Papal trivia

Gregory the great, whose feast we commemorate today, was the first monk to be elected Pope! And I think it would not be too far off the mark to say that it was Gregory who actually cemented the role of the Pope as a ruler, an administrator in the early years of Christianity.  Not that he intended it to be - certainly his priority was the spiritual growth and consolidation of the Church.  That is evident from his numerous letters and writings.  But his ability to foresee events and plan as per was something that went hand in hand with this catechetical skill. 

Moreover it is to him that it can be attributed the narrowing down of the election to the papacy (and roles of ecclesial hierarchy) from among the priestly and religious - again, no fault or plan of his!! 

Things are not to be loved for the sake of a place, but places are to be loved for the sake of their good things. 

When Augustine asked whether to use Roman or Gallican customs in the mass in England, Gregory said, in paraphrase, that it was not the place that imparted goodness but good things that graced the place, and it was more important to be pleasing to the Almighty.

St Gregory

St Gregory, pope and pastor.

The first monk to be made Pope.
The first one to assume the title, 'Servant of servants'
Specially remembered in England for having sent the Catholic missionary expedition, under the leadership of St Augustine, which greatly aided in the nation becoming Christian. 

Roots and ashes

Never came across a better analogy than this one to explain and understand tradition...
Thanks to Pope Francis...

Speaking to a group of journalists he spoke of tradition and the need to look at it as roots that nourish life rather than ashes to be carefully preserved!

An extract from the news report on National Catholic Reporter:

Pope Francis has criticized traditionalist Catholics who seek to "safeguard the ashes" of the past, saying the global church's centuries of tradition are not akin to a container for preserved objects but instead like roots to be drawn on for future growth. 

In a press conference aboard the papal flight back to Rome after his three-day visit to Romania, he singled out Catholic "fundamentalists," who he said have a nostalgia for "returning to the ashes." 

Tradition is the guarantee of the future and not the container of the ashes. Tradition is like roots [of a tree], which give us nutrition to grow.  You will not become like the roots. You will flower, grow, give fruit. And the seeds become roots for other people. The tradition of the church is always in movement. The tradition does not safeguard the ashes.

Before the cock crows....

The prophecy of Jesus that Peter will deny him thrice within a few hours of the night and Peter's initial denial of it is one of the Lenten themes that comes up often, especially in the Holy Week.  We also read that Peter 'wept bitterly' when this prophecy does come true. 

We are all like St Peter.  Or Peter too was a mortal, simple human being just like any of us.  He was not even an educated man or an aristocrat.  He was a common man.  And like most people, when faced with a life-threatening situation, he chose the easiest and safest way out: denial and lies. 

Sometimes I wonder what if Peter had not lied about his identity and affiliation with Jesus that night.  Most probably the mob would surely have vented some of their anger towards him and in an extreme situation Peter would have met the same fate as did Jesus, right then and there along with Jesus on Calvary.  Who then would have become the 'leader'? 

Peter's denial of Jesus that night saved his life.  He goes on to become the anchor of the early Christian community.  Though not with faults and weaknesses, people look up to him and respect his decisions.  Even a learned man like Paul tries to help Peter see his point and abide by his decision, rather than declare rebellion and independence stating, 'I'm not going to follow an ignorant fisherman!'  Imagine if Paul were the first Pope! (My hunch is that it would have been catastrophic for the Church - then and now!) Jesus in His wisdom chose a down-to-earth, common man, with all the virtues - and vices - of an ordinary human being, to be the head of the Church... much like Pope Francis in our times!  

Grounded

Fr Sean, during his homily this morning, mentioned of something he witnessed during one of his visits to Loretto: a statue of John XXIII.  However what struck him most about the statue was that it was not placed on a pedestal or a plinth.  It was right on the ground.  Grounded.  Literally! 

Wish saints were seen as basically people who were grounded. Down to earth.  Not floating in the heavens, in robes white and gold!  John XXIII certainly did much good to the Church by convoking the Second Vatican Council, the deliberations of which we are yet to imbibe and fully understand, leave alone put to practice.  If not for any other achievement, just for this daring act alone he can be canonized. 

Know not about much about the previous Popes, but Pope Francis certainly does appeal to me as someone very much grounded.  Grounded in the lives of people, the poor the marginalised.  Grounded in nature. Feet firm in the actual grim, murky, confusing and challenging reality of people; not the ideal world we aspire to be or reach.  

Long tongue of gossip

Pope Francis shares a joke about gossip and his disgust for the unchristian habit of gossip...

Jesuits and Pope Francis

Today we celebrate the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.  And from the little that I know of the Jesuits, I'm sure they're not as fanatics of Ignatius as we Salesians are of Don Bosco!  Good for them!

During Mass this morning Fr John prayed for Pope Francis.  It was only then that I re-remembered that he is a Jesuit.  However, his beautiful exemplary life witnesses Christ and the Gospel values more than his congregational lineage.  So no complaints.  It also occurred to me whether Jesuits do or did approach him for any special favours for the congregation over the last couple of years of his pontificate?  I don't think so.  The Jesuits wouldn't do that.  And even if they did want to, knowing the person of Pope Francis, they'd not approach him!

They're only few people of real calibre whom you know for sure what not to approach for! 

Mortification

Words of St Ignatius, referred to by Pope Francis on mortification:

... to follow the Lord, mortification in all possible things helps.  If something helps you, do it.  But only if it helps you to be more free, not if it serves to show yourself how strong you are. 

Reframing Pope Francis

Here's an except offering a rather realistic and sensible picture of Pope Francis, as written by Michael Cook (editor of MercatorNet) in an article titled, 'Reframing Pope Francis'

Perhaps we need a fresh framework to understand him. Francis is not a conventional Bishop of Rome. After 150 years of Popes who have been mostly diplomats or intellectuals, in 2013 the cardinals elected a Latin American Jesuit, a bishop with a profoundly pastoral heart. In John Paul II, the Church had a strikingly original philosopher; in Benedict XVI, one of the world’s finest theologians; and in Francis, a distinguished spiritual director. 

The figure of the “spiritual director” is a familiar one in the Catholic Church and the Jesuits are famed for producing them. They are priests (usually) who “direct souls”, that is, give prayerful and practical advice to people one-by-one. 

Their role is to help each person reach the heights of Christian life, sometimes by comforting and consoling, sometimes by scolding and berating, always by helping people to be more prayerful and centred on Christ. It’s no accident that the Pope’s Christmas present to the members of the Roman Curia – the officials at the Vatican – was an Italian translation of stern textbook by a 17th Century Jesuit, Industriae ad curandos animae morbos (Curing illnesses of the soul). 

The harsh side of Francis as a spiritual director seems to have deeply offended some clergy. “We’ve stuck with the Church through thick and thin, we get paid peanuts, and this guy rips into us for not being holy enough! Just who does he think he is?” But this has always been the reaction of weary clergy in past eras of reform. Just read the lives of the 16th Century Counter-Reformation saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. It’s an understandable complaint, but it’s not holiness. 

Sadly, a bit of berating seems to be in order after the world-wide sex abuse scandals, profligacy in the Vatican, and, worst of all, a collapse in the number of church-goers. Francis seems to believe that if there had been more Padre Pios in the pulpits, there would be more Catholics in the pews. 

The important thing to remember about a spiritual director—unlike a philosopher or theologian -- is that his advice is imparted personally, soul by soul. It is not delivered in sermons, books, or Facebook groups. It is not an off-the-rack suit but bespoke spiritual tailoring. All of Francis’s advice in Amoris Laetitia is perfectly conventional if viewed through the prism of personal spiritual direction. He is showing the Church how to apply to prodigal sons and daughters the principles of Vatican II and of the two great Popes who implemented its spirit. 

There are risks, of course. Francis’s approach will only work if priests (all Catholics, actually) are willing to be shepherds with the smell of the sheep. If too many of them settle for being managers or “collectors of antiques or novelties”, it will fail. 

History will be the judge of how effective this will be, but Francis is taking for granted that John Paul II and Benedict XVI had already created a robust intellectual framework for evangelization by producing the Catholic Catechism and their brilliant encyclicals. Now it is time for action, for reaching out, for bringing the Gospel message to a secularized world.

So the critics’ view is topsy-turvy. Instead of contesting traditional Catholic notions like exceptionless moral norms, the indissolubility of marriage, or the possibility of living according to the moral law, Francis assumes them. OK, he is saying, we’ve spent the last 40 years updating the language of traditional moral theology. It’s time to roll this out on the battlefield and set up our field hospitals.

Read the whole article here.

Time permitting read also the comments that follow the article.  Most of them seem to feel offended to hear that there is more to Christian faith than doctrine.  They seem to be perfectly at home with the idea of a well-defined doctrine, near-perfect liturgy, pious sermons ... even if all of this is at the cost of a living and life-giving experience of God, in accordance with the Gospels.  

Consecrated life and Salesian life

For quite sometime now, especially since the recent SAFC meet wherein the emphasis on Salesian life as a life of consecration, as something 'different' from being priests and brothers, I have been asking myself: How is it that I never came across this idea before?  How come, I never understood this distinction earlier? Or is it that I was never ever told about this all my years of early formation? I really have my doubts.

Had been reading and re-reading the document prepared by Fr Ivo and Fr Silvio about Consecrated life and the Salesian Brother today. Like it for the clarity of thought.  As stated above, it is really new to me!!

Pope Francis observes that religious are marked not so much by their radicality as by their being prophets, witnesses, signs:

I am counting on you 'to wake  up the world', since the distinctive sign of consecrated life is prophecy. As I told the Superiors General: 'Radical evangelical living is not only for religious; it is demanded of everyone. But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way.' This is the priority that is needed right now: 'to be prophets who witness to how Jesus lived on this earth...' 

Playing poverty

We commenced our Provincial Chapter this morning with a recollection preached by Fr Mallavarapu Sundar, a diocesan priest of the archdiocese of Hyderabad.  I had met him a couple of times when here in the Provincial house as the Secretary.  I remembered him well... wasn't sure if he would.  However was pleasantly surprised to hear him call me by name and recall the few times we met and interacted six years ago!

Anyway, during his reflection in the morning he was sharing his experience of having to hear a friend priest from the United States, who did not have much of an appreciation for our Pope Francis. He said, (quoting his friend) that Francis was "being poor and playing poverty."

Contesting this accusation, Fr Sundar stressed that Pope Francis is truly genuine in his life and words and is truly doing a great job.  It is basically we priests and religious who deserve the title of 'playing poverty'.  We really do not practice it but are eloquent speakers and proclaimers of the same... mere verbally and that too only from the pulpit.  Neither are we poor at words there at the pulpit!

As I sat reflecting on those words, I realised the Pope being really poor need not at all play poverty.  Only when one is not genuine or truthful about being poor does one have to put up a whole facade and dramatise poverty.  Of course, the final straw: poverty, if it does not help me come close to Christ and His people is as good as riches or anything else.  Poverty (and for that matter every other evangelical counsel) is only a means to live and come closer to Jesus.  By itself, poverty is good but not necessarily a virtue!

Pope Francis in Korea

Came across something very apt and meaningful about Pope Francis. It was in the context of his current visit to Korea.  The Vatican radio ran this short note about his trip there (read it here). It concludes citing Pope Francis short trip via the high-speed train... because, he'd "never been on a high-speed train before"

And anyway, he added, it gave him the chance "to be with everyone else". You might think he'd have had enough of "everyone else" by now - but then he wouldn't be Pope Francis, would he? 

Spiritual Worldliness

Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, speaks of the danger of 'Spiritual Worldliness' His words are quite disturbing: 

This worldliness can be fueled in two deeply interrelated ways. One is the attraction to gnosticism, a purely subjective faith whose only interest is a certain experience or a set of ideas and bits of information which are meant to console and enlighten, but which ultimately keep one imprisoned in his or her own thoughts and feelings. The other is ... trust only in their own powers and feel superior to others because they observe certain rules or remain intransigently faithful to a particular Catholic style from the past.  ... In neither case is one really concerned about Jesus Christ or others. (EG 94)

I think the last line sums up the yardstick of measuring the depth of our devotion, piety and spirituality. 

Evangelii Gaudium

I presented the Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, to the whole college this morning.  It was an interesting exercise, personally and as an academic body.  Personally re-reading this for a presentation was a challenge in itself.  From all that I picked up - say, 'selective reading' - I now better appreciate Pope Francis for being quite bold about his vision and mission for the Church.  To say things during a sermon in a hospice for the travelers is something and endorsing it officially in the form of an apostolic exhortation is quite another.

Pope Francis is proving to be too good to miss and hard to resist! His simplicity and clarity of thought are amazing.  Best is that he is leading by personal example what he is officially challenging us to live by.

About the document proper, I thought the opening line of the exhortation could very well be considered a one-line summary of the same:  The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus (# 1).

Of course, my favourite quote remains:

I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security (# 49). 

Later in the same para, he adds:

More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up withing structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: "Give them something to eat" (# 49).

Hurting and dirty Church

I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security... I dream of a missionary option  capable of transforming everything, so that the Church's customs, way of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelisation of today's world rather than for her self-preservation. 

Pope Francis [Evangelii Gaudium nos 49. 27]

To be holy is to be Human!

I was happy to read and be inspired by the following post on Da Mihi Animas (about Thomas Merton on Pope John XXIII).  Thomas Merton seems to have a special love for John XXIII not merely because he was the Pope but because he was both, holy and good. And how was he both? By first of all being human!

With Pope Francis now leading by example, I pray we grow deeper in this dimension of our spirituality: To be holy, is to be human! 

Search for God

Here's a beautiful reflection from the Pope himself in reply to 'Search for God'...

When a person searches for his or herself, they find God. Maybe, they don’t succeed in finding him but they are going along the path of honesty, searching for the truth, for a road of goodness and a road of beauty… they’re on the right road and it’s certain they’ll find God! Sooner or later, they will find him. But the road is a long one and some people don’t find him in their lives. They don’t find him consciously. But they are very true and honest with themselves, very good and lovers of beauty, so that in the end they have a very mature personality, capable of an encounter with God, which is always a grace. Because an encounter with God is a grace.

Coming from Pope Francis, means a lot.  Note: He does not speak of some high end Theology or dole out a list of Biblical verses.  He speaks of humanity, of truth, of goodness... How I wish we, clergy and religious, learn this basic fact and truth of religion and God, before we cause more harm in society, in the name of the one who lived in contrast to our understanding.

Read the whole interview of the Pope with a group of young people from Belgium (Note the number of times he laughs! A beautiful living example of how living one's humanity joyfully radiates divinity!)

Real poverty hurts

I read the message of Pope Francis for this season of Lent today.  It speaks of his reminder about poverty and sharing.  It recalls us to the fact that Christ enriched us not in his riches or heavenly state but in His utter poverty.  Most of the message draws on the Scriptures but what really caught my attention was his 'plain' talk towards the end.  Somewhere just before concluding he states

Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt. 

Very strong and true words.
Earlier in the message he subtly differentiates a charity born of abundance and even a sense of altruism and piety from the kind of charity that stems from being one in all aspects of life and living - from a sense of 'real poverty'. 

Something on Pope Francis

Here's a nice piece on Pope Francis (A year with Pope Francis by Leah Libresco) as to why he continues to inspire and attract all and sundry... 

We shouldn’t have to rely on the witness of the Pope to communicate the beauty and love of Christianity... read more.

But he does it in such a simple and humble way that it seems natural and the 'default' way... something which makes us take such an effort and 'show' to do!

• Pope urges Roman curia to hear confessions in local Churches.
• Who am I to judge a gay person?... Consider the person.
• It is not necessary to talk about these issues (abortion, gay marriage) all the time...
• What comes first and is most important: Jesus Christ.
• Can atheists be saved? Why not?
• His personal correspondence with those suffering.

Add to all of this, the fact that he lives poor, does his own duties, makes no tall claims, meets and TOUCHES people (literally and metaphorically), is a foot-washer, and of course, a Priest... just an ordinary person doing all he is capable of doing, without much ado about anything.

Pope Francis: Acts of Humility

I came across a beautiful gallery of Washington Post depicting some of the acts of Pope Francis which have earned him an international repute for being a trend-setter, more of a foot-washer than a doctrinal policeman. Click here to view the same (couldn't get rid of the ad that plays before it, though!).

Related to it is the article titled, The Conscience of a Pope, by Kathleen Parker... read it too.