The papal "Boat Altar"

Mass 'on the frontlines'

photo source

Some have called it tacky, even corny...

The refugees, the migrants had the Pope visit them on Lampedusa the other day. 

He celebrated a penitential Mass on an altar constructed in the form of a boat, reminiscent of the boat carrying migrants who drowned when it was shipwrecked.  The altar was a humble gesture, a reminder, a votive offering from the poor, in honor of the poorest of the poor.  Christ was crucified upon such an altar, the crucifix was a contemptuous, disgraceful instrument of death, made from unrefined, crude timber.  The suffering Christ was condemned as a criminal, he was filthy, sweaty, bloody, a man others looked away from in disgust, despised and lowly, held in no esteem... Before execution, he was presented to the jeering crowd, 'tackily' dressed as a mock king, with a 'corny' crown of thorns. 

Christ visited the refugees, the migrants, the homeless survivors on Lampedusa the other day.   

Cardinal Bergoglio, Mass  on a simple table in Buenos Aires slum.

Cardinal Bergoglio Entrance Procession.

 

Buenos Aires slum procession before Mass . 

 

 

When St. Lawrence was asked for the treasures of the Church, he brought forward the poor...

If the Pope makes me uncomfortable at times, perhaps I've been too comfortable for too long.

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More Mass on the frontlines and unusual altars.

 

 

 

More on the 'Poverty of Pope Francis'

The Bishop as procurator pauperum.

I haven't taken the time to research or properly footnote quotes in my posts on the new Holy Father, I write mostly from my gut, my intuition - admittedly, I'm not a very good writer.  On the other hand, Terry Prest, the author of Idle Speculations does excellent research and documents accordingly.  Terry has performed a wonderful service, publishing documents which help us better understand what the Pope is talking about as regards the Church of the poor.  It seems to me his post helps document and demonstrate the direction the Holy Spirit has led the Church, during the last two pontificates into the new reign of Pope Francis.  Our Holy Father is saying and doing nothing new or out of character, but continues the work of his successors. 

Have confidence the Holy Spirit will bring to completion the good work he has begun.

From Idle Speculations:

In 2001 Pope Francis attended as deputy relator at the Synod of Bishops in Rome. The theme of the Synod was Episcopus minister Evangelii Iesu Christi propter spem mundi (The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Hope of the World)

Its proceedings were interrupted by September 11 and its aftermath. It therefore did not receive as much publicity as it should.

One major topic of debate was the role of poverty in the spirit and practice of Bishops.

One can trace the development of some of the debate at the Vatican website. 

As Assistant General Relator Pope Francis (then Archbishop of Buenos Aires) read out the Bishops` Report on the discussions. It would seem he who had a large part to play in drafting the Report.

The Report is here

The section on Poverty was largely re-drafted:

"Poor for the Kingdom

12. One of the characteristics most mentioned by the Synodal Fathers in relationship with the holiness of the Bishop is his poverty. Man of poor heart, is the image of the poor Christ, imitating the poor Christ, being poor with a profound vision. His simplicity and austerity of life confer total freedom in God.

The Holy Father invited us to examine "our attitude towards earthly goods and about the use of them... to verify to what point in the Church the personal and community conversion has achieved effective evangelical poverty... to be poor at the service of the Gospel"

With these last expressions, John Paul II reminds us that this means following the evangelical radicalism for whom blessed is who becomes poor for the Kingdom, following the sequela of Jesus-Poor, to live in communion with brothers according to the model of the apostolic vivendi forma, witnessed in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles."
 

Idle Speculations is one of the finest Catholic blogs online, many thanks Mr. Prest. 

Viva il Papa! Our Holy Father Pope Francis

Servant of the servants of God.

I am so happy... so deeply moved.

I just read about Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina this morning and was so edified by his life... I never expected he would be made Pope.

In thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for the election of the new Pope.  Tomorrow he goes to see the Madonna.

Scenes from the Life of St. Francis.