Chief Mission Integration Officer's Monthly Message

As Catholics, the end of April has been quite the whirlwind of emotions. After completing the 40 days of Lent that are meant to bring ourselves closer to God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we observed Holy Week, in which we reflected on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to only then be betrayed on Holy Thursday and suffer his passion and death on Good Friday. Of course, these days of sadness and mourning are necessary to fully celebrate and live in the joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. However, this year’s joyful Easter was quickly turned back to sadness with news of the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.

As a fan of history, I have found myself glued to the TV, watching the coverage and spending too much time searching on the Internet to fully understand the rules of the conclave, how many rounds of voting previous conclaves have taken, and the biographies of the “papabili.” Of course, I planned to watch the funeral Mass at 4 a.m. on Saturday, and when I forgot to set the alarm, my 4-month-old woke me up just in time to turn it on and take part in the service happening across the globe. I share this because, through all the stories and reflections of Pope Francis, it is clear how the value of zeal was such an important aspect of the Holy Father’s ministry.

In Christian Education, Blessed Basil Moreau defines zeal as “the great desire to make God known, loved, and served, and thus to bring knowledge of salvation to others.” Pope Francis’ efforts to bring Christ and the Church to all people are well known. He worked to reach out to the poorest and most marginalized throughout the world. His call to see and uplift the vulnerable, displaced, and persecuted extended to all nations and people. His call to environmental action highlighted the beauty of God’s creation and our responsibility of stewardship. The images of Pope Francis will continue to tell his story: the washing of the feet of women, migrants, and the imprisoned; the embraces of those with intellectual and physical disabilities; the blessing of an empty St. Peter’s Square at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; his drive around that same Square on Easter Sunday just hours before his passing. And through all his work to bring Christ to all, he did it with a smile and humbleness that should inspire each and every one of us.

As we enter the final weeks of the 2024-2025 school year, we can reflect on the many ways the Cathedral family has lived with zeal. May we all, and in a special way the Class of 2025 who are preparing to embark on the next step of the journey God has prepared for them, hold tight to our Holy Cross values and the example of Pope Francis to bring the joy of Christ to others, and remember to make God known, loved, and served in all we do.

And in closing, please join me in congratulating our Holy Cross Educator and Student for April, Kathy Pivonka and Manny Egan ’25. They are being celebrated for how they live out our Holy Cross value of Hope!

 

God bless,
Matthew Gring
Chief Mission Integration Officer