Pope Francis shocked us all again last week, when he said in an interview that he may one day abdicate the papacy just like his predecessor, Benedict XVI. Remember our shock when Pope Benedict announced his abdication in 2013? Turns out, it may have been the start of a trend.
In his closing Mass for World Youth Day Rio, Pope Francis commissioned not only the Catholic youth of the world, but every Catholic. He called each of us to be a missionary without borders. He referenced the Great Commission, when Jesus called us to “Go and make disciples of all nations,” and explained that “this is a command that the Lord entrusts to the whole church and that includes you.”
Immigration is a hot topic in Europe, just as it is here in the US. I recently read about a case there that touched me. The small Italian island of Lampedusa is just 70 miles from Tunisia in North Africa. This tiny island has attracted impoverished Africans seeking access into Europe where they hope to find a better life.
Much has been said about the humility and compassion of former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.