03-22-13 Vol. 34 No. 31

theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 31 | march 22, 2013

Pope Francis

“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”

— St. Francis of Assisi

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theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

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March 22, 2013 | theleaven.com

Life will be victorious

Church belonged in the streets, asserted pope from an early age

We cannot follow Christ without it leading to Calvary

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fter the election of Pope Francis, I was asked in a radio interview if I thought the church should update the process of electing a pope. The interviewer went on to inquire: “In this age of instant messaging, do you think that they will get rid of the white smoke and just tweet the results of the papal election? Do you think that they will abandon the secrecy of the conclave and become more transparent by inviting in the press?”

I told her that I did not know about the “white smoke.” Certainly, there is no reason that this has to be the first signal that we have a new pope. Personally, I hope the church does not change it. I think that it adds to the charm and the drama of the election. It connects the election of a new pope with those elected previously and it is a visual reminder that the election of the Holy Father for the Catholic Church is unique and different from all the trivia that is tweeted every day.

With regard to the secrecy of the conclave, this is something that the church could change, but once again, I hope we do not. I asked the reporter to think back to our last presidential election. Everyone was so glad when it was over. Our American election process requires candidates to do endless self-promotion, campaigning for the office. Even worse, to win an election today a candidate and his supporters, it would seem, must engage in all sorts of negative messaging about rival candidates.

The conclave is conducted in a confidential and, more importantly, prayerful environment. The cardinals are not permitted to campaign for the office. The confidentiality of the conclave shields the cardinals from

archbishop Joseph F. Naumann being subjected to outside pressure. They can prayerfully focus their attention on discerning who can best lead the church at this particular moment.

This interview reminded me of William Kristol’s (editor and publisher of The Weekly Standard magazine) comments after Pope Benedict’s visit to the United States. Mr. Kristol, who is Jewish, remarked that the last two Catholic popes have been very impressive individuals. He noted how both were brilliant intellectuals, but even more impressive was their personal integrity. They lived in a manner consistent with what they taught. Mr. Kristol said you have to give the College of Cardinals high marks in their selection of these leaders for the church. Then he proposed that maybe our nation ought to look into this method of selecting our leadership.

To use a metaphor that might normally be associated more with the baseball Cardinals, the selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to serve as the new successor of St. Peter appears, from all early indications, to be another home run by the College of Cardinals. Pope Francis has made a powerful first impression on the world and has given us glimpses of why the cardinals, guided by the Holy Spirit, chose him to lead the church at this moment.

Pope Francis manifested his sense of humor when he quipped that his brother

Marian Consecration Masses

calendar

I have been delighted by the many people in the Archdiocese who have accepted my invitation to consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary on the feast of the Annunciation, which this year is celebrated on Mon., April 8. Thank you for making this self-administered retreat with me by utilizing the meditations found in Father Michael Gaitley’s book, “33 Days to Morning Glory.” For those who wish, there will be two communal opportunities to make your Marian consecration.

On Sun., April 7, I will celebrate a 5 p.m. Mass at St. Michael Church in Leawood. The Mass will be for the Second Sunday of Easter but, as part of the Eucharist, we will make our Marian consecration on the eve of the feast of the Annunciation.

Also, on Mon., April 8, I will celebrate a noon Mass at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church in Topeka. There will be a special joy in making this consecration to Jesus through Mary united with many others who share the same love for Jesus and his Blessed Mother.

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cardinals went to the ends of the world to find a new bishop for Rome. The Holy Father, before giving us his first blessing as pope, with what we are learning is characteristic humility, requested that those in St. Peter’s Square first pray for him, asking God to bless him in fulfilling his new responsibilities.

His decision to ride in the bus with the other cardinals back to Domus Santa Marta, his going by himself to St. Mary Major to pray, carrying his own luggage — all are apparently consistent with the lifelong habits of our new Holy Father. It is obvious that Pope Francis truly believes in the title that has been given to popes for centuries, “servant of the servants of God.” In his first homily as pope, given to the cardinals on the day following his election, Pope Francis described the life of a disciple in general — and the ministry of bishop, in particular — as one of journeying, building and professing.

Pope Francis understands himself and every disciple being on a journey in the presence of the Lord. He observed that when we stop moving, we get into trouble.

Pope Francis spoke of the

Holy Week at the Cathedral I invite you and your family to make a pilgrimage sometime this Holy Week and Easter to the Cathedral of St. Peter for one of the liturgies. I will celebrate the following Masses and liturgies at the Cathedral: Palm Sunday March 24 Holy Thursday March 28 Good Friday March 29 Holy Saturday March 30 Easter Sunday March 31

11 a.m. Mass 7:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper 3 p.m.

Passion of the Lord* 8 p.m. Easter Vigil 11 a.m. Easter Mass

*On Good Friday, Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher will be the homilist. Please come and join me to celebrate one of these special liturgies at our beautiful Cathedral of St. Peter.

Publication No. (ISSN0194-9799) President: Most Reverend Joseph F. Naumann

responsibility of building the church with the living stones that are the people of God, but always on the cornerstone that is Jesus Christ.

The Holy Father reminded the cardinals that at the heart of their ministry is the professing of Jesus Christ.

Without Jesus, Pope Francis says the church might be “a charitable nongovernmental organization, but not . . . the bride of the Lord.”

Moreover, the Holy Father challenged the cardinals, cautioning: “When we do not profess Jesus Christ, we profess the worldliness of the devil, a demonic worldliness.”

The Gospel for the Mass was Mt 16: 13-23, the confession of St. Peter. In this passage, Peter professed his belief in Jesus as Messiah, the Son of the living God. In turn, Jesus declared Peter to be the “rock” upon which Our Lord would build the church and to whom he desired to entrust the keys of the kingdom. Immediately after this exchange between Jesus and Peter, Our Lord spoke to the disciples about his approaching passion and death. Peter told Jesus to quit speaking this way, which prompted Our Lord to admonish Peter, saying: “Get behind me, Satan! You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

Pope Francis then said to the cardinals rather bluntly: “When we journey without the cross, when we build without the cross, when we profess Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord — we are worldly.

We may be bishops, priests, cardinals, popes — but not disciples of the Lord.”

I encourage you during Holy Week to ponder these

Editor Reverend Mark Goldasich, stl frmark@theleaven.com

Production Manager Todd Habiger todd@theleaven.com

Reporter Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Managing Editor Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

Senior Reporter Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Advertising Coordinator Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

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Naumann March 23 “Catholic Way” taping March 24 Palm Sunday Mass at Cathedral March 26 Chrism Mass at Savior Pastoral Center March 28 Holy Thursday Mass at Cathedral March 29 Good Friday liturgy at Cathedral March 30 Easter Vigil Mass at Cathedral March 31 Easter Mass at Cathedral

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keleher March 21-22 Labor Review Board — New York

March 24 Federal Prison Mass Confessions — Church of the Nativity Leawood March 26 Chrism Mass at Savior Pastoral Center March 28 Mass — Sisters, Servants of Mary, Kansas City, Kan. March 29 Mass at Cathedral

March 30 Curé of Ars confirmation at Easter Vigil March 31 Mass — Sisters, Servants of Mary, Kansas City, Kan.

words of Pope Francis. We cannot follow Jesus without it leading us to Calvary. The cross reveals to us the depth of God’s love for us, but it also reminds us that the Lord counseled that if one wishes to be his disciple, then one must take up the cross and follow him. May this Holy Week give us renewed energy to profess our faith and love for Jesus and to follow him all the way — even to Calvary.

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CNS photo/Diego Fernandez Otero, Clarin handout via Reuters

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, right, now Pope Francis, is pictured traveling by subway in Buenos Aires in 2008. The 76-year-old Jesuit became the first Latin American pope and was installed on March 19 as the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

Argentines feel mixed emotions over sharing ‘Father Jorge’ with the world

By David Agren Catholic News Service

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UENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNS) — Oscar Justo, 60, begs for bills and coins from a perch next to St. Joseph Parish in Barrio de Flores, the neighborhood where Pope Francis was born.

As Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis passed by often, walking from the bus stop or surfacing from a nearby subway station. But he always took time to greet Justo, offer a blessing and provide a few pesos.

“He always gave me something . . . sometimes 100 pesos ($20),” said Justo, who lost both legs in a railway accident.

Such stories of kindness abound in Buenos Aires, where Pope Francis was archbishop for 15 years, until being elected pope March 13. Portenos, as locals here are known, came to know Pope Francis as an unpretentious prelate, who took public transit, showed preoccupation for the poor and challenged the authorities.

The new pope is mostly portrayed as a pope for the poor and common people. But a more complex picture — as a priest, administrator and soccer fanatic — comes from Argentina, where vendors now peddle his pictures and posters, and where Peronists — the political movement founded by former President Juan Peron and his second wife, Eva Peron — have blanketed Buenos Aires with posters proclaiming him one of their own.

He ascended in the church, something attributed to his force of personality and ability to remember names and faces.

“He has a prodigious memory,” said Father Andres Aguerre, Jesuit vice provincial in Argentina. “You tell him your birthday once and he remembers.”

In the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires,

Pope Francis adopted the attitude that the church belongs in the street.

He built chapels and missions in poor areas and sent seminarians to serve them.

He spoke out often against injustice, such as the treatment of migrant workers from neighboring countries and those lured into the sex trade, and against social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

He criticized the late President Nestor Kirchner and President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who succeeded her husband in 2007, and their way of doing politics — by building patronage groups, instead of alleviating poverty, he alleged. They responded by going to other churches instead of the cathedral for important ceremonies.

Gabriel Castelli, a member of the board of directors at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, said the new pope “always had the ability to say what he thinks.”

He put a priority on providing attention to his priests. He had a cellphone reserved just for his nearly 4,000 diocesan priests, and each morning he reserved one hour to take their calls.

“He was very committed to his priests, which is difficult with such a large archdiocese,” Castelli said.

Many in the church, like Poirier, speak of his administrative skills in Buenos Aires.

“He’s not an intellectual [like Pope Benedict], rather a man of government, with great political and administrative abilities,” Poirier said.

Priests had to keep their parishes in order, Poirier said.

He said Pope Francis preferred the shanties to high society; he never dined out or went to parties; he cooked for himself and read voraciously. He especially liked Latin American literature and Fyodor Dostoyevsky novels. He did not use a computer or email and listened to games of his favorite soccer team, San Lorenzo, on the radio.

Barrio de Flores is a working-class neighborhood. The new pope’s father was a railway worker, his mother a homemaker. As a youth, the pope studied in public schools, which included technical certification as a chemist.

He returned often to the barrio, to St. Joseph Parish, where he was scheduled to celebrate Mass on Palm Sunday.

At St. Joseph, parishioners shared memories.

“He always carried his own bags,” recalled Zaira Sanchez, 72.

After Mass, “people would wait outside and he would bless all of them and talk to them,” before leaving on public transit, she said.

He took time for causes, too — such as Fundacion Alameda, which sought support from Pope Francis for its work against the exploitation of migrants working in Argentina. It also works to prevent migrant women from being lured into the sex trade.

The foundation’s director, Olga Cruz, knew the then-cardinal previously — he baptized both her children, who were not infants, after she asked him personally.

“He said it would be an honor,” recalled Cruz, a native of Bolivia.

Pope Francis embraced the migrants’ cause, making public statements and celebrating Mass for the foundation.

“He told me, ‘Don’t be afraid’ . . . that I can confront this,” Cruz told Catholic News Service.

Cruz also recalled him coming at a moment’s notice to provide spiritual and moral support for women rescued from the sex trade, who were sometimes sheltered in parishes.

Parishioners at St. Joseph showed mixed emotions about Pope Francis having to leave Argentina for a higher calling.

“Once he got to know you, he knew you for life,” said St. Joseph parishioner Gloria Koen, 73. “Unfortunately, we had to share him with the world.”

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He grew up in Barrio de Flores, a working-class neighborhood. His father was a railway worker, his mother a homemaker. As a youth, the pope studied in public schools and in high school obtained a technical certification as a chemist.

From a young age, he knew he would become a priest. Amalia Damonte, who grew up in the pope’s neighborhood, reportedly was briefly the object of his affections.

Damonte, who still Jorge Mario Bergoglio lives in the same neighborhood, has as a young man. said in interviews that when they were 12, Pope Francis said that, if he could not marry her, he would become a priest.

When the pope was 21, he became gravely ill with severe pneumonia and had his right lung partially removed. The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, has confirmed this, noting that it is “not a handicap” in the pope’s life.

In 1958, Pope Francis entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus and, two years later, he took his first vows as a Jesuit. In 1963, on returning to Buenos Aires, he studied philosophy at San Miguel Seminary.

Between 1964 and 1965, he taught literature and psychology at a Jesuit secondary school in Santa Fe, Argentina. In 1966, he taught at the prestigious Colegio del Salvador secondary school in Buenos Aires.

In 1967, he returned to his theological studies and was ordained a priest Dec. 13, 1969. After his perpetual profession as a Jesuit in 1973, he became master of novices at San Miguel. Later that same year, he was elected superior of the Jesuit province of Argentina and Uruguay.

Some controversy had arisen over the position taken by Pope Francis during Argentina’s 1976-1983 military dictatorship, which cracked down brutally on political opponents. Estimates of the number of people killed and forcibly disappeared during those years range from about 13,000 to more than 30,000.

Citing a case in which two young Jesuits were detained by the military regime, critics say that the Jesuit provincial did not do enough to support church workers against the military dictatorship.

From 1979 to 1985, Pope Francis served as rector and theology teacher at Colegio Maximo, before heading to Germany to finalize his doctoral thesis.

In May 1992, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. On June 3, 1997, he was named coadjutor archbishop. He was installed as the new archbishop of Buenos Aires on Feb. 28, 1998.

As archbishop, he was known simply as “Father Jorge,” and he adopted the attitude that the church belongs in the street.

He built chapels and missions in poor areas and sent seminarians to serve them.

He spoke out often against injustice, such as the treatment of migrant workers from neighboring countries and those lured into the sex trade, and against social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

In 2001, he was elevated to cardinal, and later that year he served as an official of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican.

Press reports indicate that in the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Bergoglio received the secondhighest number of votes.

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theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

Archbishop Naumann impressed by pope’s life of prayer and simplicity

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

Leaven photo by Todd Habiger

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann reacts to the announcement that the church has a new pope at the chancery offices on March 13. The archbishop expects Pope Francis to rebuild and renew the church. equalities in Argentine society — such as the suffering of the poor, he said.

Clearly, the cardinals were looking for a leader who would be faithful in every way to the church and courageous and bold in his living of the Gospel.

“His own simplicity of life, his personal choices to live very simply, are indicators of his virtue and are the fruit of his holiness and prayer life,” said Archbishop Naumann.

By his early actions, the pope has demonstrated his humility and lack of pretense — especially by his choice of name.

“I think again it’s just a signal,” said the archbishop. “What is St. Francis known for? For simplicity of life, humility, love and solidarity with the poor, and for being an instrument of renewal of the church.”

“The Lord himself communicated to [St. Francis] to renew and rebuild his church,” he continued. “At first, St. Francis took that literally in terms of church buildings. But later he came to understand that this was something more profound.”

Like his namesake, Archbishop Naumann expects Pope Francis to rebuild and renew the church.

A lot of people inside and outside the church are speculating about the continuity and change that will be seen in the Francis papacy.

“I think each pope puts his own

unique stamp on the papacy and the life of the church, too, and I’m confident he will as well,” said Archbishop Naumann. “He’ll bring new insights and emphasis to the life of the church. I think we can be confident that this will not be a rupture from the past.”

Among the valuable things that Pope Francis brings to the papacy is life as a Latin American.

“I think he will bring a unique understanding to the challenges the church faces not only in Argentina, but throughout South America,” said Archbishop Naumann. “I think that will be a great blessing for the church in that region of the world.”

Not only that, but he was also formed as a member of the Jesuit order.

“Jesuits are called to a radical following of Jesus Christ in their lives, and to be defenders of the faith,” he said. “He’s done that throughout his ministry, and [exhibited] a great social conscience as well.”

Everything, then, from his choice of name to his earliest actions — including asking the people in St. Peter’s Square for their blessing — are signals of the man and his character.

“The election of each pope in my lifetime has brought special gifts to the church,” said Archbishop Naumann.

“It’s really exciting to think what Pope Francis will bring to the church at this point.”

Pope Francis chooses papal motto and coat of arms

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

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ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis’ papal motto is based on the Gospel account of the call of St. Matthew, the tax collector, in a homily given by St. Bede the Venerable.

The pope decided to keep his episcopal motto and coat of arms for his pontificate with just a few minor adjustments in line with a papal emblem.

The Holy See’s insignia of two crossed keys, which symbolize the powers Christ gave to the Apostle Peter and his successors, is on the new papal coat of arms and has been part of papal emblems

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Although many (including The Leaven) listed Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, on its long list of papabili, the consensus outside of the conclave was that the Argentine wasn’t a front-runner.

In fact, not long after the new pope had been announced, the Italian bishops’ conference expressed “joy and thanks” to God for the papal election of Cardinal Angelo Scola — the cardinal archbishop of Milan.

Oops.

Standing on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica was the former Cardinal Bergoglio from Argentina, who took the name Francis.

There was no surprise in the College of Cardinals, where the Argentine cleric was well-known and well-respected, said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.

“The only reason why his selection was a surprise, I think, was because there was an assumption in the press and perhaps the general public that they would be looking at someone younger,” said Archbishop Naumann.

Obviously, the College of Cardinals didn’t consider age to be the deal-breaker. Rather, they saw in him the qualities the church needs at this time. Neither is Pope Francis a compromise choice or a “placeholder.”

“I can’t imagine anybody really thinking these things after John XXIII and Benedict XVI, neither of whom were, by anyone’s estimations, placeholders,” said Archbishop Naumann. “I think it simply means they felt he was the right person to lead the church at this moment. He seems to have vigorous health.”

Among the qualities that Archbishop Naumann has noted in Pope Francis is his personal holiness and life of deep prayer.

“He is one who embraces the Gospel message of simplicity in his own personal life,” said the archbishop. “He is, intellectually, a very gifted man, indicated by his background and degrees he holds. We’re not losing any IQ points between Benedict and Francis.”

Also, Pope Francis has been a good defender of the faith while in Argentina and unafraid to confront civil authorities on moral issues and to criticize those who are responsible for the in-

Archbishop Emeritus Keleher likes what he sees in new pope

for centuries.

The papal motto, like his episcopal one, is the Latin phrase “Miserando atque eligendo,” which means “because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him” or more simply, “having mercy, he called him.”

The phrase comes from a homily by St. Bede — an English eighth-century Christian writer and doctor of the church.

St. Bede’s homily looks at Mt 9:9-13, in which Jesus saw the tax collector Matthew sitting at a customs post and said to him, “Follow me.” St. Bede explained in his homily, “Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense, but more significantly with

his merciful understanding of men.”

“He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: ‘Follow me.’ This following meant imitating the pattern of his life — not just walking after him. St. John tells us: ‘Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.’”

St. Bede continued: “This conversion of one tax collector gave many men, those from his own profession and other sinners, an example of repentance and pardon. Notice also the happy and true anticipation of his future status as apostle and teacher of the nations. No sooner was he converted than Matthew drew after him a whole crowd of sinners along the same road to salvation.”

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Maybe it was the simple greeting he gave when he first appeared over St. Peter’s Square, “Brothers and sisters, good evening.”

Maybe it was his choice of a simple white cassock, the shy and slightly stunned look on his face, or the obvious humility.

Whatever it was, it was clear that when people got their first look at Pope Francis, they liked what they saw.

Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher liked what he saw and marveled at the reaction of the thousands who jammed St. Peter’s Square.

“He touched their hearts,” said the archbishop. “I think they saw something in [the pope’s] face, maybe we could see it even better than they, seeing it on the television screen.” “[Pope Francis] had a saintly, loving, kind visage,” he continued, “like other saintly, kind people we’ve come to know.

You could almost see the holiness of this man from his words and his face.”

In many ways, the look on Pope Francis’ face reminded Archbishop Keleher of the look he’d seen on Pope John Paul II and other spiritual giants.

“To be able to have that feeling in so short a time is actually very unusual, but I did feel it myself,” he said.

Archbishop Keleher also loved the name by which the pontiff chose to be called. St. Francis, the poor man from Assisi, was known for his embrace of personal poverty and love for the poor.

“I think Pope Francis will have great empathy for the poor, sick and suffering,” he said. “You cannot be a bishop in Latin America without having a great knowledge of, and empathy for, the many, many people in that continent who have suffered from a lack of food, money, position and education.”

And it’s clear to the archbishop that the new pope isn’t only concerned about material poverty. It’s a concern shared by other spiritual giants.

“I remember when Mother Teresa thanked a whole bunch of people for their generosity in helping her feed the poor.

She said, ‘Don’t forget, my friends, that you, too, are hungry. You are hungry for Jesus,’” he said.

Pope Francis has very clearly signaled what kind of person he is by his actions.

It’s less clear what changes he will make, said Archbishop Keleher. Clearly, however, he wishes to teach by example.

“There are many saints who lived very simple, austere lives and cared about poor people, but did not look upon other people [poorly] if they did not copy their example,” he said.

“I think Pope Francis will have a more simple papacy, but I don’t think he’ll impose,” he continued. “I think he’ll model rather than impose his tastes and preferences . . . . There is a difference between imposing and modeling, and I think he is modeling a simpler papacy. How that will affect people, I’m not sure.”

One thing the archbishop is sure of is that Pope Francis will not differ from his predecessors in terms of doctrine.

“He’s supremely traditional,” he said.

“He will always be traditional in his point of view.”

In the Dogmatic Constitution on the Liturgy, “Dei Verbum,” the fathers of the Second Vatican Council taught that the bishops and the pope are the magisterium of the church, said Archbishop Keleher. The magisterium clarifies the tradition of the church. They are the servants of the word of God and preserve it so that it is in no way mutilated, changed or falsified.

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March 22, 2013 | theleaven.com

A liturgist’s guide to your new pope

By Anita McSorley anita@theleaven.com

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here’s an old joke with which I love to rib my friend Michael Podrebarac that goes something like this.

Question: What’s the difference between a liturgist and a terrorist?

Answer: You can always negotiate with a terrorist.

But I have to admit that Michael, archdiocesan liturgist, came in mighty handy these past few days of papal election and installation.

That’s because it seems like a lot that’s happened has been in a kind of “code” or a language of papal traditions and rituals that only certain people speak.

Sure, we’ve all figured out by now that this guy is going to drive his security detail Michael Podrebarac and his press secretary crazy — he won’t stay on script and he won’t stay where you put him. He’s just as likely to wave off the papal limo as he is to ride in it.

But another change that seems to be taking place is his adaptation of certain elements of papal ritual and tradition. And for a better understanding of these, we’ve invited our very own terrorist, oops, liturgist to explain it all to us.

Anita: Welcome, Michael, and thank you so much for being willing to help us out here.

Michael: Glad to offer my assistance, especially with my background in “hostage negotiation” when it comes to liturgy!

Anita: Let’s start at the beginning, Michael. I understand that Pope Francis from the get-go started breaking with tradition. Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York reported that after returning, vested as pope, from the Room of Tears, he declined to sit in the white chair on the platform prepared for him. Instead, he greeted the cardinals standing and “on our own level,” said Cardinal Dolan. How is that a break in tradition and what might it mean?

Michael: Well, first let me say, Anita, that I can’t know what was actually in the new pope’s mind when he did all these things. All I can do is explain what message his various actions might have signaled to the cardinals and, then later, to various other groups, based on the language of liturgy and ritual, based on what message it signaled to me.

Anita: OK, I get that. But back to the chair on the platform.

Michael: The whole business of greeting the cardinals on the floor rather than from a chair simply indicates his willingness to embrace the cardinals as brothers. Pope John XXIII did a similar thing, when, as the first cardinal came to him to kiss his feet, which was customary at the time, he immediately announced that the custom was banned henceforth.

CNS photo/Paul Haring

When Pope Francis greeted the crowd in St. Peter’s Square the night of his election, he broke several traditions in the process. He refused to stand on a platform elevating him above the cardinals, kept his own cross instead of accepting a more ornate one, and asked the people to bless him before he blessed them.

Neither Pope John nor Pope Francis were unaware of their singular office as they dispensed with these customs; it’s just that each wished in his own way to indicate that they approached their new office with a certain sense of collegiality.

Anita: How did the name Francis hit you when you first heard it? What kind of message did it send?

Michael: I wept. Of course, I was spiritually raised by the Franciscans in Emporia where I grew up, and so have always loved the Franciscan spirituality, being a third order Franciscan myself. I wept also because I love St. Francis, and his name immediately suggested the kind of pope we had just received, since I did not know him or his background other than what I had read in The Leaven. And I knew that no one would be foolish enough to choose such an unprecedented and meaningful name if he was not serious about its implications.

Anita: Was there any symbolism in what he did and did not do when he walked out on the balcony — like substituting the traditional Latin greeting with an Italian one?

Michael: Pope Francis came out in his simple white cassock. He chose not to wear the traditional cape and stole, although he did put on the stole to bless the people when it was time.

It again made me think of St. Francis, who stripped naked before the people of Assisi in order to indicate that he belonged only to God — not to convention nor to human custom. Of course, there is nothing wrong with either conventions or customs, in themselves.

He spoke to the people in their language. This is not bad. I love Latin, and, as people will tell you, I love tradition and ceremony! But Pope Francis decided to greet everyone like they were his friends, because this is how he sees us — as his friends, whom he has been

called to serve.

Much has been made about his asking the people’s blessing, including those who feel the need to insist that he simply asked them to ask for God’s blessing for him. Why can’t people bless their pope? We bless the Lord, don’t we?

All a blessing really means is to admit God’s power and glory. The pope needs our blessings and prayers! Pope Francis knows this as he inherits a church that is in a period of intense struggle within and without. And, of course, he then blessed us in the traditional manner and words. Nothing substantial was lost by the way he began his public ministry, but much was gained, I believe.

Anita: A first order of business, it seems, was to reach out to the chief rabbi of Rome. What should we make of that?

Michael: Pope Francis understands what Pope Pius XII once said: “We [Christians] are all Semites (people of the seed of Abraham).” We belong, in a sense, to the Jewish people, our “elder brethren” in our faith in the Lord God. Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI, and of course Pope John Paul II, did much to strengthen our relationship with the Jewish people. Pope Benedict inherited and maintained such relations with the Jewish people, and Pope Francis, who in Buenos Aires even celebrated an interfaith Hanukkah with the Jews of Argentina, is not going to let this essential relationship between Catholics and Jews go by the wayside.

Anita: What was the same and what was different about the pope’s inaugural Mass? And more importantly, what does it all mean?

Michael: That’s an excellent question, and it raises an important point.

Nothing in substance was different.

The inaugural Mass followed nearly the same order as last time, and the

time before, and the time before that.

Remember, it was Pope John Paul I who dispensed with the traditional coronation of the pope. Now that’s changing tradition!

Pope Francis seems to prefer the altar candles arranged the way they were during Pope John Paul II’s pontificate.

No problem. Perhaps he prefers a simpler style of vesture than some of the vestments available to him. They still are proper vestments for Mass. Perhaps he likes to preach from the cuff as well as from a script. Then we can better know his heart and what he is thinking!

Style is one matter, and substance another.

Anita: Let’s wind up, Michael, on a little note about the sartorial splendor of the papacy. More specifically, what happened to the red leather shoes? I know that as Cardinal Bergoglio this guy literally wore out the leather on his shoes on the streets of Buenos Aires. Doesn’t he have to trade those old black shoes in on some snazzy red ones?

Michael: Ah, the shoes! Pope John Paul II preferred brown shoes (when he wasn’t wearing hiking boots or skis!).

Pope Benedict restored the traditional red ones, and that was nice. We are told that Pope Francis has typically owned one pair of shoes at a time, and that, before he left for the conclave, his staff in Buenos Aires noticed that his shoes were getting old and worn. So they went together to buy him a new pair.

Most likely he wears them because he has them, and once he has worn them out (sooner, rather than later if he doesn’t start taking the papal car!), then we will see what kind of shoes he wears next.

Remember, Jesus told his disciples to take only one pair of shoes with them when they went out to minister.

Pope Francis seems to have given this instruction extraordinary attention.

And that’s OK.

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theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

Aquinas pilgrimage takes ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ turn

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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OME — When St. Thomas Aquinas seniors Kelsey Boschert and Virginia Bono were able to make it — quite by accident — to the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis on March 19, they could hardly believe their luck.

But it was just about to get better.

Passed a baby to hold out for a blessing from the new pope, the two girls were shocked to quickly find themselves face-to-face with the new leader of over a billion Catholics.

“He stopped the car in order to get out and bless the child,” said Father Andrew Strobl, Aquinas chaplain and associate pastor at Prince of Peace Parish in Olathe, who accompanied the school group on the pilgrimage.

Now no amount of planning could have predicted that opportunity. But even the inaugural Mass was an unexpected blessing.

Aquinas’ Italy trip was in the works long before Pope Benedict XVI announced his plans to resign at the end of February, leaving the seat vacant until cardinals elected Pope Francis on March 13.

“We didn’t plan this,” senior Andrew Walberg said. “Some would say it was by chance that we’d be here at this time. However, it feels like God wanted us to be here.”

“It’s not often that you actually do something that is quite possibly oncein-a-lifetime,” agreed senior Alexis Leikam.

The Aquinas group, which included 31 seniors and 10 adults, flew out of Kansas City on March 15 and had initially hoped to attend the pope’s first Wednesday audience on March 20.

When they learned there would be no audience that day, they mapped out plans to attend the Mass instead.

‘This was a cardinal who really lived with his people,’ observed visiting priest

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

Photo courtesy of Father Andrew Strobl

Father Andrew Strobl, chaplain at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, celebrates Mass for the group of Aquinas students that made a pilgrimage to Italy. The trip was planned long before Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation.

It meant a 3 a.m. wake-up call the morning of the Mass so as to reach St. Peter’s Basilica early enough to secure a good spot for the Mass five or so hours later.

But what a spot it was.

“I told our students that if going to the installation Mass is worth doing, it’s worth doing right,” said Father Strobl.

“One of our chaperones asked how many of our students planned on standing in line for tickets to a sporting event in college,” he continued. “Hands shot up. If we would do that, this is a no-brainer.”

“I’ve never been so excited to get up at 3 a.m.” Kelsey said. “It’s amazing to be able to experience something that is bigger than yourself. This is big for over a billion people!”

Father Strobl believed this trip — and its timing — would immerse students in the true meaning of the universal church, and they took that message to heart.

“Going to this Mass,“ said senior Anastasia Quigley, “is being able to experience the faith I live at home in a worldwide way.”

“We have the opportunity to get beyond ourselves and join something with a worldwide focus,” senior Hunter Swanson agreed.

The students and chaperones spent their first day in Italy exploring Assisi, where they prayed for Pope Francis at the tombs of St. Francis and St. Clare.

“It was a humbling experience to pray together for Pope Francis in [the Basilica of] St. Francis of Assisi,” said Father Strobl. “For most everyone

on the pilgrimage, the first time they heard the new Holy Father’s name in the eucharistic prayer at Mass was during our celebration in Assisi.”

He looked forward to hearing about future visits by Pope Francis to Assisi.

“There was an incredible energy in Assisi. You can just breathe in holiness,” Father Strobl said. “It was especially moving seeing the papal chair in St. Francis Basilica. “Above the chair, there was a bare nail awaiting the papal coat of arms of the first Pope Francis.”

The group was scheduled to return to Kansas on March 22. Though the trip will end, the experience will last a lifetime.

“I want to be able to tell my children about the pope’s installation Mass someday,” said senior Katie Rogler.

By Julie Holthaus julie@theleaven.com

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Photo courtesy of Msgr. Mullen

Msgr. Michael Mullen (center), pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Kansas City, Kan., helped distribute Communion to some of the thousands who attended the inauguration Mass for Pope Francis on March 19.

“I believe Pope Francis’ election will foster vocations, especially to religious life, priestly life and sacramental marriage,” he said. “There is something very appealing about Pope Francis and his desire to imitate Christ, and I believe he

will hit a responsive chord in the hearts of many youth.”

Pope Francis chose not to use the popemobile for the occasion, but was driven through the crowds in an opentopped SUV.

Agustin Martinez, an archdiocesan seminarian, witnessed the pope step out of the vehicle to bless a handicapped man. Pope Francis was also handed babies to kiss and bless in his tour through the crowds before the ceremony began.

“The most beautiful choir sang the Litany of the Saints, and the pallium was placed around Pope Francis,” recounted Msgr. Mullen. “The ring of the fisherman was then blessed and given to the pope, and finally Matthew 16:18-19 was read before Pope Francis opened the Mass.”

The woolen scarf, or pallium, recalls the sheep Jesus carried on his shoulders and symbolizes the pope’s status as a good shepherd of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. The ring of the fisherman, which contains the seal of Pope Francis, is a reminder of Christ telling the fisherman Peter that he would now be a fisher of men.

Msgr. Mullen said the inauguration was very organized and reverent and, despite the presence of heads of state and representatives from 132 separate delegations, was not a showcase.

“There was a real sense of the real presence of Christ,” he said.

“I would hope that the heads of states with views not aligned with the faith . . . would see the joy of the faith and it will strike a chord,” added Msgr. Mullen.

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Father Pat Murphy, CS, had no idea he was eating breakfast with the man who would be pope.

It was a year and a half ago, and the archdiocesan animator for Hispanic ministry was in Buenos Aires for a conference.

“He invited us to the cathedral for a Mass, and it was just really simple, just him and us — 40 priests,” said Father Pat. “When I concelebrated Mass with him, I never imagined he would be the future pope.”

Father Pat Murphy Unlike most Catholics around the world, however, he immediately recognized the name when it was announced from the balcony in St. Peter’s Square.

“I was shocked,” he said, especially considering the modest circumstances in which they met.

“People who already knew him told me that he’s a real simple guy. He uses public transportation and does his own cooking,” said Father Pat. “He had Mass with us and, then after, came down to the hotel where we were staying and had breakfast with us.”

“You could tell this was a cardinal who really lived with his people and

CNS photo/Enrique Garcia Medina, Reuters

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio washes and kisses the feet of residents of a shelter for drug users during Holy Thursday Mass in 2008 at a church in a poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Father Pat Murphy, CS, archdiocesan animator for Hispanics, met Cardinal Bergoglio at a conference in Buenos Aires a year and a half ago. He called him a “real simple guy.” walked with his people,” he said.

Cardinal Bergoglio is said to have wanted to meet the people where they were, and that meant taking public transportation along with many others.

“It was well known that if you wanted an appointment with the cardinal, you just got on his bus,” said Father Pat. Latin America will celebrate his election, said Father Pat, noting the growth of the church there.

Argentina, however, is more similar to many European nations in church attendance.

“Argentina is one of the countries in

which the church is not growing,” said Father Pat. “They have some very beautiful old churches that are empty, so he’s going to understand perfectly the need for a new evangelization,” he said.

And from the selection of the name Francis — the first time a pope has chosen that name — to the pope’s request from the balcony that the people pray silently for a blessing for him, it’s clear to Father Pat that Pope Francis is paving his own path.

“I think it’s safe to say he’s going to have a different style of being pope,” he said.

Local Argentines react with delight

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — A normal day took a surreal turn for Susana Marcos when she got a phone call from a friend she hadn’t talked with in years.

Marcos, a member of the Church of the Nativity in Leawood, was at her grandson’s elementary school on Wed., March 13.

“I was so surprised when I got the call,” said Marcos. “I thought something must be wrong.”

Actually, something was very right.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, had been elected pope.

“When she told me, I just started screaming in the school,” said Marcos, who was born in the city of Parana in the state of Entre Rios, about 350 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. She came to the United States in 2003.

“I just ran and told my daughter, and two or three people I knew there,” she said. “I went out and got phone calls from so many friends. I was really happy.”

Rosario Garriga, a member of Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, was doing translation work at home when her mother in Argentina excitedly contacted her via Skype.

“I said, ‘Holy cow,’” said Garriga. “I was shocked.”

Her children Sophia and Max, at

Local Hispanic community celebrates Pope Francis

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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K

Pastor scores front-row view of papal inauguration OME — The only thing better than witnessing the inauguration of Pope Francis as the 266th pontiff was being a part of it.

Msgr. Michael Mullen, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Kansas City, Kan., scored a front-row view of the liturgy when he helped distribute the Eucharist to some of the tens of thousands who came to St. Peter’s Square for the March 19 Mass, held under crisp blue skies after days of rain.

It was all due to divine providence.

Msgr. Mullen had booked a trip in January of this year to visit the seminarians at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Unbeknown to him, Pope Benedict would resign in February, and a new pope would be installed during his visit.

“I was thrilled and very humbled,” said Msgr. Mullen. “This would never have crossed my mind to be able to do.

It was more than I expected, and I am very grateful.”

Msgr. Mullen noted that Pope Francis is just how he appears, “waving to the crowd with a friendly smile, genuineness and warmth, and providing a great sense of leadership.”

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March 22, 2013 | theleaven.com

CNS photo/Paul Haring

A man waves Argentina’s flag as Pope Francis celebrates his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 19. Argentines worldwide have celebrated the selection of one of their own as the new pope.

Good Shepherd School, had been watching the news, too. Sophia was so excited, reported her teacher, that she kept jumping out of her chair.

“People [in Argentina] were going crazy,” said Garriga, who comes from San Isidro, a suburb of Buenos Aires.

“All Argentinos, whether they are practicing Catholics or not, were excited.

The pope is a universal figure.”

Carmen Lafalce, who was born in

Buenos Aires and came to the United States in 1987, was teaching her firstgrade class at the Foreign Language Academy in Kansas City, Mo., when she got the news.

“I also heard from friends and relatives, not only in Kansas City,” said Lafalce. “Everyone is really excited.

Even though they might not be from Argentina, my Colombian and Mexican friends are expressing their happiness and congratulations.”

The selection of Pope Francis gives all Latin Americans feelings of pride and hope, said Marcos, who has her own radio show on Kansas City area station AM 1440 at 6 p.m. on Sundays.

“I think most of all [I felt] hope — that he was going to be different,” said Marcos. “These people in Europe don’t have a clue about real life on this side of the world. Latin America is a whole different reality. Unless you get deeply involved in it, you don’t understand.

“Being one of us, [Pope Francis] can really represent and understand the needs of so many millions of people on this side of the world.”

For Garriga, an Argentine cartoon passed around on Facebook says it all: Under the caption “What the World Saw,” Pope Francis is waving from the balcony and wearing a white papal cassock. Under the caption “What the Argentine People Saw,” Pope Francis is waving from the same balcony — but is wearing an Argentine national soccer team jersey emblazoned with the number “10” of star player Lionel Messi.

ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Miguel Sanchez always believed the world would one day see a pope from Latin America.

But the parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Church in Kansas City, Kan., never expected it to be in his lifetime.

So when Pope Francis — formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina — stepped onto the balcony in St. Peter’s Square on March 13, words alone could not describe the “happiness” and “tears of joy” that came over Sanchez.

“If in one moment of my life I had doubt about the existence of the Holy Spirit, this was one of the most significant moments when I am sure of the existence, and it is present in the church,” said Sanchez, who is the coordinator of evangelization and formation for the archdiocesan Hispanic ministry office.

Many Hispanic Catholics in the archdiocese echoed that sense of elation at seeing the first pope to come from outside Europe in more than a millennium — and the first ever from Latin America.

“To me, the significance of having a Latin American pope is hope and identity,” said Claudia Vázquez-Puebla, a member of Our Lady of Unity Parish in Kansas City, Kan., who describes herself as a “proud Latina.” “[He represents] hope to the immigrants all around the world who can identify with his personal journey of being a son of immigrants,” she continued, touching on the fact that Pope Francis was born to parents who had left Italy for Argentina.

“In the last few days that I have learned more about him, I can actually ‘identify’ with him, since I am an immigrant myself,” she said.

She also approved of the name he chose — one that to her symbolizes simplicity — and she sees it as a name that is “not for show.”

Father Pat Murphy, CS, archdiocesan animator for the office of Hispanic ministry — who met Cardinal Bergoglio during a trip to Buenos Aires — called this a great day for Latin Americans.

“They’ll be delighted that somebody who speaks Spanish has become pope — and such a down-to-earth person,” he said.

Although Argentina is actually an exception to this, he noted, the Catholic Church has been growing in many Latin American countries.

A significant percentage of the church’s faithful speaks Spanish, and Sanchez believes the cardinals’ votes for a Latin American leader showed great wisdom during a challenging time for the church.

If Hispanic Catholics feel supported, he said, they can lead the charge to evangelize and grow the church.

Sanchez sees the election of Pope Francis as a way to open the door for many people to return to their roots and embrace the Catholic Church.

“I believe the people know about Jesus already,” he said. “It is just they are going to go back home.”

The Hispanic community represents people from many backgrounds and nations, and having the church’s shepherd hail from Argentina will give people in the Spanish-speaking community opportunity to connect, instead of point out differences among countries, believes Sanchez.

“I believe that this will be a really positive action of the Holy Spirit,” he said of the election of Pope Francis.

‘Habemus papam’

CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters

CNS photo/Eric Gaillard, Reuters

Newly elected Pope Francis, second from left, appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after being elected by the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican.

A pilgrim displays an Argentinian flag as Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 13.

Cardinals and bishops are seated for the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 19.

Flags, including those of his homeland of Argentina, are held up by pilgrims as Pope Francis make his way through the crowd in St. Peter’s Square before celebrating his inaugural Mass at the Vatican March 19.

CNS photo/Chris Warde-Jones

CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

Pope Francis leaves the Sistine Chapel after being elected pope and shortly before appearing for the first time on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican March 13. The 76-year-old Jesuit became the first Latin American pope and was installed March 19 as the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis greets people after celebrating Mass at St. Anne Parish within the Vatican March 17. The new pope greeted every person leaving the small church and then walked over to meet people waiting around St. Anne’s Gate.

Photo by Stefano Spaziani

CNS photo/Argentine Presidency handout via Reuters CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

Newly elected Pope Francis holds a mate, the traditional Argentine herbal tea, given to him as a present from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner at the Vatican March 18.

Pope Francis addresses the College of Cardinals in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall March 15. Young people need the wisdom and knowledge of older people, whose insight is like “fine wine that gets better with age,” he told the cardinals.

CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the window of his private apartment as he leads his first Angelus in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 17.

The Swiss Guard keeps the spectators at bay as Pope Francis greets the crowd of onlookers following Mass at St. Anne Parish on March 17.

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theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

Let’s be Frank: Pope’s name creates bond with those who share name, Franciscan spirituality

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Even before Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony in St. Peter’s Square to greet Catholics around the world for the first time, a pastor in Leawood already approved of the first papal decision he’d made.

“What a great name the new pope chose,” said Father Francis Hund, pastor of Church of the Nativity, with a smile.

At first, Father Hund — who now shares his first name with the pope — wondered for a moment if he’d heard the name correctly as he watched the announcement at the rectory.

He’d just read in the days leading up to the conclave that Francis was among the names that had never been used by a pope.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina — himself a member of the Society of Jesus, an order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola — took the name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

Father John Schmeidler, OFM Cap., pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Lawrence, figured as he watched the announcement with a class at St. John School that the new pope must have chosen his name to honor St. Francis de Sales or St. Francis Xavier.

“But when he started speaking, what he was saying was very much Franciscan,” said Father John, who is a Capuchin Franciscan, an order founded on the spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi.

Father Francis Hund “He might be talking about Assisi,” he quickly realized, noting that some of the qualities that immediately came to mind were a desire to unite people and to work with the poor and lift them up, all considered part of the Franciscan charism.

Like Father Hund, he was surprised by the pope’s choice of name, but was also pleased by it.

“He somehow caught that spirit of Francis and caught that spirit that I’ve always caught,” said Father John. “It’s just edifying to know the pope has that same spirit.”

It’s been a spirit that Father Hund has found easy to connect with all of his life.

Named Francis Joseph in honor of both of his grandfathers, Father Hund “grew up in the country, so I loved gardening and farming.”

His green thumb comes in handy in

the garden of his rectory, though he relies on the help of the patron saint of animals and ecology; St. Francis was widely known for his love of all creation.

“I have a couple statues of St. Francis out in the yard and different representations of St. Francis throughout the house,” said Father Hund.

And all anyone has to do to understand that St. Francis’ name resonates not only among Catholics but people of many faiths is to visit a garden store and see just how popular those garden statues are.

St. Francis also embodied mercy and forgiveness, and Father Hund sees those qualities, as well as joy and service, going a long way in today’s world.

“Those are all part of that evangelization message that the world so longs for today,” he said.

The new pope’s name immediately sparked some good-natured teasing of the pastor by his parish workers.

“The staff here,” he said, “when I came back afterward, they claimed my head was a little too big.”

But he can dole it out, as well — sometimes to the two priests who also serve at Nativity.

“I’ve had the joy of reminding them they get to use the name Francis every time they pray the eucharistic prayer,” he said.

Word of new pope travels fast via technology

By Jessica Langdon jessica@theleaven.com

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The instant the Catholic Church employed its traditional smoke and bells to signal that a pope had been chosen, the world was already abuzz with up-to-the-minute technology sharing the news.

“My wife texted me ‘Habemus papam,’” said Matt Karr, lead consultant for the archdiocesan office of evangelization and Catholic formation of adults.

He had just wrapped up a lunch meeting with young adults in Prairie Village when the text alerted him to the white smoke.

He immediately connected his phone to his car and tuned in to Vatican Radio for the latest, as he drove back to his office in Kansas City, Kan., making it in time to see the announcement on TV. Information is literally at people’s fingertips today, and constantly advancing technology has evolved dramatically even in the eight years since Pope Benedict XVI was elected in the spring of 2005.

To Karr, an image that circulated on social media (another piece of the technology puzzle that has taken off in the past several years) perfectly captures the differences.

A picture from 2005 shows the crowd in St. Peter’s Square with maybe a sporadic cellphone screen lighting up here or there.

Next to that photo, the 2013 image shows a lighted device — an iPad, a smartphone — glowing in nearly every hand.

Looking out over the balcony the night of his election, Pope Francis was quoted as saying all the flashing lights of the cameras across the square “looked like jewels.”

Karr still gathered around a television this time with colleagues to watch the scene in Rome unfold, but this time, Twitter, Facebook, radio from around the world and other readily available sources — along with more traditional media — spread news and information faster than ever.

Even people who had the closest seats for the presentation of the pope used the devices they carried to both spread news

CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

Pope Francis waves to the crowd following his introduction as the new pope. Lighted devices such as cellphones and iPads greeted the pope as he emerged. and seek information.

Father Edward Ahn, AVI, arrived in St. Peter’s Square with some time to spare before the new pope stepped onto the balcony.

“People were taking pictures,” he said.

“A lot of people were calling other people, letting them know, ‘I’m here at St. Peter’s.’

Within a matter of minutes, this news travels all across the globe.”

Archdiocesan seminarian Agustin Martinez, who is in his first year of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, was also in the square. He and Father Edward gleaned details about the new pope from updates on Vatican Radio.

The updates quickly answered the obvious questions — he was a Jesuit, 76 years old, and from Argentina, Father Edward learned.

Television cameras — shut out of the Sistine Chapel once the conclave began — started showing the 115 voting cardinals swearing their oaths of secrecy about the proceedings at the Sistine Chapel.

During the conclave itself, live feeds

kept watch over the chimney where the smoke would appear, giving anyone who wanted to check in via computer or phone a view of the bird that perched on top of the chimney between votes.

People also signed up for various mobile apps, including a “Pope Alarm” that was supposed to alert users when the white smoke rose.

Connie O’Brien, a parishioner of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie, caught glimpses of the wait for the announcement on a computer where people were watching the live developments, but enjoyed staying on top of the news on her phone when the workday called her away.

As soon as Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony, O’Brien and countless people around the globe had the information in hand.

“If they were paying attention, no matter where they were and [if] they had good connections,” she said, “they knew just as soon as the people in St. Peter’s Square knew who the new pope was.”

Who was St. Francis of Assisi?

By Joe Bollig joe@theleaven.com

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ANSAS CITY, Kan. — The saint we have come to know for his simplicity, poverty, love of nature and mystical relationship with Christ spent his youth far from these values.

Francis was born in 1182 in the Umbrian town of Assisi. His name was actually Giovanni (John), but he was nicknamed Francesco (the Frenchman) because his wealthy cloth merchant father did a lot of business in France and had a liking for that country.

Francis was a good-hearted youth, but all the ingredients for trouble were there: a hard-driving and sometimes absent father focused on business, a doting and permissive mother, too much money, too much time on his hands, and apparently a long leash — of which he took full advantage.

He was a high-spirited playboy, h i s head all filled with romantic notions of courtly love, chivalry, and heroic knightly deeds.

The latter led him to fight in two wars, during the second of which he was captured and became seriously ill.

This led to a time of spiritual crisis and he began to do things such as help the sick (especially lepers), make pilgrimages, and give away his possessions.

His parents, concerned that the boy had obviously gone off the deep end, tried to reel him in. In a final confrontation, Francis stripped himself naked to symbolize his complete independence from his father. Fortunately, his bishop stepped in and offered support. And clothes.

Francis began a wandering life from then on, preaching the Gospel, begging, praying, and helping the sick and poor.

Once he received a vision in which God told him to rebuild his church. Three renovated churches later, Francis finally figured out that he was supposed to do a spiritual renovation of the entire church.

Eventually, Francis developed a following of like-minded fellows and, for practical reasons, decided to form an order. Francis drew up a rule and went to Rome for Pope Innocent III’s approval. To the surprise of nearly everyone, he got it.

From then on, the story of Francis’ life is one of miracles and troubles. There are stories of how he converted sinners and preached to animals, most famously a wolf. He invented the Christmas crèche. He went to the Holy Land and Malek-el-Kamil, the sultan of Egypt, was so charmed by Francis that the two became friends. To this day, the Franciscans are the custodians of Catholic-owned sites in the Holy Land as a result.

Francis never became a priest, but did eventually become a deacon. And before he died, he received the wounds of Christ’s passion, becoming the first known recipient of the stigmata in history.

He died at age 44 on Oct. 3, 1226, and was canonized two years later. His feast day is Oct. 4.

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March 22, 2013 | theleaven.com

What it means to have a Jesuit pope

By Father James Martin, SJ Special to The Leaven

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hen I entered the Jesuit Order 25 years ago, several friends — including the Catholic ones — scratched their heads. “You’re entering the what?” was the most common response.

When I slowly repeated the name of the Catholic religious order that I had decided to join, only a few registered a flicker of recognition. Tell your average Joe (or Joan) that you’re a Jesuit, that is, a member of the group formally known as the Society of Jesus, and they’ll often ask, “But aren’t you a Catholic?” Among Catholics, Jesuits may be best known for founding universities like Georgetown, Boston College and Fordham, and all those schools named Loyola. (We tend to have great basketball teams as well.)

Despite our high-profile schools, the general confusion about Jesuits persists. My all-time favorite reply came from a reporter who once asked, “Were your parents Jesuits?” Um, no.

So what does it mean that we now have Francis, a Jesuit pope? And, to answer the question I’ve been asked for over two decades, what’s a Jesuit anyway?

In short, a Jesuit is a member of the largest Catholic religious order for men in the world. (Other religious orders would include familiar CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano groups like the Franciscans, DominPope Francis greets Father Gonzalo Aemilius, founder of the Liceo Jubilar Juan Pablo II, a high icans, Benedictines, Trappists and school in Montevideo, Uruguay, outside St. Anne Parish within the Vatican on March 17. Pope Salesians.) That means that, like other Francis recognized the priest in the crowd when he went outside to greet the people and invited religious orders (there are orders for him to participate in the Sunday Mass. women too, of course), we take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and or even to found schools with great by the Jesuit superior general in Rome live in community together. Unlike dibasketball teams — but something (our head guy) to serve as the Jesuit ocesan priests, however, our work isn’t simpler. We were to “help souls.” And provincial, that is, the regional supefocused as much on parish life. A diocthere are as many ways to do that as rior of all the Jesuits in the area. This esan priest (or “parish priest” in com- there are Jesuits. So our lives often meant not only having responsibility mon parlance) enters a local seminary take us to the margins, to places that for assigning men to various minisin order to prepare for his work in a other priests may not be sent to. tries, but also caring for the men as particular diocese, in a series of parThis explains the improbability of individuals. St. Ignatius Loyola wanted ishes — celebrating Masses; presiding the election of a Jesuit as pope. “No the novice master and provincial to be at baptisms, weddings and funerals; way,” I said to a friend last week who men who could, above all, love their perhaps runasked about brother Jesuits and care for them, from ning a parish Cardinal their youth to old age. The provincial Editor’s note: Reprintschool; and B e r g o g l i o ’ s must deal with the 20-year-old Jesued from Time magazine entering into chances of it who is having doubts about taking with the author’s permisthe lives of his b e c o m i n g vows to the 90-year-old priest dying of sion. Father James Marparishioners. the successor a painful illness in the Jesuit infirmary tin, SJ, is editor-at-large Religious of St. Peter. after a long life of service. Pope Franof America magazine order priests We’re just cis has had some excellent experience and the author of the have a someseen as too in management that is both practical bestselling book, “The what differ“ d i f f e r e n t ” and spiritual.

Jesuit Guide to (Almost) ent portfolio. from the men The joy among my Jesuit brothers Everything.”

For instance, in the College was palpable. Hours after the papal besides our of Cardinals. election, the Jesuit superior wrote to more well known work in education Last night, that same friend texted Jesuits worldwide to promise prayers (in middle schools, high schools and me a message: “Hey! What happened? for “our brother.” But it’s the imcolleges), Jesuits work as retreat diI thought you said a Jesuit couldn’t probability of his election that struck rectors, hospital chaplains and prison be pope! Does that mean you have a me, and most Jesuits, on March 13. “I chaplains, and in positions as varied shot?” I admitted my lack of imagina- couldn’t believe it!” said more than a as geologists, musicians, astronomers, tion when answering the first question few members of my community. Besocial activists, physicians and writers, but still gave a decided “No” on the cause of our “otherness,” the election among many others. And just to consecond. of a Jesuit was scoffed at. Clearly the fuse matters even more, sometimes Before his ordination as bishop, cardinals were looking for something, the local bishop asks us to take over a Jorge Bergoglio wasn’t simply a Jesuit and someone different, and so his very parish — so yes, we end up working who took vows of poverty, chastity and otherness may have been appealing. as “parish priests.” But my work at a obedience, he was also a Jesuit leader. Particularly in light of the “VatiLeaks” Catholic magazine, while centered on After his priestly ordination, he served scandals, the cardinals may have been prayer and the Mass, is quite different as the Jesuit novice director in Argen- searching for someone who could take from that of the daily life of a parish tina, a critical position often referred a fresh look at things and move the priest — not better or worse, just difto by Jesuits as “the most important bureaucracy in a new direction. On ferent. job” in the order. Why? Because that St. Peter’s balcony, as he addressed All of this flows from the original person is responsible for the spiritual the crowd, Pope Francis joked about intent of the Society of Jesus, foundtraining of the newest Jesuits, the novhis Latin American origins. It seemed, ed by St. Ignatius Loyola, a soldier- ices. Typically, the person chosen is he said, that the cardinals had to go to turned-mystic, in 1540, which was not renowned for both their holiness and the “ends of the earth” to find a pope.

— as is usually thought — to be the judgment.

But often someone from the margins is vanguard of the Counter-Reformation, Later, Father Bergoglio was selected just what the center needs.

Friendship began with soccer, led to improved Catholic-Jewish ties

By David Agren Catholic News Service

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UENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNS) — Rabbi Abraham Skorka recalls meeting Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio at a Mass for a national holiday two decades ago.

They shook hands afterward, and “he looked deep into my eyes,” Rabbi Skorka recalled of the man who would be elected Pope Francis. “He told me, ‘I think this year we’re going to eat chicken soup.’”

The line referred to Argentine soccer.

Rabbi Skorka pulls for the River Plate club, whose fans are commonly called “chickens” by rivals. Pope Francis, meanwhile, supports the San Lorenzo club.

“I felt there was a meta-message: If you want to talk with me, the door is open.

There are no protocols,” said Rabbi Skorka, rector of the Latin American rabbinical seminary in Buenos Aires and a leader in the country’s Jewish community.

“I had the sense that this man wants to be a bridge,” he said.

Soccer formed the initial bridge between the two religious leaders, but their bond went beyond sport and helped to bring Christians and Jews closer together after some episodes of less-than-cordial relations in Argentina.

Pope Francis now faces the challenge of improving relations between the two faiths on an international level, but Rabbi Skorka told Catholic News Service that the experience in Argentina sets an example for both Catholics and Jews.

“We understood that only together could we make a better world,” he said.

The rabbi recalled riding with Pope Francis after an address at a synagogue on the eve of a Jewish ceremony — one of the few occasions the prelate accepted a ride from anyone.

“The entire way, he constantly told me: Believe me, I pray deeply for [you and the Jewish community],” Rabbi Skorka said.

The two leaders spoke regularly. They prayed and participated in interfaith groups and joined with an evangelical leader for a TV show.

“We didn’t prepare a script,” Rabbi Skorka said. “We all came with this idea in our heads.”

Rabbi Skorka wrote the forward to Pope Francis’ book on the Jesuits. The pair coauthored another book, “On Heaven and Earth.” The Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, which Pope Francis oversaw, awarded Rabbi Skorka an honorary doctorate in 2012.

The rabbi considered the award, given to mark the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, a watershed moment.

“There are people who know the Catholic University very well and who told me this act couldn’t have been done 10 years ago. There would have been a revolution,” he said.

“The revolution was brought by Bergoglio,” he added.

Observers in Argentina express similar sentiments about how Pope Francis improved relations with the largest Jewish community in Latin America.

“Bergoglio was one of the most influential figures . . . in interreligious initiatives,” said Sergio Berensztein, independent political analyst in Buenos Aires.

Berensztein, who is Jewish, said antiSemitic expressions had been made previously by Catholics, but “since Bergoglio became the main figure in the church, that didn’t happen again.”

Rabbi Skorka expressed joy with his friend’s elevation to the papacy, but also some sadness.

“I’d like to still work with him, but he’s on the world level now,” Rabbi Skorka said.

12 commentary

theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

Employment

mark my words Scripture Readings Holy Week March 24 PALM SUNDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD Lk 19: 28-40 (procession) Is 50: 4-7 Ps 22: 8-9, 17-18a, 19-20, 23-24 Phil 2: 6-11 Lk 22:14 – 23:56 March 25 Monday of Holy Week Is 42: 1-7 Ps 27: 1-3, 13-14 Jn 12: 1-11 March 26 Tuesday of Holy Week Is 49: 1-6 Ps 71: 1-4a, 5-6ab, 15, 17 Jn 13: 21-33, 36-38 March 27 Wednesday of Holy Week Is 50: 4-9a Ps 69: 8-10, 21bcd-22, 31, 33-34 Mt 26: 14-25 March 28 THURSDAY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER Ex 12: 1-8, 11-14 Ps 116: 12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18 1 Cor 11: 23-26 Jn 13: 1-15 March 29 FRIDAY OF THE PASSION OF THE LORD (Good Friday) Is 52:13 – 53:12 Ps 31: 2, 6, 12-13, 15-17, 25 Heb 4: 14-16; 5: 7-9 Jn 18:1 – 19:42 March 30 THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT Gn 1:1 – 2:2 Ex 14:15 – 15:1 Is 55: 1-11 Rom 6: 3-11 Ps 118: 1-2, 16ab-17, 22-23 Lk 24: 1-12

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Make him an instrument in God’s peace

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eware the Ides of March, my foot! The Ides, I was ready for. It was March 13 that knocked me for a loop.

Originally, the only thing scheduled for that day was a lunch with the archbishop and The Leaven staff. No sweat. Then, quite unexpectedly, it turned out that my mom was moving that day into assisted living.

Suddenly, the stress factor ticked up significantly.

So, I foolishly thought to myself, what else can happen? Well, you guessed it.

Toward the end of lunch, a knock on the door where we were eating announced that there was white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney.

Of course there was. (I’d brought my iPhone to lunch and, every now and then, I’d sneak a peek as it was set to a “live” feed of the chimney.

I do so love the marvels of modern technology: Not only did I not see white smoke before that knock on the door, my apparently “dead” feed never did show smoke . . . of any color.)

As you might imagine, lunch ended rather abruptly

Father Mark Goldasich Father Mark Goldasich is the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Tonganoxie.

He has been editor of The Leaven since 1989. and I headed to my computer in The Leaven office to watch for the new pope. It brought back memories of standing in that same square back in 1978, squished in by thousands of other excited people, staring at the balcony above the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica. And last Wednesday — as when John Paul II emerged nearly 35 years ago — I was surprised.

Due to buffering on the computer (ah, technology again), I missed his given name, but not the fact that he was going to be called Pope Francis. Wow, I loved it. Francis is my confirmation name, and Assisi is one of my absolute favorite places. Once I figured out which cardinal was elected, I immediately checked our Leaven “conclave issue.”

Whew, there he was — Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio — page 8, top right corner.

I was excited that he was from Latin America (a first) and a Jesuit (I was taught by them in Rome).

But all of that faded in importance when he did one thing on that balcony. After greeting the people and praying for the pope emeritus, Pope Francis asked everyone to do something before he gave them his blessing. He invited that vast throng to pray in silence for him. He then bowed his head.

It brought to mind a story about Fred Rogers, host of the “Mister Rogers’ Neighbor” children’s TV show.

One day, when making a trip to California, Mr. Rogers visited a teenager with cerebral palsy. The boy was so nervous, that, when Mr. Rogers arrived, he got mad at himself and began hitting himself. His mother had to take him to another room.

Mister Rogers waited patiently. When the boy came back, Mr. Rogers said, “Would you do something for me? I would like you to pray for me. Will you pray for me?”

The boy, according to journalist Tom Junod, was “thunderstruck,” because nobody had ever asked him for something like that. He had always been prayed for, the object of prayer, and now he was being asked to pray for Mr. Rogers. The

boy said he’d try and, ever since then, he kept Mr. Rogers in his prayers and didn’t talk about wanting to die anymore. He figured that Mr. Rogers is close to God and, if Mr. Rogers likes him, then God must like him, too.

Junod later asked Mr. Rogers how he knew what to say the make the boy feel better. He answered, “I didn’t ask him for prayers [to make him feel better]; I asked for me. I asked him because I think that anyone who has gone through challenges like that must be very close to God. I asked him because I wanted his intercession.” (Adapted from “Depending on the Disabled” in Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, “ by Craig Brian Larson and Drew Zahn.)

Pope Francis didn’t ask for prayers because he thought it might make a good “media moment” or a good first impression. This “pope of the people” knows firsthand that the everyday challenges that ordinary folks deal with bring them very close to God. So, how about it? Take a moment now to send a prayer Pope Francis’ way.

Isn’t it humbling to know how much he’s depending on all of us?

In the beginning

Jesus’ ‘famous last words’ are his actions

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raditionally, a condemned man is allowed to say a few words before his execution.

It is a dramatic moment, when some would make a rousing speech. How did Jesus handle that opportunity during his passion? How did he follow the example of the prophets who preceded him?

Sunday’s first reading, Is 50:4-7, is taken from one of the Suffering Servant songs.

The one speaking has been called by God to serve as a prophet: “The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.”

Consequently, the reading goes on to describe the difficulties that a prophet would typically encounter in fulfilling his mission: “I

13 classifieds

Father Mike Stubbs Father Mike Stubbs is the pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park and has a degree in Scripture from Harvard University. gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.” At the same time, those sufferings take on added meaning when viewed in light of Christ’s passion. They resonate with the beatings and insults that Christ received at the hands of the Roman soldiers.

Christ’s radical message provoked the displeasure of the authorities and ultimately led to his death. At his trial before Pilate, Jesus’ oppo-

nents point to his words as evidence that he is a danger to the state: “He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to here” (Lk 23:5).

In that respect, Jesus follows in the footsteps of the prophets who preceded him. They also had suffered as a result of their ministry. Jesus refers to that dark past as he prepares to enter the city of Jerusalem: “Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together” (Lk 13: 33-34).

It is appropriate that the Incarnate Word of God, the Word made flesh, should function as a prophet in our world. After all, a prophet is one who speaks on behalf of God. As a prophet, Jesus

is God speaking on his own behalf. At the same time, it is paradoxical that Jesus remains so silent during the time of his passion.

When questioned by Pilate and the high priest, he says either nothing, or very little. He certainly does not take advantage of the occasion to expound his message. In that respect, his behavior echoes a passage in another Suffering Servant song, which we will hear as the first reading on Good Friday: “Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth” (Is 53:7).

Why does Jesus remain quiet? Perhaps, it is because, at that moment, he realizes that actions will speak louder than words. His death on the cross will proclaim his love more loudly than anything else ever could.

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16 pope francis

theleaven.com | March 22, 2013

CNS photo/Stefano Rellandini, Reuters

The pallium is fitted on Pope Francis during his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 19. With his fisherman’s ring and the pallium, the main symbols of the Petrine office, the pontiff chose styles in continuity with two of his predecessors.

Pope chooses silver ring, pallium style in keeping with predecessors

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

CNS photo/Alessandro Bianchi, Reuters

Pope Francis arrives at the altar to celebrate his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 19.

Pope Francis begins papacy pledging to protect church, human dignity

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis formally began his ministry as bishop of Rome and as pope by pledging to protect the Catholic Church, the dignity of each person and the beauty of creation, just like St. Joseph protected Mary and Jesus.

“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,” he told between 150,000 and 200,000 people gathered under sunny skies in St. Peter’s Square and the nearby streets.

With representatives of other Christian churches and communities, delegations from 132 countries, Jewish and Muslim leaders as well as Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Jains present, Pope Francis preached the Gospel, but insisted the values it espouses are essentially human, “involving everyone.”

While the rites and rituals of the inauguration of his ministry as pope took place immediately before the Mass, the liturgy itself was a celebration of the feast of St. Joseph, patron of the universal church and “also the name day of my venerable predecessor,” Pope Benedict XVI, the former Joseph Ratzinger.

The retired pope was not present at the liturgy, but the crowds applauded enthusiastically when Pope Francis said, “We are close to him with our prayers, full of affection and gratitude.”

The new pope stood at a lectern to read his homily, sticking to the text he had prepared in advance. At times his voice was extremely soft and other times it was quite loud; he punctuated with clenched fists his remarks about the strength required to be tender and compassionate to others.

“In the Gospels,” he said, “St. Joseph

CNS photo/Paul Haring

Pope Francis, left, receives his ring from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, during his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican March 19. 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,” Pope Francis said.

The new pope said exercising the role of protector as St. Joseph did means doing so “discreetly, humbly and silently, but with an unfailing presence and utter fidelity, even when he finds it hard to understand.”

The Gospels present St. Joseph as a husband to Mary, “at her side in good times and bad,” and as a father who watched over Jesus, worried about him and taught him a trade, the pope said.

St. Joseph responded to his call to be a protector “by being constantly attentive to God, open to the signs of God’s presence and receptive to God’s plans, and not simply his own,” the pope said.

Fidelity to God’s word and God’s plan for individuals and for all of creation makes the difference, he said, calling on everyone to be sensitive and loving toward those in their care, especially toward children, the aged, the poor and the sick.

“In the end, everything has been

entrusted to our protection, and all of us are responsible for it,” he said. “Be protectors of God’s gifts.”

When people fail to respect creation, when they ignore “God’s plan inscribed in nature,” or when they treat each other with disrespect, he said, “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,” he said.

Pope Francis asked the government leaders present and all those with responsibility in the field of economics, politics and social life to stand firm when destruction and death threaten human dignity, human life and the environment. He met with the heads of the government delegations after the Mass.

Caring for others, he said in his homily, must begin with watching over one’s own heart, mind and actions, resisting “hatred, envy and pride” and emotions that can tear others down.

Pope Francis told the people he realized his new ministry included “a certain power,” but it is the same power Jesus conferred on St. Peter, which was the “power of service” seen in Jesus’ charge to St. Peter: “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 said.

“He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked St. 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,” Pope Francis said.

“Only those who serve with love are able to protect,” he said.

V

ATICAN CITY (CNS) — With his fisherman’s ring and the pallium — the main symbols of the Petrine office — Pope Francis chose styles in continuity with two of his predecessors.

The fisherman’s ring Pope Francis chose is made of gold-plated silver and is based on the same design of a papal ring handed down from Pope Paul VI’s personal secretary. It shows an image of St. Peter holding the two keys — one key represents the power in heaven and the other indicates the spiritual authority of the papacy on earth.

The ring, which represents the pope’s role as a “fisher of men,” Cardinal Jean-Louis was designed by Tauran was responsi- a late-Italian artble for giving the pope ist, Enrico Manfrini, who was his pallium. very close to Pope Paul and his late-secretary, Archbishop Pasquale Macchi.

Pope Francis had about three models of rings to choose from, said the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, and the pope chose the design that Manfrini gave Archbishop Macchi for Pope Paul. Pope Francis’ ring was made from the same wax cast of the ring meant for Pope Paul, who never wore it, Father Lombardi said.

During the installation Mass March 19, Pope Francis received the newly made ring from the dean of the College of Cardinals, Italian Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

The pallium Pope Francis received from French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran during the Mass was the same one Pope Benedict XVI used — a short woolen band that the retired pope re-introduced in 2008, and similar to the kind worn by Blessed John Paul II. It is worn over the shoulder and has a 12-inch long strip hanging down the front and the back.

The pallium is a woolen stole that signifies the pope’s or the archbishop’s authority over the Christian community. It also represents the shepherd’s mission of placing the lost, sick or weak sheep on his shoulders.

The pallium the pope wears is decorated with six red crosses symbolizing the wounds inflicted on Christ during the passion, Father Lombardi said. He said the crosses on palliums for metropolitan archbishops are black to make clear the diversity of jurisdiction.

The end piece, like all palliums, is made of black silk, a symbol of the black sheep that the shepherd rescues and carries over his shoulder back to the flock.