Pope Fever Takes America

A few weeks back, during our weekly Wednesday afternoon meeting, Father Pete dropped by to ask, “Why are young people so excited about Pope Francis?” He explained he was going to be interviewed by NBC News and wanted to know, especially in the light of the Pope’s visit to the States, why young people were so emphatic about his visit.

And it’s true. In recent weeks, America has gone “Pope Crazy.” This weekend across the nation, including several bus loads of students from Notre Dame, thousands will flock to Philadelphia to celebrate mass with the Pope. On Thursday, Campus Ministry will host “Papal Pancakes,” where students can eat pancakes and watch the Pope Address the joint meeting of Congress. On Friday, in McGlinn, we’ll have our own “Pope Watch” of his address to the UN. It’s obvious that our campus is full of anticipation for the arrival of Pope Francis, but the excitement isn’t limited to just us under the Golden Dome. The entire nation has been counting down to this visit.

So why are we so excited about his visit? Why are we, as young people, so excited about Pope Francis? I’m not the first person to tackle this question. In fact, journalists have been discussing this in depth for the past few weeks. There are endless facts and studies that cite the demographics of a changing church with complex and varied opinions on the social, political, and inequality issues that effect our church. They also cite the way the patchwork of the body of the church has changed with more Catholics who have or are close to people who have experienced divorce, same-sex marriage, or out-of-wedlock pregnancy. As students who may have watched our families or our friends  deal with these issues growing up, younger Catholics are shifting our interest from the social issues to those of inequality in America.

In many ways, the Pope has helped guide this transformation. Since he came into his Papacy, he has directed people to look at issues of poverty, the environment, and immigration. Many people I know like to argue that Pope Francis isn’t saying anything different or radical from what the church teaches or what previous popes have said. But to me, there is a difference in the way the Pope  is using his role in the spotlight to help direct our focus to issues like poverty, where we ourselves, even as young people, can help. From washing the feet of prisoners to kissing the face of the disfigured, the Pope has challenged Catholics to live their faith out through service, compassion, and works of mercy. In a time and place where we as students are overwhelmed with our futures, discerning our own opinions on social issues, and trying to find a place for our faith in our lives, Pope Francis helps direct our attention to how we can make a difference, to challenge and inspire us to follow a call of service.

Personally, I know that before Pope Francis, I had been very wary of the Vatican. I saw it as a distant institution preoccupied with telling people what was right and wrong, writing policies, and often times hurting those I cared about with its opinions and rules. To me the idea of a pope and the Vatican had nothing to do with my personal relationship with Jesus. Pope Francis has helped heal that rift for me. In his Evangelli gaudium, he writes about the importance of a personal encounter with God, which speaks a lot to me and my own experience. While I still have some reservations about the institutional side of the church, the compassion and thoughtfulness that Pope Francis exudes has made a difference to me and many other Catholics.

In fact, last Spring Break, I had the opportunity to visit Rome on a pilgrimage with Campus Ministry. Abet the rain and cold of the early morning, I was able to celebrate Easter Sunday mass with Pope Francis. There was something so breathtaking about hearing him address the congregation of thousands about a call for peace in the world. Later, he drove around in his Pope-Mobile and greeted the crowd. He has worked hard to make himself accessible. The entire experience spoke so much to who he is his as a pope- a leader, a peacemaker, but also a humble man.

This Saturday I will be praying for my fellow classmates who will be journeying to Philadelphia to see this inspiring man. I hope that through him they are able to understand the call that God has for all of us- to be people of service, compassion, and humility- just like the Pope.