THE CONCHO PADRE POST

Like untold millions around the world, I was glued to my TV or computer waiting for the first glimpse of our new Holy Father, Pope Francis.

As he walked out onto the central loggia of St. Peter’s, I was happily stunned by his humble appearance. He wore the simple white cassock of the Pope, without the ermine cape, and with a simple pectoral cross, devoid of any precious jewels, and without the Papal Stole of Office. The Papal Master of Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini, stood slightly behind and to the side, holding the stole for the blessing.

His words, in perfect Italian, were like those of a parish priest speaking to his flock. He exuded a simple intimacy and love for his people. He told them they were on the journey together with him. Before he gave the blessing, he asked them to pray a blessing over him, their bishop. Silence immediately came over the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, probably at least 150,000 people. They were all suddenly quiet and in prayer, seemingly knowing what the Holy Father had asked of them, even if they did not understand the language. Pope Francis bowed humbly from the loggia to receive their silent prayer of blessing. He then gave them — and us — his first Apostolic Blessing, not solemnly intoning it, but simply praying the words and giving the threefold Sign of the Cross over them. What a privilege for this Vatican-trained priest to be able to watch this here in San Angelo as it was happening in Rome.

Afterwards, Pope Francis and all the Cardinal electors returned to the Sistine Chapel. When they emerged, the Papal Motorcade was waiting to take him to the House of Martha. He just got on the bus with the Cardinals, and they went off and had dinner together!

This morning, Pope Francis went to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, unannounced, to pray to Our Lady to bless his flock in Rome and around the world. When he got out of the car, he was dressed in the simple black cassock of a priest!

In just a couple of hours, he will celebrate Mass with the Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. I believe this will be televised around the world. You can probably find it on EWTN on television or on your computer and other wireless devices. Looking at what has happened already, I would not miss seeing it if at all possible.

Pope Francis will be helicoptering out to Castel Gandolfo to visit his predecessor, Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus, as soon as possible, but not likely today. I am sure that it will be a joyful and emotion meeting. Don’t know if that will be televised, but if it is not, everyone should understand.

So, we have a Pope, and I, for one, am delighted!

The first Pontiff from the New World. The first Jesuit Pope. The first to call himself Francis.

His choice of a name is particularly heartening. Aside from St. Francis being the Patron of Italy, he is without question the most loved of all the saints, excluding our Blessed Mother Mary. This humble man, now Pope, has taken the name of the saint who teaches us what humility and service are all about.

I cannot help but think that Pope Francis also has in mind the words of Christ to Saint Francis: “Rebuild my Church.” I believe that we will see him doing this in a steadfast, but humble manner. I sense that this is why the Cardinal electors, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, chose him to be the Successor of Peter, and Christ’s Vicar on earth.

Long Live the Pope! Long Live Pope Francis!

The Concho Padre

Bishop Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI, Bishop of San Angelo, has announced that he will celebrate Mass for Pope Francis on Monday, March 18, at 12 noon in the Cathedral Church of the Sacred Heart. Everyone is invited.

The Concho Padre

(Vatican Radio) The 265th Successor of Peter has taken the name Francis. He hasn’t yet told us why but one presumes it’s after Saint Francis who was born in Assisi, an Umbrian hilltop town in 1181.

Saint Francis is “the one saint whom all generations have succeeded in canonising” and is probably the best known saint in the whole calendar.

The 19th century French Protestant writer Ernest Renan , declared that ” after Jesus, he was the only perfect Christian . Blessed ” Pope Pius IX , in an encyclical celebrating the 7th centenary of the death of Saint Francis said the same.
“Whether or not Francis was the one and only perfect Christian ” comments biographer Abbé Englebert, “he was certainly the only Christian to take Christ quite literally at his word. No one else has ever dared to do so .”

Perhaps Thomas Merton comes closest to the truth when he says: ” merely to know Saint Francis is to understand the Gospel in all its fullness.”

What we know is that Francis was praying one day in the little ruined chapel of San Damiano. Suddenly the figure of Christ on the Crucifix called out to him…”Francis, go and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.”

Vatican City, 13 March 2013 (VIS) – Following is the official biography, published on the occasion of the Conclave by the Holy See Press Office with the information provided by the cardinals themselves.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an Ordinary of their own rite, was born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires. He studied as and holds a degree as a chemical technician, but then chose the priesthood and entered the seminary of Villa Devoto. On 11 March 1958 he moved to the novitiate of the Company of Jesus where he finished studies in the humanities in Chile. In 1963, on returning to Buenos Aires, he obtained a degree in philosophy at the St. Joseph major seminary of San Miguel.

Between 1964 and 1965 he taught literature and psychology at the Immacolata College in Santa Fe and then in 1966 he taught the same subjects at the University of El Salvador, in Buenos Aires.

From 1967 to 1970 he studied theology at the St. Joseph major seminary of San Miguel where he obtained a degree. On 13 December 1969 he was ordained a priest. From 1970 to 1971 he completed the third probation at Alcala de Henares, Spain, and on 22 April 1973, pronounced his perpetual vows.

He was novice master at Villa Varilari in San Miguel from 1972 to 1973, where he also taught theology. On 31 July 1973 he was elected as Provincial for Argentina, a role he served as for six years.

From 1980 to 1986 he was rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel as well as pastor of the Patriarca San Jose parish in the Diocese of San Miguel. In March of 1986 he went to Germany to finish his doctoral thesis. The superiors then sent him to the University of El Salvador and then to Cordoba where he served as a confessor and spiritual director.

On 20 May 1992, John Paul II appointed him titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, He received episcopal consecration in the Cathedral of Buenos Aires from Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Apostolic Nunzio Ubaldo Calabresi, and Bishop Emilio Ognenovich. of Mercedes-Lujan on 27 June of that year.

On 3 June 1997 he was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998.

He was Adjunct Relator General of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001.

He served as President of the Bishops’ Conference of Argentina from 8 November 2005 until 8 November 2011.

He was created and proclaimed Cardinal by Blessed John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 2001, of the Title of S. Roberto Bellarmino (St. Robert Bellarmine).

He was a member of:
The Congregations for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments; for the Clergy; and for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life;
the Pontifical Council for the Family; and
the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Vatican Information Service

A POPE HAS BEEN ELECTED. STAY TUNED!