My Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

When the Second Vatican Council opened on October 13, 1962, I was a scholastic (seminarian) beginning my first year of theological studies at the Jesuit School of Theology located at the time in the suburbs of Boston. For the next three years, in solidarity with all my fellow scholastics, I watched with growing excitement and profound amazement at the unfolding changes being introduced into the thinking, life and mission of the Church by the 2500 bishops who had come to the Council from all over the world. Those years were "heady times" for God's People.

Now, 50 years later, with a new Pope at the helm of the Church, I find myself returning to those extraordinary days of Good Pope John XXIII (now Blessed) and his convening of that event-changing Council. I see Francis to be the new John, the one God has chosen to challenge the whole Church of our times to enter once again upon a profound renewal. His humble life style and warm embrace of the human family have been monumentally enhanced and strengthened by his recent 12,000 word interview which has astounded both the Church and the world. Francis has summoned us to put on a fresh set of glasses. He is demanding much of us all as he calls us to become, in the spirit of Vatican II, a reinvigorated Church for the times we are now encountering. And always at the center of that Church is Jesus Christ, God's compassionate Word of love to all of humanity.

Let me encourage all of our parishioners to join me in reading prayerfully not once but several times over the rich insights of our amazing Pope Francis, God's gift to the Church and the world, in his interview that I sent to everyone on September 19th. (see lefthand column).

Gratefully in Christ,

                  

A Landmark Conversation: Reflections on America's Interview with Pope Francis