Our Evangelical Catholic Pope Francis Inspires a New Book

By Deacon Keith Fournier
3/18/2013
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Back when I wrote the first book to use phrase, Evangelical Catholic was a controversial term.

I am a Christian. I am a Catholic Christian. I am an evangelical Catholic Christian. To many who read all three claims, they are either contradictory or can only stand together in certain limited configurations. Nevertheless, it is my contention and my experience that not only can I be all three, but each is necessary to define my relationship with Jesus Christ and with His Church as well as my role in the Church's ongoing mission to bring all men and women to salvation in Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis

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CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic Online) - I am still reflecting on the historic events which occurred in Rome last week. Who could forget the moment when that simple man, bearing the name Francis, stepped out on the balcony overlooking St Peters square?

He was a surprise gift No-one expected his choice. Before he even uttered one word, just in his visage, countenance and bearing he called us to strip away all the clutter within us - and around us - and fall in love with Jesus Christ.

By taking the name of the little poor man (Il Poverello) of Assisi, he spoke volumes without uttering one word. In an age deluded by self idolatry it was, as the saying goes, a "come to Jesus moment". The Apostle Paul wrote to the early Christians, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ - that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:9) Do we understand?

When Francis the Pope bowed before the world in humility, seeking the blessing of the faithful before he extended the first Apostolic blessing from Peter's position in the Church, he sent a signal. It was filled with hope. This will be a papacy of great promise for a Church in need of evangelical renewal and a world which needs to be born anew.

When Pope Francis left the balcony he continued to send the signal. Even a main stream media which has lost its integrity picked up the bread he left on the simple trail he walked since offering his "Fiat", his "yes' to the question of Jesus "Peter do you love me." (John 21:15-9) Like his namesake, Pope Francis speaks evangelical simplicity with both his words and actions.

He could have ridden in the Vatican motorcade. There was a custom Mercedes Benz awaiting him with a license plate from Vatican State - over which he now holds governing authority. It read "Stato Vaticano 1". After all, some would note, such a car and a motorcade are meant to assure his safety and guarantee his punctual arrival at the next appointment.

Those in the United States remembered that the President of the United States rode in a twenty car motorcade to a Washington DC restaurant just down the street the week before the Pope was selected. He dined with two Republican senators and reminded them, as he often does all of us, of his claimed concern for the poor.

Instead, Francis rode in a small bus back to his lodgings where he had stayed with his brother bishops during the conclave. The next morning he packed his own luggage - checked himself out - and paid his own bill. How shocked the world seemed. Simplicity is countercultural in these days of arrogance and grandiosity.

Then, on Thursday morning he visited St Mary Major and prayed for all of Rome. The media seemed surprised again. He told us he was going to do so on Wednesday night. He grabbed the microphone, veering from protocol, after those assisting him thought he was finished, and said :

"Brothers and sisters, I leave you now. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and until we meet again. We will see each other soon. Tomorrow I wish to go and pray to Our Lady, that she may watch over all of Rome. Good night and sleep well!"

That visit followed his morning personal prayer. Reports from friends tell us that Francis spends two hours every morning in prayer. He does not make much of it - just as he does not make much of most things that he does without calling attention to himself. That is because he knows it is not about him. It is about Jesus Christ whom he serves.

One can hear, in the sounds of his daily pattern of life, the words of the Apostle to the Galatians, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."(Gal. 2:20)

The people of Buenos Aires were not surprised; at least those with eyes to see the way of life of this simple follower of Jesus. He chose not to live in the residence designed for the bishop in Buenos Aires. Instead, he lived in a small apartment with an older retired priest. He took delight in cooking the daily meals. He also cooked for and fed the poor. He washed the feet of the sick and dying.

At St Mary Major he placed flowers on the altar and prayed in silence for a half an hour. He dedicated himself, the Church and the world, to Mary, the Mother of the Lord. Like holy men and women from the earliest days of Christianity, he sees in the Mother of the Lord the model for all disciples. She is the woman whose humble Yes brought heaven to earth and earth to heaven.

His first homily was extemporaneously delivered from the heart of this Evangelical Catholic Pope. The power was in its evangelical simplicity. He allowed the readings to be broken open through him so that the ...

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1 - 10 of 10 Comments

Tom McGuire
2 months ago
I hope Pope Francis does not claim any specific tag for himself. His main task is eccelsial communion. Tags tend to divide and separate. The proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ is for all people. I hope you change your thinking and write a book about how all can become one in Christ Jesus.
CF
2 months ago
Evangelical as a term is a protestant........as catholic, it is a give that as part oof our identity, we should evalgelize.........avoid the term, just use Catholic and stating "catholic christian" is a double, Catholics are THE Christians,for we follow the Pope and the Church Christ founded......it is another given....
Bill Sr.
2 months ago
Jedi

What a wonderful journey you have had to reach Holy Mother Church. It reminds me of my own of decades ago. So many things you mentioned were part of my own fascination and enlightenment with the Church as I searched for the truth and a closer union with Christ.
But most of all is your expressed love and understanding of Our Lady of Love and her role in our salvation.
Let us all understand that on the stairway of faith and trust in God there is no follower of the Word made Flesh above our blessed Mother Mary. She was the very first Christian.
The Spirit is the Will of God in action and came mercifully to mankind by approaching his holy handmaiden, pre-ordained and full of grace living faithfully his law as the young betrothed Immaculate mother to be, with a plan of salvation from the Father of Love for love dose not impose but rather pleads its case asking for her cooperation. Her response shows an immediate joyous willingness to serve her Lord and give her life to him with only the childish wonderment of how it could humanly be possible. Her eagerness to cooperate and obey the wishes of her Lord and her trusting nature are so obvious and serve as a model for all Christians who desire to be witnesses to the truth and lead all souls to The Father through Christ (His and her) Son.
Peace and Blessings.
Jedi
2 months ago
I am an evangelical Catholic. I converted to Catholicism a few years ago after some kind of vision and leading of the Holy Spirit which I am not going to expand on. Before I converted, I was dismayed by the Protestants neglect of saints and, above all, the mother of God, Mary. I was tired of the emptyness and lack of colour in the churches - no adornments, no icons, etc as these were seen as objects of idolatry. I went to many different denominations and found in all of them that communion was not afforded the respect it deserves. I craved holiness. To cut a long story short, I had a strong sense of being led into exploring the Catholic faith and eventually converted after taking RCI classes a few years ago. Jesus is fundamental to me and I have had an amazing journey with him as he has helped me overcome so many things in life. Converting to Catholicism was strange even to me, but I had become sickened in my spirit by those in the Protestant churches across all denominations who claimed to know Jesus Christ but who manifested nothing of his truth or transforming work. I also experienced some of the more fundamentalist churches who were way off the scale in terms of promoting false theology and really awful teaching that blatantly manipulated the truth of the Bible.

Although the Catholic Church has a different set of problems, it at least has very powerful draws in the modern day, namely, stability and theological orthodoxy. In general, one knows what to expect from the Catholic Church which cannot be said for many other denominations. I am overjoyed to be a relatively new Catholic at a time when an evangelical Pope has taken office. Every day since his election I have been feeling a wonderful upsurge of the Holy Spirit connecting with my own. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Catholic Church to embrace Jesus Christ once again. I am praying for Pope Francis every day. His election will surely help to reconcile part of the evangelical world with the Catholic Church and dispel much of the ignorance and fear that many Protestants have come to hold about Catholics. The main false belief being that the Catholic Church does not exalt and profess Jesus Christ. Yes it does. But any church can become stifled and over-run by darkness if circumstances and people allow that to occur. But the light has now returned. It's up to the lay people to use this opportunity for spiritual renewal and charismatic revival, back to the heart of Jesus.
Lou Soileau
2 months ago
I so look forward to your new book. Too bad I missed the first one! Sr Kay Gates, a Catholic Lay Evangelist, and I have ministered throughout the US and in the Philippines for years now. She for over 25 years! Catholics are so parched and thirsty to know the true love of Jesus and to have someone embrace them as they struggle to get to know Him better. If there were a way to get a copy of your first book....BTW, I write upbeat, Christian music that we use at ACTS retreats and in our local prison ministry. Through the gift of composing that God has given me, I have come to know the wonder of Catholic, Christian evangelization. May God bless you in your effort to find a publisher and thank you for sharing this wonderful piece on our new Holy Father, Pope Francis !.
Dave B
2 months ago
Deacon, thank you for stressing the evangelical nature of our mission as Christians. I have mixed feelings though about adding labels to an already seemingly sufficient identity as a Catholic. I have had conversations with evangielical Christians outside of the Catholic Church who ask me about those new "Evangielical Catholics". They have made a judgement that this is something new to the church and furthermore that it must be something separate and distinct from the Catholic Parish down the street because the priest there gives a less than emotionally charged homily.
I believe that being Catholic is sufficient because the word itself indicates the universality of our faith and the all inclusiveness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit of which evangelization is a central theme. When I read of those who consider themselves Evangelical Catholics it is as if they are saying that they are different or improved over other Catholics who don't use the label.

Respectfully, Dave B
Bill Sr.
2 months ago

Mike, I can understand your justified frustration seeing pompous political figures who claim they are practicing Catholics while also being activists for and partners to all manner of mandates and legislation proposed by a one party dominated administration which has proven to be THE most anti-Christian and morally corrupt instrument of governance our country has ever had. But do not expect clergy or our hierarchy to come out openly identifying these individuals and pronounce judgment upon them. It does not work that way.

The hearts of the truly faithful are often wounded and we feel scandalized by the actions of fellow Catholics who in effect mock the teachings of the Church by exercising their errant free will to fashion morally destructive public policy dressed as benevolent social justice on their behalf to retain an image of serving the good of the people but more accurately is to solidify a political career within the elitist governing class for the now seemingly prevalent majority of our citizens who do not object to or are unable to recognize such deceptive behavior.
Jesus allowed Judas to dip his fingers into the cup with him knowing of the planned treacherous actions about to unfold. Today we can see that there are those who are partaking of the Eucharist unworthily but, as it was with Jesus and Mary Magdalene it is not ours to condemn. However¸ we and our Church leaders certainly do have within our scripturally guided Christian conscience the ability and duty to judge the public actions and speech of said politicians and proclaim their need of repentance lest their souls be in spiritual jeopardy.
Peace and Blessings
Anna
2 months ago
Dear Deacon,
I am sure that you mean that an Evangelical Catholic is something in the fullest sense of the word connected to the proclamation of Truth, as much as the word Charismatic Catholic is. Perhaps, you could explain just what you mean by Evangelical Catholic. When you say Evangelical Catholic you do not mean that you are Evangelical, but that you represent Evangelicalism in the the fullest sense within the fold of Mother Church. You are separating the concept of Evangelicalism from the Doctrine of the Evangelical Christian Faith. You are the concept of Evangelicalism before Evanglicalism (as a faith ever was). I do believe I understand what you mean, but perhaps, would like to learn further from you what you mean by this. However, I do believe this is spoken about by G.K. Chesterton (within one of the two passages I ever read from his works). The passage is within his thoughts of "Why I Am A Catholic". For anyone who reads this comment, G.K. Chesterton's passage can be found at http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0075.html .

God bless and thanks.
Anna
Janusz
2 months ago
Mike, please remember what Jesus had said in one of His parabels, that weeds will be separated from wheat at harvest time and be burned!
I am so encouraged by the election of Francis I - clearly the Holy Spirit is watching over us all!
Praise the Lord!
mike
2 months ago
Now I see that Nancy Pelosi is also going to perpetrate a sacrilege at the Papal Installation Mass. Along with Joe Biden, they plan to receive Holy Communion and make it a double sacrilege. These two public advocates of abortion MUST BE DENIED the reception of the sacrament - Holy Father help us!

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