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Once upon a time in the sweltering summer of 1968 on the storied stoop of a tired tenement that had seen better bucolic days a small group of Puerto Rican migrants gathered to share some company including one very visibly pregnant but quite content young lady. The local boorish busybody impetuously came up and derisively scoffed, “Well there goes another one for Welfare.” Forthwith a young, lean and visibly perturbed blue collar worker stood up and quite calmly replied while pointedly holding up his left hand, “Lady, Welfare didn’t make that baby, I did!”
The liturgical feast day of Saint Joseph, glorious patron of the Church Universal and after whom the above proud parental protagonist (may his memory be eternal) was named after, in many Catholic countries and territories including Spain, Portugal, Liechtenstein, Canton Tincino of Switzerland, Honduras, Bolivia, Antwerp in Belgium, Andorra, and, last but not least especially in terms of this present e-pistle, Italy is designated and dignified in the civil order and properly culturally celebrated as “Father’s Day”.
In this year of grace 2013 this feast takes upon an additionally appropriate avocation as the day which the former Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio formally and liturgically inaugurates his ministry as Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the State of Vatcian City, Servant of the Servants of God, the one and only Holy Father, Pope Francis the First. In this annoying age of sanctimonious social media there are a myriad of many voluminously vociferous voices exhaustingly expostulating obnoxious opinions both dexter and sinister and everywhere in between on the choice of the College of Cardinals in Sacred Conclave. It is not the pious place of this twerpy typist to engage such nutty nonsense (especially since one is having such a decidedly difficult time locating Albegensiens, those fun friends of Saint Dominic, to participate in pilgrimage to the feet of the first Pope who is a son of Saint Ignatius). Suffice it to say that we should fasten our seatbelts as this will be a very interesting Pontificate guiding the Barque of Peter. Perhaps the clearest indication would be the old sacristan’s proverb, “A good Jesuit liturgy is one where nobody gets hurt!”
V. Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Francisco. R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius. [Ps 40:3] Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum Franciscum, quem pastorem Ecclesiae tuae praeesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quaesumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus praeest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. Per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen.
V. Let us pray for Francis, our Pope. R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Ps 40:3] O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Francis, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Mr. Screwtape |
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