VIEWS

The recent papal interregnum and conclave underscored the importance of re-forming, and reforming, the College of Cardinals.

While many turn to mainstream media for information that affects their lives, finding reputable information about the Catholic faith in secular media can be frustrating.

Certain ritual encounters have now become standard operating procedure for a new pope. In each of these meetings, Pope Francis has done something surprising, in his low-key, gentle way.

While it’s true that men and women have their fundamental differences, it’s also true that they are made by God so as to be complementary.

From the start of his papacy in his first papal address when he called for compassion for the poor and then proceeded to bless all who listened, non Catholics and non-believers as well, Pope Francis extolled the ministry of service to and love for others.

When Pope Francis greeted Pope Emeritus Benedict at their initial meeting following the Papal Conclave, his first words were, “We are brothers.”

In a Sistine Chapel homily, given to the cardinals who had elected him pope the evening before, the new bishop of Rome, reflecting on the dialogue between Jesus and Peter at Caesarea Philippi (Matt 16:13-25), challenged those who had just laid a great cross on his shoulders to deepen their own commitment to Christ crucified.

We used to talk more about dysfunctional families – those in which love was lacking due to a variety of circumstances. Dysfunction means not operating normally or properly. Most families actually were dysfunctional to a degree, yet fixable.

When Pope Francis stepped out onto the central loggia of St. Peter’s on the night of March 13, I thought of the man I had met in his Buenos Aires office 10 months before.

Sometimes when things don’t go right in our lives we blame God, casting our fists in the sky in anger as if God is supposed to make everything perfect for us.