@Pontifex Francis

March 18, 2013 — #@Pontifex, pope, Vatican

Pope Francis has the twitter handle of the Vatican now, and this is his first tweet:

“Dear friends, I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me. Pope Francis.”

His style is matter of fact. He keeps asking for the people to pray for him.  He breaks out and kisses babies.  I think he is a very smart and astute cookie.  The Jesuits are big into discernment as a key to practice.  The order teaches ways to recognize the activities of the spirits in action in everyday life.  They devote a good deal of time and effort into understanding the emotions and the spiritual meaning in the details. They listen for the voice of God. It is most tempting for the human ego to impersonate the Creator, rather than deeply search for divine guidance.

The Catholic church needs now to both listen to the membership and discern what is spiritually best for the world.  A closed, authoritarian, dogmatic institution has the need for a live wire to bring it back to awareness.  The first deliberate steps taken by Pope Francis (who I believe is named for both Francis of Assisi and Francis Xavier) signal a new direction.  I am neither Catholic nor a fan of any church, but I do appreciate discernment. He seems ready willing and able to bring fresh discernment to a troubled institution.  He has already changed the vibe.