As we pray for Pope Francis and the Church, let’s keep in mind the many things to appreciate about him
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The world is rushing forward to consider the upcoming conclave and the election of a new pope. Can you and I pause for just a moment to appreciate the gift that Pope Francis was to the Church and to pray in the light of that appreciation?
I was appointed auxiliary bishop of Baltimore by Pope John Paul II, served most of my time as an auxiliary under Pope Benedict XVI, and was transferred to Springfield, Massachusetts, and then St. Louis, by Pope Francis. Suffice it to say this gives me a deep appreciation for each of the last three popes!
Let me name a few things I appreciated about Pope Francis and his leadership.
Pope Francis’ notion that the Church is first a field hospital was very helpful. Yes, the notion could be misunderstood. But it’s true and it’s a powerful image that shapes our first step and focuses our energies.
Pope Francis’ notion that we are living in a change of the ages was very helpful. The world has made, and we need to make, the shift from a “Christendom” mindset to a “new Apostolic age” mindset. That doesn’t mean the Church should change her teachings. It does mean we should reconsider the strategies we use to present the Gospel to the world. We can no longer suppose that our institutions will evangelize; we need to form individuals who can evangelize.
Pope Francis’ sense of mercy as the primary attribute of God was a powerful balm for an anxious world. The way he let mercy shape his interactions with the ill — being drawn to them almost magnetically — provided powerful images of how God’s mercy reaches out to the misery of humankind.
The way Pope Francis, right from the start, built on Pope Benedict’s theme of “encounter” was a beautiful point of continuity, and shaped our sense of how to carry out the new evangelization. When we allow Jesus to encounter us daily, we become better at helping others encounter Jesus.
The way Pope Francis built on Pope John Paul II’s “law of gradualness” was important in shaping how we think of the Church’s pastoral strategy. We’ve become more aware of imperfect progress in salvation history and more patient with imperfect progress in pastoral life.
There are so many things to appreciate in the life and ministry of Pope Francis! But rather than go on and on with my own list, I invite each of us to consider something we appreciated about Pope Francis, and then to pray for the repose of his soul and for the next steps for the Church in the glow of that appreciation.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him!
