One of the treasures in my home is a Papal Blessing from Pope John XXIII. It belonged to my mother who earned it for her good work at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church for many years. She loved the document so much that she invested in having it professionally framed, a kind of extravagance that she rarely enjoyed. It hung in her home until the day that she died and she would become quite emotional when she spoke of the pope who signed it for her.
My mother was as devoted to her Catholic religion as anyone might be. She somehow found a way to send me and my brothers to Catholic school for our education. My guess is that she may have received a discount of some kind because she was a widow who had to measure every penny just to make it from one month to the next. She also worked as a teacher at the school for a time allowing me and my brothers to attend at no cost.
Mama strictly followed all of the rules, even the ones that seemed questionable to me. She rarely dated after my father died because she did not often meet men who were not divorced. She would not allow herself to become close to a divorced man because she worried that such a relationship would not be favored by the church. Mostly she dedicated herself to me and my brothers and to her mother. She was incredibly generous to anyone who needed her help as well.
Mama had a Catholic bible that my grandfather gave her as a Christmas gift. It was worn from her daily reading of it. My brothers gave it to me when she died because I was the only one who was still an active Catholic. When I began to read it I immediately noticed that she had written an inscription leaving it to my youngest brother, so I dutifully gave it to him as she had wished. In return he announced that I should have her crucifix and the papal blessing that she love so much.
I keep the document upstairs in the room where my mother lived during the last year and half of her life. I keep it there because I have worried about floods since they have damaged properties in the Houston area so many times, most notably during hurricane Harvey. In the event that such a thing should happen to my home I want that precious document to stay high and dry. I have done the same with other treasures that I want to preserve in the hopes that one day one of my daughters or grandchildren will continue the task of keeping my mother’s prize possession safe.
I have not always been as faithful with my Catholicism as my mother was, few people are. Many of us tend to pick and choose what aspects of that faith we believe and which we steadfastly follow. I suppose that my youthful experience with Pope John XXIII taught me that sometimes there are rules in the Catholic Church that don’t make sense and need to be changed. John XXIII did a great deal to make Catholics feel more included in the rituals of mass. He turned the priests around to face us and allowed the words and readings to be uttered in the languages of the people. For the first time we became active participants in the once mysterious rituals that we had experienced on so many Sundays and holy days.
Other changes were to come. Lay men were tapped to be Deacons. Girls were allowed to take on the duties once given only to altar “boys.” Men and women became Extraordinary Ministers offering communion which came in the forms of both host and blessed wine. The inclusions have been lovely and have made everything more meaningful. The have additionally led me to question what seem to be antiquated ideas like forcing all priests to be unmarried and insisting that women may not be priests. Some leeway in historic rules have taken place in allowing older men who had once been married to enter the seminary to become priests, With such changes I have begun to believe that more and more modernization should and will ultimately occur.
I loved Pope Frances. He reminded me so much of Pope John XXIII. His kindness toward all people seemed more in keeping with the words of Jesus Christ than those who centered on making rules that so often made no sense. Frances was a breath of fresh air who invigorated my devotion to the Catholic Church. During the years that he was the pope I felt that the Catholic Church was moving in the right direction by universally demonstrating compassion to even those who are all too often held in contempt by much of society. It was with great sorrow that I grieved over his passing but I hoped that his successor would continue to follow the direction of his loving openness,
I have to admit to being both shocked and pleased by the announcement of our new pope, Leo X!V. I would never have expected for an American born and raised in Chicago to elected by the Cardinals at the Conclave. It felt joyful to hear that he spoke many languages and was a kind of missionary in Peru for much of his time as a priest. I liked that he had been on X and had posted his frustration with both President Trump and Vice President Vance. He indeed seems to be a person who will continue to urge us to all be kind to those who have the least among us. His message thus far is one of love and understanding. I have great hope that there will be progress in reminding all Catholics of what is most important in living our faith.
Pope Leo XIV seems to be intent on being a pope for all people, not just certain kinds of Catholics. I wish him well. He has made a great start. May we all heed his challenge to embrace and love all of God’s people, not just those who appear to be like us. That is the essence of what I have always learned from my church and what I have always believed. I like having a modern pope whose love extends in many directions. I think our new pope will be just the man that we need.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 