A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT…

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT…

POPE GETS PHONE CALL DURING GENERAL AUDIENCE: At minute 40 of today’s general audience (see video here: Pope at Audience: Love of Christ drove St. Francis Xavier to furthest frontiers – Vatican News), an assistant handed Pope Francis a cell phone. TV cameras panned to cover the crowd in attendance and silence dominated the airwaves for just over a minute. Naturally we ask: Who has the pope’s private number? We must also ask: If you are important enough to have his number, you should also know not to call the pontiff during the weekly general audience between 9am and 10am on Wednesdays. Interestingly enough, Francis has warned in talks about the overuse of mobile phones.

(EWTN/CNA photo:

APOSTOLIC ZEAL LIVED BY JESUIT MISSIONARY ST. FRANCIS XAVIER: A remarkable catechesis this morning by Pope Francis on a man who has to be one of his favorite saints, Francis Xavier, who, with Ignatius Loyola was one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, and id patron of Catholic Missions. Francis said, “The 16th century, the age of discovery, called for a great missionary outreach. Francis set out for the East Indies where, starting in Goa, he carried out an intense activity of preaching, baptizing, catechizing and caring for the sick. From India, he passed to the Maluku islands and from there to Japan. Unable to fulfil his dream of entering China, Francis died, at only 46 years of age on the nearby island of Shangchuan. His heroic zeal for evangelization was the fruit of a life of deep prayer and loving union with the person of Jesus Christ. May the example of Saint Francis Xavier inspire our own efforts to advance the Church’s mission, as joyful witnesses to the risen Lord and his saving word.”

Francis used words similar to an American expression usually associated with sports figures – GOAT, Greatest of All Time – when he said, “Today, we choose as an example, Saint Francis Xavier, who some say is considered the greatest missionary of modern times. But it is not possible to say who is the greatest, who is the least. There are so many hidden missionaries who, even today, do much more than Saint Francis Xavier. And Saint Francis Xavier is the patron of missions, like Saint Therese of the Child Jesus.”

The Pope recounted the brief but intense life of Francis Xavier in such a story-telling manner that it made you think that such catecheses could well be read to children, educating them, inspiring them and perhaps making them yearn for more such stories of saints and heroic lives. A great dinner table possibility? (General Audience of 17 May 2023 – Catechesis. The passion for evangelization: the apostolic zeal of the believer. 13. Witnesses: Saint Francis Xavier | Francis (vatican.va))

By the way: St. Francis Xavier’s incorrupt body is in Bom Jesus Basilica, part of the world heritage site of Old Goa in Goa, India. He was buried here over 400 years ago.

ITALY COMMEMORATES BENEDICT XVI WITH STAMP: Italy commemorates the pontificate of Benedict XVI with a new postage stamp (ewtnvatican.com). The Vatican already issued a stamp honoring the late Holy Father: (JFL photo)