A New Pope

The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 1 Timothy 3:1

Dear Friends in Christ,

It seemed the whole world was watching as the Roman Catholic church mourned the death of Pope Francis and awaited the election of his successor, Pope Leo XIV. Anglican Christianity does not recognize the authority of the Bishop of Rome outside his diocese, but in the centuries since the Reformation, our two world-wide communions have grown more respectful of each other and warm to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Just as the Archbishop of Canterbury has influence over us in the USA even though he has no authority here, so the Pope remains an influential leader for all Christians. Let us all ask God’s blessing on him.

The process to elect a new Pope is rapid—set by rules learned the hard way, gathering Cardinal electors from around the world, discussing the matters of the church, and then seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When two thirds of the electors agree on a candidate, the new Pope has been chosen. All this takes place in a matter of weeks, providing a quick succession in leadership to guard the faith and unity of the church.

What sort of bishop is the new Pope? He’s an American! Much will be made about the minutia of assumptions about him. “He’s chosen Leo as his papal name, therefore he must be…” He was a bishop in Peru, therefore he must be…” “He’s a White Sox fan, therefore he must be…” One thing is for sure, American news media will get him horribly wrong. They portrayed Pope Benedict as a blunt authoritarian, when in fact, he was a nuanced and caring theologian. They portrayed Pope Francis as a wild-eyed radical due to his less precise conversational style, and his emphasis on showing compassion. But one can be compassionate and uphold Catholic teaching, which is what Francis did (in fact, compassion itself is a vital part of the Gospel and Catholic teaching). What mistakes will they make about Leo? We shall see.

I pray that Pope Leo will be a faithful leader of the church, providing unity to Catholics and all Christians, calling us to compassion grounded in scripture and sound teaching, bringing God’s grace in word and deed to all people. I pray that our bishop Rob and all bishops will guide the church into all truth, defend it from all error, and equip us to serve Christ in the world faithfully and fruitfully. Please join me in these prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the world.

Yours in Christ,

-Tom