It's been a week since Pope Francis began his historical visit to the United States of America and tens of millions of Americans are still in awe of the man and his message...I am unabashedly one of the tens of
millions who say a daily prayer for this extraordinary man and wishes him a long and fruitful life. It is my sincere hope and wish that the love he brought from the Vatican lingers throughout our nation for a very long time. The Lord knows we need it.
In a world that's full of political and religious charlatans and is woefully plagued by immeasurable amounts of suffering, disappointment, and uncertainty, 78 year-old Jorge Mario Bergoglio also known to the world as Pope Francis, appears to be by all accounts, a legitimately pious and caring man who is responsible for shepherding a worldwide flock of over 1.2 billion Catholics.
Among the Catholic faithful there's absolutely no doubt that the Pope's devout spiritual convictions combined with his sincere love for the poor and the politically voiceless, projects a style of Christ-like leadership that would even make Saint Peter applaud this very humble-servant-of-God who hails from Las Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The son of first and second generation Italian immigrants, Pope Francis was raised in a middle-class community and graduated from college with a degree in chemistry and was briefly employed as a chemical technician, a bouncer in a bar and as a janitor before he found his "life's calling" and joined the Society of Jesus whose members are referred to as Jesuits.
After being ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, his reputation for being a kind and humble servant of the poor and the oppressed, propelled him through the church leadership hierarchy and he was appointed as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and as a Cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.
Elected by a papal conclave on March 13, 2013 as the successor to a retired Pope Benedict XVI, there is little argument that Pope Francis is respected and admired around the world by both Christians and non-Christians for being a genuine ambassador of world peace, love and acceptance.
Shortly after being elected as the Bishop of Rome, and Sovereign of the Vatican City, rumors began circulating out of Rome that the newly elected Pope was beginning to raise a few well-coiffed eyebrows after he declined to live in the opulent papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace, deciding instead to reside in a more modest suite in the Vatican guesthouse.
Few who are aware of the many challenges facing the Catholic Church will argue that the election of Pope Francis as the 266th Pope, was a much needed breath of fresh air that brought "sanitizing" and redeeming rays of sunshine to a "darkened palace" beset by many scandals.
With a spiritual attitude of "who am I to judge"?; a change of attitude in the Catholic Church that does not make villains of gays and lesbians and does not ostracize couples who opt for divorce, had finally come to the Vatican City. In a blink of an eye, "out" was any remnants of previous "papal pomposity" that often created an air of aloofness, and "in" was a refreshed sense of humble selfless service that would be focused on attending to the needs of the world's destitute and hopeless.
For "the Christian believer", both rich and poor, the remarkable power of God's love is an awesome and intangible power that evokes raw emotion that can reduce a person to tears... and for 70 million American Catholics, who earnestly seek spiritual guidance and growth from this remarkable man, it's indeed a blessing to know that Pope Francis has finally come to the shores of United States of America in order to give our nation his blessing. It's as though the spirit of the Lord walks with Pope Francis and we Americans who represent the rich, the struggling and the poor are truly grateful for his presence.
On Tuesday afternoon, September 22, 2015, Pope Francis began his six day tour of the United States of America arriving in Washington, D.C. amid a sea of smiling faces, enthusiastic cheers and tears of joy. Greeted by President Obama and an enclave of well-wishers "The People's Pope" radiated an aura of fatherly love and divine purpose as he walked and often stopped to pose for "selfies" with children and young adults.
As with all nations [people] that are desperately seeking spiritual growth and healing, the Popes presence in the U.S. has been a true Godsend. It's as though God the creator of the heavens and the Earth sent a bonafide representative of [his] love to the District of Columbia, New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in order to reconcile and cure the dispirited and the tormented. Remarkably even the political rebel rousers and pundits who so angrily divide the U.S. on so many socio-political issues are on "silent vacation"; and if that in its self isn't a miracle then what is?
Exhibiting the energy of a 30 year-old parish priest, the Pope over the course of the week has presided over the Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; Addressed a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress; Visited St. Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington; Flew to New York City and addressed the United Nations General Assembly; Presided over a Multi-religious service at the 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial and Museum; Made a visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, in East Harlem, New York; Conducted Mass at Madison Square Garden; Flew to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and met with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. He even visited a prison [Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility], located in Philadelphia.
Regardless of one's religious / spiritual faith or lack of faith, it's hard not to respect and love a person who humbly washes and kisses the feet of the incarcerated while tirelessly defending the world's poor, the world's neglected and the tragically desperate. It's as though God has answered millions of prayers and has sent a humble servant named Jorge Mario Bergoglio aka Pope Francis to remind us that God is real and that God truly loves us ALL regardless of whether one is rich or poor; Black, White, or Brown; straight or gay; Non-believer, Christian, Jew or Muslim. Incredibly the only thing Pope Francis humbly asks of the world's believers in God is that we continuously pray for him.
In closing, America humbly thanks God for Pope Francis' short but worthwhile visit to the land of the brave and the home of the free and we pray that God continues to give him the strength to shepherd over his flock with Christ-like determination and love...travel safely back to Rome Jorge....your parents Mario José and Regina María, would be extremely proud of you; in Jesus' name we say, "Amen".
