21/01/2022

At the basilica dedicated to St Agnes in Rome there is a curious painting of a Pope and Cardinals falling through the floor into the the catacombs which are under that floor. The painting remains in my mind as does the incident but I cannot remember the name of the Pope.

Our recent Popes are certainly memorable for they are the leaders who have remained in office while it has been the Church that has tumbled.

We have Our Lord's asssertion that he will be with us always so we are not afraid no matter how saintly or otherwise have been the Popes of my lifetime. Pope Pius 12th was a remote unwordly figure in the Vatican; a prisoner of Fascism, of whom we knew very little. Today Pope Francis is, as are so many public figures, a prisoner of the Media of whom we know too much.

Francis has been chosen by God, as was St Peter, to be the Shepherd of the Church on Earth. He is  old  and yet he is as active as a much younger man. His often thoughtless replies to journalists' loaded questions are the cause of much upset to the flock he is supposed to guide but when his letters are studied calmly he is within the teachings of Our Lord and Master.

Dear Lord you know the errors we are all making in our lives in this age of mass media. We know too much and yet are full of mistakes. Let our minds be cleared of human concerns so that the way is open for You who are the Way, the Truth and the Life.