Editorial

Speaking from the heart, pope calls us to listen, forgive, love as Christ did

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on Earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:18-19).

Yesterday, Feb. 22, our Church celebrated The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle. The “chair” (cathedra in Latin) refers to a wooden structure encased in bronze by the 17th-century Italian artist Bernini and preserved in the Vatican’s Basilica of St. Peter. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI described this chair as “a symbol of the special mission of Peter and his successors to tend Christ’s flock, keeping it united in faith and in charity.”

Yesterday’s feast recognizes the teaching authority of St. Peter and his successors. This includes, of course, the doctrine of papal infallibility which states that in virtue of the promise of Jesus to Peter (Mt 16:16–19), the pope when he speaks ex cathedra (from the chair) is preserved from the possibility of error. In fact, infallible teachings are rare, and they are limited to matters of faith and morals that are essential to Catholic teaching and practice.

Papal infallibility does not mean that the pope is incapable of error in his judgment or decision making. It also doesn’t mean that Catholics must agree with the pope on everything he says or does. Still, as yesterday’s feast acknowledges, there is something very special about the pope’s teaching authority and about his role in guiding the Church spiritually as well as in matters of day-to-day living. Catholics are encouraged to take the pope’s teaching seriously and to follow his directions as we would St. Peter himself.

During the 11-year pontificate of Pope Francis, Catholics have witnessed a shift in how ordinary papal teaching is communicated. Pope Francis is fond of using unusual gestures and striking imagery to convey his teaching.

From the beginning, when he insisted on personally paying the bill for his stay in the Vatican’s guest house, to his decision to wash the feet of inmates in one of Rome’s prisons, to his invitation to the city’s poor to join him for lunches given solely for their benefit, our current Holy Father has insisted on teaching by example.

In addition to teaching by gestures and examples, Pope Francis has also taught by the repetition of themes that are central to his way of understanding what it means to be a faithful missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. Here are some of the ideas that the pope teaches repeatedly:

• “The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness.” Pope Francis teaches that Christ is the face of mercy. Without mercy, there can be no hope.

• “Our common home is being pillaged, laid waste and harmed with impunity. Cowardice in defending it is a grave sin.” To be indifferent to the abuse of our environment, our common home, is to be complicit in this abuse.

• “It’s hypocrisy to call yourself a Christian and chase away a refugee or someone seeking help, someone who is hungry or thirsty, toss out someone who is in need of my help. … If I say I am Christian, but do these things, I’m a hypocrite.” If we call ourselves Christians, we are responsible for our sisters and brothers.

• “It is impossible for peace to exist without dialogue. All the wars, all the strife, all the unsolved problems over which we clash are due to a lack of dialogue. When there is a problem, talk: this makes peace.” Attentive listening and open dialogue are essential for lasting peace.

The teaching of Pope Francis is a gift to the Church because it speaks to the heart and provokes a response. Sometimes the response is negative, especially if we think we disagree with what the pope is saying. Other times, the Holy Father’s words, gestures and example motivate us to “get off our comfortable couches” (as Pope Francis would say) and show that we are not passive, indifferent or hypocritical in the way we live as Christians.

May the words and example of St. Peter’s current successor remind us to pay attention to Jesus’ promise to the first pope: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18).

—Daniel Conway