Local Catholics Make Cross-Country Pilgrimage To See Pope Francis

Archbishop Lori, you were on the tarmac to greet the Holy Father when he arrived on Tuesday afternoon.

Anytime the successor of Peter comes to one’s homeland, it’s a great blessing. Most tellingly, Francis, who grew up in Argentina at a time when it was very common to adopt Liberation Theology, did not. Not a conversation driven by division, but a conversation about how we can improve our economy for all its players and how we can recalibrate our moral compass so its pointed towards justice. Obama extolled the pope for supporting his new direction in Cuba and for reminding “us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet”. Another user remarked, “The pope is in an interfaith pow-wow with a Jew and a Muslim now”. Now you are facing this stream of Latin immigration which affects many of your dioceses.

Joseph had to face some hard situations in his life. But this was the opposite – fraternal solidarity.

I reference a statement (or two) written by my fellow contributor, Doug Schuessler, who said that Jesus did not say anything about homosexuals and apparently concludes that Jesus was not against it. Encountering the Lord Jesus in daily prayer is primary. At least that is what many Americans believe, and many Christians agree. That means, approaching them in ways where we open up lines of communication, where we try to understand each other.

Remembrance of the amazement which our encounter with Jesus Christ awakens in our hearts. This is the work of being a pastor. But first and foremost, he was a man of faith. Faith sustained him amid the troubles of life.

The last part of the RCIA class looks at what is expected of all Christians.

The Pope made reference to the plight of (illegal) immigrants fleeing oppression to come to America – but he made no reference to the cause of this massive migration northward, which is the corrupt (mostly socialist) governments of South and Central America and the drug cartels, human traffickers and terrorists with whom they cooperate, including those in his own native country of Argentina. We need to recognize the Lord’s voice, as the apostles did on the shore of the lake of Tiberius (Jn 21:4-12). There is a cute saying that goes, ‘Engage brain before opening mouth.’ While the wording may make us smile, the intent is clear: Think before you speak. It would be disingenuous of me not only to say that I am in agreement with this assessment of the “politics” of the Pope’s views, but that it pleases me enormously that he is more Left-leaning than Right-leaning. God encourages us to strive for high-quality relationships and to avoid behaviors that would diminish true friendship, love and life-long commitments. “What would the church be without you?” he said, in keeping with his pattern of sprinkling speeches with surprising moments. And not any fire, but the one which blazed forth on Easter morn. Is there a message here for lay people as well? This we ask through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Today’s bible study is Ephesians 5:15-20: So be careful how you live. What are your thoughts about why he chose to single out these two things? But do they really represent God? I think of the unrest here in Baltimore back in April.

When I read the Bible, I find something quite different. Yet, many of us have at some time, even if it was only once.

I have been through so much, and I still have Jesus’ love. But it’s not just a one-way street.

The pope seems to manifest that grand, evangelistic vision. The first to opine such sentiments in the thread, wrote, “The Pope is a traitor both to Christendom and to his race. And if at times our efforts and works seem to fail and not produce fruit, we need to remember that we are followers of Jesus Christ and his life, humanly speaking, ended in failure, the failure of the cross“. Where are these families?

The heart of the Pope expands to include everyone. What can the Church in the US learn from him?

And this “the dog that didn’t bark” problem that we saw yesterday at the top of the Church percolates right down to your local parish. If anything, I think biblical principles encourage political and economic liberty.

Whenever a hand reaches out to do good or to show the love of Christ, to dry a tear or bring comfort to the lonely, to show the way to one who is lost or to console a broken heart, to help the fallen or to teach those thirsting for truth, to forgive or to offer a new start in God… know that the Pope is at your side and supports you. It’s a lovely, attractive gift.

He spoke with eloquence and conviction on a number of topics, like the environment, but like the guard dog in the Holmes mystery, he was strangely silent on the greatest threats faced by our country and by Christian culture.

These essential aspects of the Church’s mission belong to the core of what we have received from the Lord. “And so people better hope that my faith influences the way we govern, because these are important values”. This is critical for the Church and for society.