Photo of Synod: Photo: ©synod.va/Lagarica
On 11 October, we celebrated the feast of Pope Saint John XXIII. Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, in Sotto il Monte, Italy, on 25 November 1881, he was elected Pope on 28 October 1958 and passed away on 3 June 1963 in Rome. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 3 September 2000.
Pope Saint John XXIII was known as the ''good Pope,'' because he was humble and kind, and although he was 77 years old when elected, he had a very active papacy and surprised everyone when he convened the Second Vatican Council in 1962. The Council was aimed at reforming the church as Pope John himself said it was to ''Open the windows of the Church to let in fresh air.'' In the book of Galatians, we see how St Paul made great efforts to change the views of many in the early church who argued that to be a christian it was first necessary to follow all the Jewish practices. We are not saved by obeying the Jewish law, he told the Galatians, but by faith in Jesus. Paul had a hard battle but we thank God that he won his case. But over the centuries the freedom in Jesus that he preached became overshadowed again by a dependence on laws and obligations.
Today we thank the efforts of Pope Saint John XXIII but we know that there was resistance to the changes brought in by Vatican II also. At this very moment the Synod called by Pope Francis to continue the work of reform is going on in Rome. Like John XXIII, Francis wants the church to be filled with the breath of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray that the Synod will face up to the real problems facing the church today as we join in the Synod prayer. ''Lord Jesus, send forth your Spirit of love and truth on the bishops and all those assisting them. Make them more faithful to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Stir their souls and teach them truth by that same Holy Spirit. Amen''
Columban Fr Don Hornsey lives and works in New Zealand.
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