Prayers for Pope, Blessings for Mothers

Dear Friends,

I’ve been asked a lot in the last 24 hours how I feel about the new Pope. History teaches that it’s a fool's errand to try to predict what sort of pope one will be at the outset. The nature of the job, the transforming grace of Christ, and the demands of history all conspire together to make such predictions impossible.

Most of us are responding to the hard facts we know about him. Chief among them: Leo XIV is American! 🇺🇸! He’s also a naturalized citizen of Peru and has spent much of his life abroad. This strikes me as profoundly apostolic. Like Peter and Paul, his adult life has been lived in cultures other than his own, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. For a church, particularly the world’s largest and most culturally diverse, this has to be a gift. In a similar way, the dozens of cultures and countries that gather at St. Andrew’s each Sunday are a profound gift to us here.

While it’s true that Leo XIV’s election doesn’t directly affect the Episcopal Church, that’s a little like saying the United States’ presidential election doesn’t affect Canada. The Roman Church is too big, too close, too similar for the choice of pope not to affect us at all. The papacy can demand political and media attention, influence theological development and teaching, and even (for better or worse) speak for Western Christendom in ways that still matter. It’s worth praying for him as a brother in Christ, presented with an enormous responsibility. May he take up the see of Peter with humility, full of God’s grace, and inspire the world with the love of Jesus Christ.

Enough about the Holy Father — it’s Mother’s Day this weekend! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, with roses, prayers, and blessings for all the women of St. Andrew’s.

In Christ,
Fr. Andrew

“VATICAN-POPE-VOTE-CONCLAVE-WHITE SMOKE” by Diariocritico de Venezuela is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr.