In the spring of 2005, I was participating in an Easter retreat for priests that took place in the suburbs of Rome, Italy. The retreat ended with Mass on Friday morning, at which time the nearly 200 of us who were participating boarded a bus for Rome. It was supposed to be a time of sightseeing and gelato-eating in the Eternal City.
However, on the way into the city, we received word that Pope John Paul II had just received Last Rites. We were told during the retreat that the Holy Father had been bedridden with acute complications of his Parkinson’s disease, but the news of his anointing made us realize that the end was near.
Our plans suddenly changed. A group of us went directly to St. Peter’s Square to keep vigil with hundreds of other pilgrims who had gathered in the square to pray beneath the elevated windows of the papal apartments. I stayed in the square deep into the night, alternately praying the Rosary and singing songs to the pope with t hose who had gathered. Around 2 a.m., I realized that I would have to hail a cab soon to make it to the airport in time for my 6 a.m. return flight to the United States. My heart, however, was telling me to stay. I had always imagined that I would be in Rome for the funeral of one of my priest heroes.
I faced a dilemma: If I took my flight, I would miss the funeral of Pope John Paul. If I stayed in Rome, I would miss the First Communions of my Spanish-speaking flock. As I was approaching the moment of truth, I noticed an older Italian priest who had come to the square. It occurred to me that he might be able to offer a word of wisdom to a young priest in need of counsel. After I shared my predicament, he replied in broken English, “What would John Paul II have you to do?” Moments later, I was yelling, “Taxi!” I understood that our Holy Father was a shepherd at heart, and I knew that he would want me to be with my sheep on their special day.
I made my flight, and Pope John Paul II died later that same evening. I did not get to attend his funeral, but around four million others did in what ended up being one of the largest funerals in human history. What was truly exceptional about the crowds that gathered in Rome, however, was that half of them were younger than 35 years old! This was not lost on the cardinals who marveled at the young pilgrims flocking to St. Peter’s to say goodbye to “The Pilgrim Pope.”
One of those cardinals was Joseph Ratzinger, who a few days later would become Pope Benedict XVI. In the homily of his inauguration Mass, Pope Benedict movingly reflected, “During those sad day of the Pope’s illness and death, it became wonderfully evident to us that the Church is alive. And the Church is young.”
These words spontaneously came into my heart this past Sunday as I celebrated the Rite of Election at Saint Agnes Church in Blackwood. The church was filled to capacity to witness catechumens of various ages from throughout the Diocese be enrolled as “the Elect” to receive their Sacraments at the Easter Vigil. Not only was this the largest number of Elect that Camden has seen in at least 20 years, but as they approached their bishop with their names written in the Book of the Elect, the predominance of youth and young adults was there for all to see.
Of course, the Elect who were from the same generation as their bishop (old-schoolers) were no less precious in the eyes of God and no less “Good News” for the Church. Those of us who were there witnessing this beautiful sight could echo in that moment the words Pope Benedict preached more than 20 years ago: “The Church is alive. And the Church is young!”
Two weeks ago, I shared with you all the news that the Diocese of Camden had resolved its years-long bankruptcy case. In my statement, I noted that the survivors of clergy sexual abuse bear powerful witness to the truth that St. Paul revealed in his Letter to the Romans, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” (5:20) What we saw in Blackwood on Sunday proclaimed this same truth. Despite the great challenges faced by our local Church these past years, Jesus has continued to be Emmanuel (“God with us”) in South Jersey.
Our Risen Lord has been working day-in and day-out through our generous priests, deacons, lay catechists and sponsors to prepare this abundant harvest of elect.
Surely, as Sherry Weddell, renowned author and executive director of the Catherine of Siena Institute said during her Feb. 26-27 visit to the Diocese of Camden, some of these Elect made this step simply because of a sovereign act of the Risen Lord working in their minds and hearts through “actual grace.” All of this proclaims the Good News first proclaimed by the holy women in Jerusalem on Easter Day: “He is alive!”
I will finish this article with a fuller quote from Pope Benedict’s Inaugural Mass, since he so beautifully makes the connection between the living Lord
and the living Church:
“During those sad days of the pope’s illness and death, it became wonderfully evident to us that the Church is alive. And the Church is young. She holds within herself the future of the world and therefore shows each of us the way toward the future. The Church is alive, and we are seeing it: We are experiencing the joy that the Risen Lord promised his followers. The Church is alive – she is alive because Christ is alive, because He is truly risen.”
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