April 19, 2005

“Dear Brothers and Sisters,

After the great Pope, John Paul II, the Lord Cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble worker in the Lord's vineyard.

I am consoled by the fact that the Lord is able to work and act with insufficient instruments, and above all, I rely on your prayers.

In the joy of the Risen Lord, confident of His permanent help, let us go forward. The Lord will help us. Mary, his Most Holy Mother, is on our side. Thank you.”

These are the words of our new Holy Father Benedict XVI. These words reflect the soul of this true servant of the Lord. This “simple, humble worker in the Lord’s vineyard”, like his friend and predecessor Pope John Paul II who he calls “great”, is a man in love with Jesus Christ and His spouse, the Church.

Did you see the serene and confident look on his face? Did you see the smile? Did you see his eyes as he gazed on the tens of thousands in the piazza of Saint Peter’s? What we saw and what we will see for, God-willing, years to come, is a man who loves the God of truth, and seeks to be true to the God of love.

We saw history in the making as he stepped out upon that balcony. We know in our hearts that this man was not simply “elected” – he was chosen. Here is a man with a brilliant mind and a tender heart, so much like our beloved Pope John Paul II. However, to be expected, he is already being attacked, being pegged as a “German conservative” or dubbed, “the Panzer Pope”. Yes, yes... the same old “expert opinions” from the same old crowd. If he’s a “panzer tank”, they better start throwing something more sizable than their popcorn opinions, because he’s not stopping until the truth and love of Jesus Christ is known by all.

So, friends of the friars, the Lord has heard our plea to send us a great shepherd to lead the flock of Christ. Let us ardently support him with our prayers, charitably defend him when he is maligned, and drink deeply from the wisdom he is sure to share with the world. As our new Holy Father says, “Let us go forward,” “confident of His permanent help,” “The Lord will help us,” and “Mary is on our side.” Long live the pope! (and pay no attention to the popcorn!)

Fr. Glenn Sudano, CFR
Community Servant, residing at St. Felix Friary in Yonkers, New York

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