On the Second Anniversary of Pope Francis’ Election
March 13, 2015
“In the two years since I saw him appear on that Vatican balcony asking for our prayers, the Holy Father Pope Francis has captured the world’s attention and stirred us to a new thoughtfulness toward the forgotten and marginalized. Very often we’ve been caught off guard by his words and deeds which challenge us all: trading in the papal palace for a humble apartment, choosing to ride in a Ford Focus, taking on as Shepherd what he called “the smell of the sheep.” He sets a pattern to be followed and at the same time mercifully reaches us where we are, at a level we can understand, take to heart, and turn into action that brings Christ to our world. We look forward to the future of his papacy, and especially his visit later this year to our nation.” Ashley McGuire, The Catholic Association
“With the second anniversary of the inauguration of Pope Francis, the first Pontiff to hail from Latin America, we reflect on the exciting two years, with special significance for Hispanics. His deep love for the poor, colored by an intimate knowledge of the difficulties that beset them from every side, fills us with a corresponding affection for him. In his short Papacy he has made the Universal church feel warmly universal to those of us who live in or originate from the second and third worlds. He has also not neglected to remind us, day in and day out, of the importance of our families and how each one is a domestic church, where we learn generosity and fidelity from one another. Every day of his Papacy is an opportunity for us to grow in hope and love to (in his words) “ensure that love for others increases until it is equal and possibly exceeds love for oneself.” Dr. Grazie Christie, The Catholic Association
