We have no Pope. For a while, we have only our bishops and their invisible communion to signify our worldwide communion as Catholics. This was brought home to me yesterday when (for the umpteenth time) the priest stumbled over the Eucharistic Prayer where we explictly offer the sacrifice "in communion with" our, uh, um, err, ... bishop Francis," and not "John Paul our Pope." It only makes the Pope's ministry of unity more apparent.
And then there is John Paul's change of "status" in regard to us. He is no longer "John Paul our Pope," but "our brother John Paul," for whom we ask "eternal light, happiness and peace" in the commemoration of the faithful departed. There is a poignancy to that. I am reminded of Augustine's "for you I am a bishop; with you I am a Christian": John Paul is no longer a shepherd over us, but again our brother.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
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2 comments:
Yes, we are all sedevacantists now.
I just found your website and like it a lot.
It's happened at Mass here too, a few times, the priest automatically said "with John Paul our Pope," then a moment of awkward silence....
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