Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

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The Spirit moves in strange and wondrous ways

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I doubt that any papal document has had the readership or the impact of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. It has changed the political dialogue on the poor, the income gap and inequality for both parties.

What is interesting is that what Pope Francis has taught on these issues has been in many earlier papal documents, which demonstrates the influence of the messenger on the reception of the message. Of course, one must admit that papal encyclicals and other documents in the past tended to be extremely ponderous compared to the simple language and clarity of Evangelii Gaudium.

For the media, popes before Pope Francis made more news by what they did than by what they taught. Pope Francis has struck a chord not only with the media, and some politicians, but also with Catholics and even non-believers worldwide. His style and simplicity have caused him to be dubbed “the world’s parish priest.”

In less than a year he has changed the image of the Catholic Church. Who would have believed it? The Spirit moves in strange and wondrous ways.

Your January Reading: Evangelii Gaudium

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I love January, the quiet month. The tree and decorations have been put back in the attic, the crèche has been stored away and life returns to normal. It’s time to read those books we received as gifts. This January, though, I am asking you put off the books for something else.

I challenge you take time to read and reflect upon Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”). It is highly readable, not theological, but very personal and pastoral. I want you to read it yourself to understand what the Holy Father is really asking of us, not what the media or a friend told you.

This is a call to each of us to become not just admirers of Jesus, but to be disciples and witnesses to the Gospel. In his exhortation, Pope Francis not only challenges us to be witnesses but also to be proclaimers, missionary evangelizers of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

It also includes his vision of the reform of the Church, which is not only a community of the evangelized but also an evangelizing community. It speaks of the difficulties faced by pastoral workers.

Expressing concern about the quality of homilies, Pope Francis notes, “The homily is the touchstone for judging a pastor’s closeness and ability to communicate to his people.”

Of course, it could not be from Pope Francis without addressing the needs of the poor. He writes, “Since this Exhortation is addressed to members of the Catholic Church, I want to say, with regret, that the worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care … Our preferential option for the poor must mainly translate into a privileged and preferential religious care.”

There is much more, but you must read it yourself, keeping in mind that the embrace of Pope Francis by the world is the greatest demonstration of the power of witness.

Click here to read the Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”).

A joyful Pope Francis says Joy is more than happiness

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Considering that Our Holy Father Pope Francis constantly exhibits joy in exercising one of the most challenging ministries in the world, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that his first major “solo” document of his pontifical ministry should bear the title “The Joy of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium) and devotes the entire first section to Christian joy and an invitation to join in a new evangelization motivated by the concept.

Make no mistake about it, this is no Pollyanna message or a pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by. It is a serious call  to confront the here-and-now realities of the world we live in with the fact that joy is not a transient good feeling of self fulfillment, nor even happiness or delight. It is the much more profound understanding that you are loved unconditionally with a love that longs to be requited but never as a pre-condition.

In English, the Hebrew word “hesed” has no equivalent but is used to describe God’s steadfast love. “Give thanks to The Lord for he is good; and his mercy (hesed) endures forever.”Pope Francis devotes two full paragraphs (EG 4-5) to passages on joy from the New Testament and Hebrew Scriptures.

Recognizing that “there are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter,” he continues “I realize of course that joy is not expressed the same way at all times in life, especially at moments of great difficulty. Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved.”

Technical progress has multiplied occasions for pleasure and happiness but has not succeeded in engendering the joy that comes only from waiting on The Lord .

Pope Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation

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In the first Apostolic Exhortation of his pontificate, Evangelii Gaudium (the Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis sets forth in an official document his vision for “new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come” and a new chapter of evangelization marked by “the joy of the Gospel (that) fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.”

Pledging “a conversion of the papacy…more faithful to the meaning which Jesus Christ wished to give it,” the Holy Father asked Episcopal Conferences to embrace the collegial spirit that “has not  been fully realized.”

Catholics are challenged to find new and creative ways of proclaiming the Gospel to free its freshness from our “dull categories.” Emphasizing the essential missionary nature of the Church, the Pope calls for renewal of ecclesiastical structures to become more “mission oriented,” citing the need for a “pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are.” Certain “customs not directly connected to the heart of the Gospel, even some of which have deep historical roots” must be reexamined.

Those who seek God should not find a closed door, “our church doors should always be open”: “nor should the doors of the sacraments be closed for simply any reason”, Pope Francis cautioned. The Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.” The church should be on the periphery, “bruised and dirty”…”rather than a Church … concerned with being at the centre and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures.” Our concern should be “the fact that many of our brothers and sisters are living without … the friendship of Jesus Christ.”

While emphasizing the need for the renewal of structures and the need to reclaim the missionary nature of the Church, the 48,000 word document makes it clear that church doctrines on abortion and women’s ordination remain unchanged but calls for “broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church”, in particular “in the various settings where important decisions are made.”

Our next few blogs will be devoted to a more detailed examination of this important document.