In word and deed

Friday, March 28th, 2014

At our school we have a motto; ‘Opere Et Veritate’ or ‘In word and in deed.’

It calls on us as students to put our words into actions, a concept that seems simple but often is not undertaken.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis as we know him, has been dubbed by not only the Catholic world but also the secular world as ‘The People’s Pope.’

Popes of the past have seemed distant and are viewed as high and mighty beings; much like God was pre-Vatican II.

Much like Pope John XXIII, the Pope at the time of Vatican II, Pope Francis is not content with the world as it is and is willing to put his words into actions and get among his people; to ‘smell like the sheep’ he is to shepherd.

For a young, enthusiastic person like myself, this is exactly what I hope the leader of the Roman Catholic Church to be like.

Recently I encountered an article online of Pope Francis taking a ‘selfie’ with a group of young teenagers.

As a fairly modern activity, it caught me by surprise but also created a realisation for me in Pope Francis’ willingness to evangelise even further.

Previous Popes have not struck me as ones who show an immediate will for change but Pope Francis has given me this vibe which leads me to believe that as a Catholic community, we are in for a whirlwind ride of beneficial and necessary changes. Continue reading.

Cody Houlahan is a senior student at St John’s College, Hastings. He is a young leader with Challenge 2000 in Hawkes Bay.

Source: Pompallier’s People

Image: Author’s own