ran the blocks to the St. Peter's Square so he could do a live video on his iPhone so his parishioners back home could experience it. Fr. Roger said he'd originally thought after five ballots, the odds were high it was Cardinal Scola or maybe it was Cardinal Dolan. He said when Cardinal Tauran came out and said “Georgium”, he quickly ran through the handful of Georges among the cardinals and then was stunned to hear “Bergoglio”. Scot said he and George Martell were up front among young people and young sisters. They couldn't hear clearly and so when he heard Franciscum, he thought maybe he'd misheard earlier and it might be Cardinal Seán. There was a long wait for the Holy Father to come out and they saw the new Pope Francis. Scot said he was very quiet and he paused for a long time looking out on St. Peter's Square. He might have been reflecting on his awesome new responsibility. Fr. Roger said he has a beautiful smile but his reputation is that he doesn't let it erupt very often. Fr. Roger said his Italian is beautiful because his parents were Italian immigrants to Argentina. His first words were simple and humble. He addressed everyone as brothers and sisters. He immediately said, “Rome has her bishop.” He was making a connection to one of his principal duties. Today, he went over to St. Mary Major to pray before an image of Our Lady. There was a fire in the 6th century that would have destroyed a major part of the city and Pope St. George carried the image in procession through the fire and extinguished it. It was made famous again in 1940 when Pope Pius XII processed with the image all night to pray that Rome would be spared from Nazi carpetbombing. Huge cloud cover came over and instead the bombs dropped on a huge cemetery outside the city. Scot said two things stood out to him. The first was that he kept calling himself Bishop of Rome, not Supreme Pontiff or Pope. Something else that stood out to him was that he asked everyone to pray over him before he blessed the crowd. Fr. Roger said it shows that he's first a man of prayer. He suffered in the Church in Argentina as the Jesuit order there had been taken over by those who believed in a Marxist Gospel. He was or less banished to be a simple chaplain, but he ended up becoming a great confessor and spiritual director. So his first act as pope was to lead everyone in prayer for Benedict XVI. Fr. Roger made the distinction that he asked us to pray for God to bless him. What moved Fr. Roger was how profoundly he bowed during the prayer to receive the strength to do what he's been asked to do. Fr. Roger gave him his priestly blessing just like newly ordained priests give their bishop a blessing during their ordination Mass. Scot asked the significance of the name Francis. He's very popular in Italy and one of the two patron saints of Italy with St. Catherine of Siena. Fr. Roger said St. Francis was praying in the dilapidated church of San Damiano and heard Christ speak from the crucifix to rebuild his church. At first he thought it meant rebuild that chapel, but then the Lord made it clear to rebuild the church of men, women, and children, the living stones. When St. Francis came to Rome, on the eve of his appearance, Pope Innocent had a dream of a man in a burlap sack holding up the corner of St. John Lateran Church, the pope's cathedral. The next day he saw this friar from his dream came in. He had been there to ask to start a religious order, which wasn't being done any more because they thought there were too many already. Pope Francis knows that the reform begins with each of us living our faith, living stone by living stone, this is how Christ's whole Church will proclaim that is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Scot asked the significance of a Jesuit taking the name of St. Francis. Fr. Roger said he shares St. Francis' love for the poor and his personal simplicity. He thinks it's a unifier in that St. Francis is the one human being, no matter what religion or no religion, consider the one saint. There is universal reverence for St. Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis, if he lives up to the standard, will unite the Church in prayer and simple, humble service. Scot said he's likely to be a pope of symbols. As archbishop, he gave up his mansion and moved into an apartment, gave up his limo and rode public transportation, and gave up his cook to make his own meals. Even last night, he eschewed the papal limo and took the cardinals' bus back to the Casa S. Martae. He preached that he didn't need any of the fancy things of his office. Fr. Roger said there's a distinction between symbols and signs. Symbols are arbitrary, like a stop sign. Smoke is a sign of a fire which points naturally to what it's related. So his actions are signs pointing to a real connection. It was far more symbolic, but signs of who he is and who we as Christians ought to be. When he invited the ailing emeritus archbishop to live with him in that apartment and cooked meals for both of them, he invited in a very poor community to use the episcopal residence. He's trying to live as Jesus would live. You can't preach the Gospel to the poor arriving in a Mercedes-Benz. In the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, information came out that Cardinal Bergoglio was runner up and had 40 votes in the second to last ballot. It's also reported he stood and asked his supporters to vote for Ratzinger. It shows he's had strong support from his brother cardinals and he wasn't gunning for the job. Fr. Roger said for all the cardinals all who participated in 2005, about half of those still in this years' conclave, Pope Francis wouldn't have lost any of those qualities. He is a teacher who teaches by his lips and life; he's a reformer who reformed the Jesuits in Argentina and the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires. That means he's a man who could clean up the Roman Curia. Scot said he's the first pope from the Americas, first Francis, and first Jesuit. Scot said Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia said Pope Francis comes from the new heartland of the Catholic Church. Forty-two percent of Catholics come from Latin America. Fr. Roger said he's thrilled to have the first American pope. We've been formed by the European missionaries and now Europe needs to be re-evangelized. Italians noted how well Pope Francis spoke Italian, a native son who brought back real gifts from abroad. Scot said in the US we call ourselves Americans, but everyone in North, South and Central America are Americans. In the eyes of the Church, America includes all three. He said if you measure from the tip of Alaska to the tip of Chile, Mexico City where our Lady of Guadalupe appeared is dead center. We should be proud of him as a native son. Scot said he's pleased to see that Pope Francis asked someone to send out a tweet at the @Pontifex Twitter handle with the simple Habemus Papam Franciscum. Fr. Roger thinks he will continue to use media. Pope Francis knows the importance of using every pulpit possible to reach the people where they are. We'll see the continuation of this path in new media as a priority. Scot noted the Holy Father's sense of humor in toasting the cardinals and saying, “May God forgive you” for electing him. Fr. Roger talked about the Holy Father's emphasis in his ministry on God's forgiveness and merciful love. They noted his episcopal motto translates as “Needing mercy and being chosen”. Scot and Fr. Roger discussed the controversies the media will latch onto. First, there is the claim of complicity with the military junta in Argentina. Second, supporting the Church's teaching on contraception, and Third, supporting the church's teaching on the family. On the first, two of his Jesuit priests wanted to advocate violence to overturn the military junta. When they were arrested, they asked him, as provincial minister, to lie to protect them and he refused. Later he also stood up for them and put his life on the line to ask for them to be released. But he didn't lie. On the teaching on contraception and condoms, it's said he advocated the use of condoms for the prevention of disease. Most Catholics don't know the Church's teaching with regard to contraception. Pope Paul VI said it's immoral for a married couple to use it to prevent conception. But in regards to acts of violence, like marital rape by a husband with AIDS, that's different. Scot said some of the media have talked about how the new Holy Father could change the doctrine of the Church, which isn't possible. On the third element, he taught what the Church has always taught about the family and the rights of children to be raised in the context of mother and father. Fr. Roger said Pope Francis defies categorization as a moderate, conservative or liberal. Catholics are to be 100% faithful to the Good News and 100% faithful to the Lord's command to love one another. He's 100% orthodox and 100% charitable. He has said that same-sex activity is sinful, but those with those attractions are to be loved and afforded all their human rights, which don't include the right to marry another of the same sex or to adopt children along with someone of the same sex. Pope Francis said children have a right to be raised by a mother and father, and children raised by two men or two women often report as adults that they have suffered as a result. It's child abuse when we say a child doesn't need both a mother and father, which is different from saying that if circumstances require they can be raised by one or another of their parents. It's about saying a child doesn't need a mother and a father. Fr. Roger said the evil of sexual abuse of minors is horrible and disgusting. When Jesus was talking about the worst imaginable sin, he said one who hears what I says and teaches other to fail to live it is fit to be tied to a millstone and thrown in the sea. As evil as sexual abuse of minors is, this type of poison of false teaching that leads people away from heaven is even worse, if we can imagine it. Our culture can't pretend that there isn't real truth or that all paths lead to heaven. Pope Francis has fought that and the Church has fought it. We need to understand the importance of communicating the Good News even when we are signs of contradiction. Scot said we look forward to Pope Francis' first few days. He's going to meet with Benedict XVI, meet with journalists, and on Sunday give a blessing at the Angelus, and on Tuesday morning there will be the Mass of inauguration and installation. Fr. Roger talked of what he thinks we'll see from Pope Francis soon. He believes the Roman Curia reform will begin soon through his preaching and actions. He will lay the foundations over the next few days.

JK Podcast
Ep19 : . . . and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope

JK Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2013 16:15


This week, Tom, Kevin and I, have a relatively light-hearted chat about the brand new pope, the previous retired pope, the Jesuit order–with a sprinkle of Alex Jones–and Catholicism in general. Material from Podcast Music […]