As I look back on my vocation in the monastery, I cannot thank God enough for putting on my path the teachings of the Popes. My “papal formation,” so to speak, really began with Pope Benedict XVI and has continued with Pope Francis. At the young age of 15, I was privileged to hear and see Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002 and although I have a great love for this great saint of our times, I couldn’t consider him “my” Pope as I was too young to feel really close to him when he died.
At the beginning of my formation in the seminary and then in the monastery, it was Pope Benedict who really became “my” Pope, and I am grateful to God that this “my” has continued on with Pope Francis.
I know that much is said of Pope Francis in the media, including Catholic circles. Some words are good words, some exaggerated, and some not so good. In an age of fake news, it can be hard to know what to think or believe, which is why I invite everyone to go to the source: to steep yourself in the writings of the Holy Father.
In the high school seminary, a sign hangs on the wall which reads: “Just think, for centuries most Catholics never heard directly from the Pope. We are given that privilege today!”
We might imagine what the early Christians would have given to hear Peter, the Vicar of Christ, speak? And here we are today, blessed to have such “immediate” access to the words of the Holy Father. Below the sign, seminarians can find tacked to a corkboard, “a word of the Pope” (i.e. talk, catechesis or homily). Moved by this source of inspiration, it is not infrequent that I am pestered by seminarians to put up a new “word of the Pope” on the corkboard each week.
At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, a seminarian shared with me: “I’ve often found it difficult to trust in Pope Francis, and I admit my understanding of his actions had been formed by political commentaries on the Pope’s actions. Then something about seeing the Pope shuffling alone across a rainy St. Peter’s during the Urbi et Orbi... and it struck me quite forcefully that this elderly priest was my father too, and I realized a lot of what I hear about him doesn’t mean it’s the truth.”
It is a shame that more of us do not go to the source and find out, as this seminarian has, the real Father that Pope Francis is.
And so, if you too want to benefit from the word of the Pope, here is a link to the Seminary of Christ the King website in which you can find, in friendly PDF format, the texts of some of Pope Francis’ writings: sck.ca/priestly-formation/resources/renewal/francis. I especially recommend his catecheses, among which can be found a wealth of topics to nourish our faith. The various topics appear in the order in which Pope Francis has given them from the beginning of his pontificate:
- The Sacraments
- The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The Church
- The Family
- Mercy
- Christian Hope
- The Mass
- Baptism and Confirmation
- The Ten Commandments
- The Lord’s Prayer
- The Acts of the Apostles
- The Beatitudes
- Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians
- St. Joseph
- Old Age
- Discernment
In the midst of the business and moments of quiet of our lives, may we each make some time to feed our mind and soul with the beauty of the Holy Father’s teachings. If read with an open heart, the Pope’s words do not disappoint! I can honestly say through the Popes’ writings, Jesus is constantly forming and converting my own sinful heart, and I know he can do the same with each one of us because God the Father pours his Spirit into all of our hearts.
Thank you, Jesus, for the Popes, and for “my” Popes: Benedict and Francis!
