You all know that the duty of the Conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother Cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him… but here we are. I thank you for the welcome that has come from the diocesan community of Rome.
First of all I would say a prayer pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI.. Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and Our Lady protect him.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory to the Father…
And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood . My hope is that this journey of the Church that we begin today, together with help of my Cardinal Vicar, be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.
And now I would like to give the blessing, but first I want to ask you a favour. Before the bishop blesses the people I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer – your prayer for me – in silence.
[The Protodeacon announced that all those who received the blessing, either in person or by radio, television or by the new means of communication receive the plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. He prayed that Almighty God protect and guard the Pope so that he may lead the Church for many years to come, and that he would grant peace to the Church throughout the world.]
[Immediately afterwards Pope Francis gave his first blessing Urbi et Orbi – To the City and to the World.]
I will now give my blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.
Brothers and sisters, I am leaving you. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and I will be with you again soon.
We will see one another soon.
Tomorrow I want to go to pray the Madonna, that she may protect Rome.
Good night and sleep well!
Mary Victrix
Mary Victrix 
Viva Pope Francis! Viva o Papa Francisco!
As regards the happy news from Rome, this new pope is full of promise. Yes, it IS very early, but with what has become known about Pope Francis already, I think this pontificate could come to emit a quiet but powerful message. Pray that Pope Francis may speak softly, and “carry” a big church!
His holiness, his reputed humility, and his outreach to the poor of his own country should encourage and inspire the faithful and hopefully reattract souls to the Faith. Perhaps this latest Francis will also lift up a church in need of new hope. Let’s all pray with hope and optimism that this is the case!
He’s 76 and has one lung. How much filth do you really think he’s going to clear out of the cesspool we call Church? You all make me laugh.
Marie, I am willing to wait and see. I hope you are, too. Besides, how many lungs does one man need to pray, and also, to delegate some authority to the right individuals? Do not lose heart just yet.
Additionally, the word “cesspool” is a bit over the top in regards to the Church. Rethink it, please. Problematic issues may abound, but the Church has never been, and will never be, a cesspool.
I am sure some thought the same thing when they saw Jesus hanging on the cross. However, with the eyes of faith we see the Vicar of Christ!!. I really enjoy the videos on CNS. If you have a chance to watch the short video “NAC seminarians wait for, greet new pope” they speak of how we have truly witnessed a miracle in the work of the Holy Spirit choosing Pope Francis. It is very inspiring to listen to these holy young men. Also, some beautiful comments made by Cardinal Dolan, which is the most recent video entitled “Cardinal Dolan on Pope Francis.” I certainly feel some of the same feelings that he talks about when describing our new Holy Father. As I stated in a previous message, you can feel the joy of the Cardinals and I share their joy!!!! I can’t get enough of our new Holy Father. I would say he has had an amazing first day!!!
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatholicNewsService
In Christ,
Marian
Marian,
May his profound humility touch many hearts, including mine.
Marie,
I don’t have the same attachment as others here do to the Mass in the EF but I can certainly understand how we must die to self. Our Holy Father is certainly winning over many hearts in the past few days. Vatican website has the video of his audience with the media and while I do not understand everything he said because it was not in English I have been able to read some of the reports with his remarks. I enjoyed watching the part of the video where he is greeting everyone. He represents the Heart of Jesus well! In one report I watched I was reminded that he has taken a vow of poverty so probably going to be a challenge for him to balance that with being Pope. I find his simplicity very beautiful, very Christ-like.
Blessings!
In Christ,
Marian
Hi Marian!
(We have beautiful names, don’t we? ~smile~)
Let me begin by saying how sorry I am for being ‘less than a good Catholic’ the other day. I let the news about my grandson bring me down, instead of seeing his disability as another blessing from God to my family. God doesn’t give this kind of ‘designer’ cross to everyone; only to those He trusts to carry them. Chidren with disabilities are beautiful, and perfect in the eyes of God, and meant to help us (caregivers/family members/friends) get to heaven by loving them. I had a bad hair day week, to the point of calling the Church a ‘cesspool’. I do regret using that word.
I am, unfortunately, privy to a little more information about the clergy than many of you are, and that hasn’t helped my attitude to stay positive at all times. May the Queen of Apostles bless them, and keep them safe from spiritual harm.
As for Pope Francis (don’t you just love his name? ~grin)…I wrote on one of Father Angelo’s earlier posts that I felt the new Pope would be the ‘Springtime’ JPII wrote about. Pope Benedict is the ‘threshold’ to a new Springtime…I am more than just a little excited at how this is all turning out. The hand of God is most certainly over this new Papa’s head!!
I have no doubts that this Holy Father is going to give the world, and the Catholic Church, visual lessons of holiness. His being a Jesuit thrills me to pieces, too. I have been praying to St Ignatius for a couple of years for a particular intention, and now to see a Jesuit as the Vicar of Christ….!!! (happy sigh) I feel my prayer will be answered.
I am not sure that there are many posters visiting this blog site who are staunch EF Mass devotees. I believe that number to be very small. I admit that I love the EF for the reverence, the communion rails, the history, ‘the bells and smells’, the sacred music, and because I remember it as a little girl. I like the OF Mass because it gives us a three year cycle of readings from the Holy Bible. We get to hear almost 90% of the Bible read to us in three years (anyone can correct me on the percentage). I wouldn’t know much of the Bible otherwise. The Old Testament comes alive for me because of the OF Mass. I can see the New Testament being the fulfillment of the Old.
The sad thing about many of the people attending the EF only is that they tend to believe it to be more holy than the OF, (this is a grave error due to ignorance of the true intent of Vatican II. I mean, really, what stay at home mom is going to read the VII documents? And isn’t that what the Traddy priests are counting on?….whoops…wrong soap box. This one belongs to Father Angelo).
Catholics start practicing the externals and forget about the internals. Kneeling at the altar rail, receiving on the tongue, wearing the veil, counting how many inches a sleeve comes down on a woman’s arm… will never make up for the lack of interior mortifications, (ie. practicing charity towards one neighbor….mercy.) Personal holiness, ‘be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect’ doesn’t depend on which Mass form we attend, it depends on our being open to grace, which is given as a gift from above.
There are two lungs in one body, just as there are two Forms of the Mass in one Mystical Body. They both keep us alive!
Many of you have read what I have written on Father A.’s blog these last several months, and most of you know me personally, ….I hope I have portrayed myself as being ‘a true lover of Holy Mother Church and devotee of the Immaculate’, (as one priest said years ago). I hope I’ve not given any other impression. I have a ‘chink in my armor’, as we all do, and I let it show this week.
God bless us all!
(Thank you, Alex, for your prayers!)
You’re welcome, Marie! I’m keeping praying for you. God bless you too!
Alex.
Pray for ‘sandp’ who posted under Father Joachim’s homily today. I see a lot of pain in the writing.
Marie, I just read his comment. You’re right saying that he feel many pains, but, otherwise, I’m sure his cry was very good for him. Some times our cries of pain helps to aliviate our sufferings. And what he said it is true. I own have expirenced some painful meetings with bad confessors. There many priests that are bad priests. That’s a situation really anguishing for a faithful who wants to sanctifiy himself/herself but is persecuted by bad priest. Any way, I’m going to pray for him or her. I’m going to share with you some text about the huge damage that the bad priests cause to the people of God.
P.S.: I would like so much that the Franciscan Friars could base theirself in my city. Here too the clergy is very worried with wordly problems (I would say social problems, like porverty, illiteracy, etc) and neglingent with spiritual problems. Fortunately in the last months God has helped me with two good confessors form the Capuchin Order, but before wasn’t this way. And honestly I’m afraid that in the future they can be relocated.
See what St. John Eudes said about the bad priests!
“The most evident mark of God’s anger, and the most terrible castigation He can inflict upon the world, is manifest when He permits His people to fall into the hands of a clergy who are more in name than in deed, priests who practice the cruelty of ravening wolves rather than the charity and affection of devoted shepherds. They abandon the things of God to devote themselves to the things of the world and, in their saintly calling of holiness, they spend their time in profane and worldly pursuits. When God permits such things, it is a very positive proof that He is thoroughly angry with His people and is visiting His most dreadful wrath upon them.” Saint John Eudes
Source:
ST JOHN EUDES: BAD PRIESTS ARE A SIGN OF GOD’S ANGER
May God bless ‘sandp’ with a Simon of Cyrene.
Marie –
I think you would like this 🙂
Two revolutionary popes
http://www.youtube.com/user/CatholicNewsService
In Christ,
Marian
A holy Holy Father! 🙂