At ordination, all priests make three solemn promises. We promise to live chaste celibate lives. We promise to pray daily for the Church with the Liturgy of the Hours: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer, etc. And we promise obedience to the our bishop, whose authority can be traced back without interruption to the apostles, including Saint Peter.

Eighteen years ago, I was ordained to the priesthood during a tragic time in the life of the Roman Catholic Church. That spring, the clergy abuse scandal culminated in the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law and the admission that our bishops had conspired to conceal hundreds of cases of child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Boston. Across the United States, the number of cases climbed into the thousands. Years later, it remains almost impossible to describe the pain and suffering of so many victims and their families. And the damage done to the reputation and moral credibility of the Catholic Church continues to cast some shadow over every effort at evangelization and outreach. If at all, it will take generations for God’s holy family to heal and recover from the crimes of the past.

Given all that was happening back then, you might think that a young seminarian would struggle with making those three promises — especially the one about lifelong obedience to the local bishop. But Cardinal Law was replaced temporarily by Bishop Richard Lennon, the Rector of Saint John Seminary, who was called upon to preside over the ordination of my class. Bishop Lennon died almost two years ago. He was not a perfect man, a perfect priest, or a perfect bishop. But he was dedicated in body, mind, and spirit to prayer, the priesthood, and the quiet service of God’s people. His whole life embodied those three ancient promises of celibacy, prayer, and obedience. At my ordination, I was blessed and humbled to place my hands in his and promise my obedience to him and to his successors.

The priest’s promise of obedience, however, is not just about loyalty to a living bishop. It is also about the mystical link between Christ Jesus, the priest, the people, and the great chain of pastors that stretches back through history to the apostles. It is our spiritual connection to the first pastor, a fisherman from Galilee called Peter. And it about our relationship with the current pastor, a shepherd from Argentina called Francis. Pope Francis is the Bishop of Rome, the Supreme Pontiff, and the Vicar of Christ. His ecclesial authority is derived from Christ himself who said: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church (Matthew 16:18).” At the same time, the Holy Father’s credibility comes from his good works, good example, and abiding message of mercy, inclusion, fraternity, and concern for all of God’s creatures. His credibility comes from casting the nets and opening wide the doors so that all people feel loved, welcomed, and respected in our community.

At the heart of it all, Saint Peter was a local fisherman called by Christ to do great things and change the world. In a similar way, Pope Francis is very much like his predecessor. He is a person of humble origins who is called by Christ to live the Gospel, share God’s love, and rebuild the Church. He, too, is called to change the world. Now more than ever, whatever our vocation in life and wherever our spiritual journeys take us, we can all make at least one solemn promise. Let’s join Saint Peter in praying each and every day for Pope Francis! May God bless Pope Francis! May God save the Church! Viva Papa Francesco! Viva San Pietro!

Reverend James M. Achadinha, Pastor
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: frjim@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (6-27-21)
Bringing Home the Word (6-27-21)
The Kids Bulletin (6-27-21)

__________

Call to Prayer
A Prayer for Pope Francis