Pope Francis in the United States: A First Last Look

I'm sure I'll have more to say about the Pope Francis' just concluded visit in the days to come, but here are a few "post-pilgrimage" first impressions.

While there is more to Francis' homilies and speeches than meets the eye (for someone who speaks so plainly he leaves a lot to be read between the lines), it was the simple gestures, his steady joyful presence on our shores that made the greatest impression. At times I could tell that he was in real discomfort, if not pain, as he was being shuffled from one event to the next. News outlets reported that his sciatica was acting up, and it's well documented that he has had to endure most of his adult life with one lung. At the same time I got the feeling that he wouldn't have wanted to miss a moment. The joy he exuded as he was driven through the streets of Manhattan couldn't be faked, considering his condition. He wanted tomb with the school children in East Harlem, the homeless in Washington and the prisoners in Philadelphia. In throwing away the script at the World Meeting of Families Saturday night and speaking off the cuff he showed himself to be a simple pastor who simply wanted to have a chat with his parishioners.

There were two very small, quiet gestures of the pope that stuck out for me. The first was when he blessed the food for the homeless at Catholic Charities in Washington. What struck me was that he didn't make a big show of it, extemporizing some long winded benediction to show how spiritually profound he is. He simply, quickly, yet reverently, with only the most essential words and simplest of hand gestures blessed the meal so the hungry crowds could eat. It showed a practical man who's worked "in the trenches" of pastoral ministry. He understood why he was there; not for himself, not to make himself the center of attention, but rather to serve others. His simple blessing said: these people 've been waiting. They're hungry. Bless the food, we should: it's right and just. But let's not make a grand stand play out of it. Let's get these people fed.

The second happened in New York later that evening. As Cardinal Dolan gave the pope a brief walk through of St. Patrick's Cathedral before the Thursday night vesper service they stopped in the Lady Chapel, where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. A prie-dieu was placed in front of the tabernacle, and my guess is Francis didn't use it because of the aforementioned sciatica. This does not mean a lack of reverence or recognition on the Holy Father's part. As he approached the tabernacle he seemed to me to stop short, dead in his tracks, as if an invisible force had grabbed him. He just stood there gazing at the Blessed Sacrament with a steady, peaceful but intense gaze. In that moment it was he and the Eucharistic Lord, and the rest of the 2,500 odd people crowded into the cathedral seemed to fade away.

It had been a day lived at a pace that would have tiered a much younger person: meeting with law makers, a speech before Congress, the Catholic Charities visit, flight to New York, a parade through the crowed streets of Manhattan, and now a vesper service at St. Pat's. And while he was there for prayer, the very public setting and the need to make yet another address, whether he liked or not, made him the center of attention. Surely all this frenetic activity was distracting from the recollection and devout focus on the Lord that should accompany any prayer. In that brief moment of adoration Francis was united in mind, heart and body with the Lord who gives him the strength to fulfill the huge responsibilities he carries. In the midst of the noise and activity, rushing from one location to the next, hurried along by handlers and pushed upon by crowds, in these few brief moments I got the sense that Francis was looking into the eyes of the Master, giving thanks, paying homage, asking for strength. At that moment he was speaking heart to heart with an old friend who he knows well, who he loves and who he know loves him.

Like the simple blessing before meals revealed an experienced pastor, this brief prayer encounter shows us a man for whom prayer is a daily habit. An article I read over the weekend mentioned that the pope rises between four and five in the morning to get a head start on his heavy work load. Not exactly. He rises before dawn to get in about two hours of prayer before facing his daily administrative, ceremonial, diplomatic and pastoral responsibilities. He knows where the source of his "power" comes, and it isn't from a human engine, but rather divine fuel.

I'll have more to write about the pope's visit, specifically two of his addresses: the one he made to the joint session of Congress and the other on religious liberty given at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday. Both are eliminating both for what he said and how he appeared to omit certain "hot button" topics, but really didn't.

A Few Observations as the Pope Takes Washington, Sweeps into New York

New York City, just like I pictured it. Skyscrapers, and everything

I got a text from a good friend and former parishioner in New Jersey who wanted me to write a post on the media coverage of Pope Francis' visit to the States. he wants me to "drop the ax on em." Obviously he's none too happy with the how the major U.S. news outlets have been spinning the papal journey.

I have to be honest, I haven't really seen much of the coverage live. I caught the speech to the joint session of Congress on a C-SPAN on demand stream after the fact, and have in general been going for the live feeds sans commentary over the internet or catching clips as I can. Partly it's because of my schedule, partly I have wanted to avoid the secular press coverage. Even assuming their best intentions, and with their expert commentators, secular outlets really don't do a very good job covering the Church. To use a really bad analogy, it's like an art critic covering a sporting event; even if he or she is a fan, they still come off sounding like like they don't know a home run from a corner kick. In this case these reporters and TV hosts, accustomed to covering politicians and celebrities, fall back onto what they know: politics and publicity in analyzing the pope's words and actions. Never mind that they don't know the difference between a cardinal and a mother superior. The combination of their tendency to over politicize the pope, and lack of general knowledge of the Church makes the going a bit groan inducing. So thank heaven for new media.

No axes are falling right now now. Just a few observations of Pope Francis' trip so far, in no particular order.

1. I don't think we can underestimate the importance of the pope's address to a joint session of Congress. The Holy Father alluded to the difficulties surrounding the first encounters between Europeans and Native Americans and the struggle for civil rights exemplified by the work of the late Martin Luther King, Jr.. But he could have also mentioned the anti-Catholicism that has also been a part of our nation's heritage. This was a Protestant country at it's founding, and the loyalty of Catholics to country over their Church has always been called into question. Such suspicions kept Al Smith from the presidency in 1928, and dogged JFK on the campaign trail in 1960. I know Catholics who either grew up or lived for a time in the South and can testify to the bigotry they encountered from some in that region within our own lifetimes. That the successor of Peter addressed the legislative branch of the United States government would have been unthinkable during the first papal visit to our shores fifty years ago. So in a trip of firsts, this was probably the most significant milestone.

2. In observing the memes that inevitably pop up on Facebook and other social media sites, both progressive and traditional Catholics are finding ways to claim the Holy Father as their own. I find the whole thing distasteful, to tell the truth, but it's the age we live in, I guess. Again, focusing in on the speech to Congress, the pope hit various topics dear to all "wings" of American Catholicism, though in more opaque ways. He was explicit about climate change at the White House, but here gave a more general appeal to environmental responsibility. He talked about the sanctity of life at all stages of development, which was an undeniable reference to abortion, but never said the word. He also made veiled references to the redefinition of marriage which anyone even remotely sensitive to a rhetorical "dog whistle" would have picked up on. What he was more direct on was justice, tolerance and mercy for immigrants and refugees,  and the abolition of the death penalty and international arms trade. It is true that he tries to strike a less confrontational, "culture warrior" stance than some conservatives would like. But he nonetheless paid an unannounced visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington who are suing the Obama administration over the more onerous provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Francis is simply not a politician who can be easily categorized, another reason I prefer to watch the coverage as unfiltered as possible.

3. The U.N. speech this morning also saw the pope deliver more muted, if clear words regarding the cultural shifts taking place right now. He spoke of fundamental differences in men and women which are rooted in human nature itself as opposed to shifting cultural constructs. This echoes other comments he's made concerning the inadequacy of contemporary gender theory in addressing the fundamental truths of human sexuality. Again, he was more explicit on topics that a progressive might find appealing, like climate change and the environment, but he still hit on issues of cultural imperialism that would link aid to developing nations to their adoption of Western sexual mores.

4. The Pope's speech in front of Congress was an event 20 years in the making. Speaker John Boehner had been trying for years to make it happen, and it finally did. He took heat for the invite, especially from members of his own Republican Party suspicious of the Holy Father's positions on climate change and the economy. He cried a lot yesterday, which is par for the course with him; his unofficial nickname is the Crier of the House, his emotions are so easily stirred up. But it's not a stretch to guess his tears were provoked by the gravity of the event, but even more so because he knew that he was going to announce his retirement from the House today. It was quite a way to put an exclamation point on his political career.

These are four quick takes. More to follow.

Salt+Light: Pope Francis Addresses US Congress - Perspectives Daily

Salt+Light: Pope Francis at the White House - Perspectives Daily

Salt+Light: First three days of the Pope in Cuba - Perspectives Daily

The Pope arrives in Washington this afternoon, but here is a recap of the Holy Father's just concluded visit to Cuba from Canada's Salt and Light network. I'll have more to say about Francis' apostolic visit as it unfolds over the next days.

Francis is the fourth pope to visit the U. S., but with the possible exception of St. John Paul II's first visit to the States in 1979, none has been so anticipated, and I don't believe that any has been so controversial in it's lead up. Will the pope talk about global warming? Will be criticize capitalism? Will he denounce gay marriage and abortion? He will be the first pope to address a joint session of the United States Congress, and already one Republican congressman (a Catholic, by the way) has said he will boycott the speech because of the Holy Father's stance on climate change. He will also address the General Assembly of the U.N., a tradition going back to Paul VI in 1965, during the first ever papal visit to the New World. Many in the political world, both right and left are eager to hear what the Argentine pope has to say.

Pope Francis' reason for coming to the United States is the World Meeting of Families taking place in Philadelphia over the weekend. This gathering can be seen as the kick off for the Synod of Bishops in October, which, like last year's synod, will be concerned with the challenges facing the families and the Church's mission to evangelize in the modern social context. So there will be much to think about.

For now, here's the rundown on the Pope's visit to Cuba.

Bishop Barron on His Episcopal Coat of Arms

A Note on Abortion, Excommunication and Absolution

This is a portion of my letter that will appear in this Sunday's St. John Bosco Parish Bulletin. It deals with the Pope's recent delegation to priests allowing them to absolve the sin of abortion when it is sincerely repented of. As I write, there is joy, but also some confusion over this, and I hope this clears up any questions you may have.  

Now we are entering into a time of grace for the parish and the Universal Church. Pope Francis has declared December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016 a special Holy Year of Mercy. This is a time when people are going to be encouraged to receive the mercy of God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as live mercy by forgiving others who may have hurt them, as well as seeking forgiveness for themselves.

In this spirit the Pope has proclaimed that all priests will have the ability to forgive the sin of abortion without having to get permission from their local bishop. Right now abortion is what is known as a reserved sin. This is a sin that has the penalty of automatic excommunication attached to it. Since only a bishop can remove an excommunication, a priest would normally have to consult him first. The Pope has taken that requirement away for the Holy Year, and in fact told priests to exercises this authority immediately.

This is a source of great joy, but also confusion for some. Many women have already confessed this sin and may be wondering if their confession was valid. It was. Bishops have long had the ability to delegate this authority of lifting the excommunication penalty attached to the sin of abortion to the priests of their diocese. It has been the long standing policy in the Archdiocese of Chicago, as well in just about all the diocese in the U.S. that I know of, that the archbishop delegates the authority to remove the penalties associated with the sin of abortion, and validly absolve the sin to his priests. The Holy Father is using his authority as pope to extend this privilege to every diocese, no matter what the local practice may be. No one should feel that they need to confess this sin again. But if this, or any grave sin, is weighing on your conscience, you should feel confident to approach a priest and be reconciled to God and the Church.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a moment of healing for broken souls, and encouragement on the journey to holiness. It is where we meet Jesus, who is all merciful, and is Mercy itself.  I will be writing more on this Year of Mercy throughout 2015-2016. For now, be not afraid to allow the Merciful Savior into your heart.