Joy & Happiness
It is, for me, a great joy and happiness to receive the good news of the election of our Holy Father Leo XIV. It is also a great honor to learn that Pope Leo XIV received his Master in Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago – the theological institution where I and many other Maryknollers have been sent to complete our academic preparations before final oath and, for those of us preparing for missionary priesthood, our ordination.
I feel a special connection to the Holy Father because we both studied at CTU; we probably had some of the same professors there. What a great blessing it is to learn too that Pope XIV, besides being an Augustinian religious priest, was also a missionary in Peru. I appreciated hearing the Pope offering the same greeting of peace to everyone from the loggia at Saint Peters Basilica as did our Lord Jesus Christ after His Resurrection.
I give thanks to God for the election of our Holy Father Leo XIV. Let us pray for the new Pope, and for the Church at this time of joy and happiness!
– Fr. Roberto Rodriguez, MM
Peace Be With You All
I was listening to the radio while driving when the news broke; white smoke arising from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. I pulled over at the next restaurant – a pizzeria – and rushed in to find patrons watching the news from Rome on CNN.
I ordered a slice of pizza not because I was hungry but to pass the time while awaiting the new pope to emerge; a European I expected. When Cardinal Robert Prevost – a native of Chicago and long-time missionary in Peru – stepped up to the balcony as our new pontiff, I thought, “Wow, this is truly a work of the Holy Spirit!”
But the surprise turned more personal when, moments later, Fr. Beck, a commentator, remarked that our new pope is a graduate of Catholic Theological Union (CTU) – my alma mater for seminary studies. Fr. Beck mentioned Sister Dianne Bergant, CSA, a CTU faculty member and Biblical scholar; both Pope Leo XIV and I studied under her. She was my favorite professor! I felt a sense of pride in seeing a CTU graduate ascend to the position of the new shepherd of our Church.
Pope Leo XIV began his first remarks with the simple greeting, “Peace be with you all.” This message resonates deeply within our global movement, encompassing a variety of religious traditions. He continued, “This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarmed peace and a disarming, humble and persevering peace. It comes from God, God who loves us all uncondition-ally.” We are especially inspired by his dedication to promoting such peace.
This profound understanding of peace as a divine gift, offered unconditionally to all of humanity, aligns beautifully with the core values of Maryknoll missioners and their commitment to various faith traditions. Pope Leo XIV’s spiritual call to “build bridges through dialogue and encounter, uniting us all as one people, always in peace,” closely reflects Maryknoll’s ongoing efforts to promote understanding, cooperation, and reconcilia-tion among different religions in order to achieve a shared sense of sacred flourishing.
We, Maryknoll, offer our prayers and support as Pope Leo begins this pastoral leadership. May the Holy Spirit continue to surprise, and may the Wisdom and Grace of God guide his path and ours always.
– Fr. Alfonso Kim, MM
Maryknollers celebrate Pope Leo XIV
A Shared Experience
When I saw the headlines that the first American Pope had been elected, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the new Pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, OSA, had received his Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union (CTU), the same seminary where I had begun studying just ten years later. CTU is located on the south side of Chicago; it prides itself in not only being a seminary, but a school of ministry located in a large urban area with diverse opportunities for serving people from all walks of life. The mission of CTU is to prepare leaders for the Church who are rooted in Catholic tradition and who respond to the needs of contemporary society with a special emphasis on cross-cultural ministry and global mission.
When I studied there, CTU hosted students from more than twenty different countries. Over half of the student body were laity preparing for ministry, many of them women. This gave seminarians a unique opportunity to be formed in a church marked by diversity – experience important for any church leader today, especially those preparing for a missionary vocation.
CTU is unique in that it is sponsored by more than twenty different Catholic religious communities. It also maintains strong relationships with theological schools of other Christian denominations as well as non-Christian faith traditions. This helped to instill within me a deeper appreciation for ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue.
It gives me great pride to know that Pope Leo XIV most likely had similar experiences in his formative years as he approached ordination. He obviously also has a strong grounding in Augustinian spirituality as a member of that religious community. In addition, he served for many years as a missionary in Peru, both as priest and bishop. This is an experience in itself that can be deeply transformative, especially when one walks closely alongside the local people.
Perhaps because of this, Pope Francis showed tremendous trust in Bishop Prevost by bringing him to Rome, making him a key person in the appointment of new bishops, and elevating him to cardinal. We can be confident that Pope Leo XIV shares Pope Francis’ pastoral values and vision of ministry. Finally, Cardinal Prevost’s choice of the name, Leo, is significant – recalling Pope Leo XIII, the pope considered to be the father of modern Catholic Social Teaching. In this way, Pope Leo XIV signals his own commitment to human dignity, social justice, economics in service to humanity, and the just organization of society. All of this gives me great hope for the Church under the leadership and vision of Pope Leo XIV.
Fr. Dennis greeting parishioners on mission in Brazil
Director’s Greetings: Habemus Papam!
Habemus Papam!
For the past twelve years, Pope Francis led the Church as an intellectual who happened to be a pastor – and a pastor who happened to be an intellectual. I will personally remember him for encouraging priests to spend time crafting their homilies in ways that touch not only the ears but the hearts of the faithful.
How can we forget the moment when, in the gloom of a rainy evening, he walked from the middle of St. Peter’s Square to pray for a world absorbed in fear from the emerging global COVID-19 pandemic? There are so many portraits and gestures, words of mercy, and grace-filled moments that will stay with us forever. Among Pope Leo XIV’s first public remarks from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, upon being elected pontiff, was “Thank you, Pope Francis!” We echo these words in gratitude to a holy man who came from, as Pope Francis said of himself, “the ends of the earth” to lead the Church through tumultuous times. He leaves a legacy that will inspire vocations to mission in years to come. Viva El Papa!
I’m often asked, by those discerning missionary priesthood or Brotherhood, about our Maryknoll admission requirements. Here are the basics: you need to be between 21–40 years old; have some work experience; hold a high school degree; have some college credits, preferably a bachelor’s degree; be in good health and largely debt-free, to name some. Those discerning from abroad would also need to be from a country where we currently serve. When you contact me, I can explain more about these requirements.
But, there’s more – that “something more” that has to do with passion, prayer and people. It’s that “something more” we could recognize in Pope Francis and see, even now, in the life story of our new pope, Leo XIV. It’s a sense of life and purpose that draws one’s heart to God and humanity, bringing both together in the same moment, prayer and open hand of service. It’s the passion to seek what makes you come alive, and then doing it. As the great American theologian and mystic, Howard Thurman observed, “What the world needs right now are people who have come alive.”
Are you one of them? Or, do you long to be? If so, contact us!Let’s talk, explore and seek together life where it yearns to be found – in Christ.
So, where do we go from here? In June, Maryknoll celebrates two priesthood ordinations. We are blessed to have the Bishop of El Paso, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, travel to our mother house in New York to ordain our two soon-to-be priests. Their first assignment is Taiwan! 祝你們平安.
Finally, the next time Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter Sunday on the same day will be in the year 2028. As pilgrims of hope, we pray for Christian unity. Though our languages and cultures may seem unintelligible, may the fire of life and Spirit unite us all in Christ through Pentecost. Habemus missionem!
Be assured of my prayers! Thanks for reading our newsletter. Until next edition…
– Fr. Rodrigo
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers joyfully welcomes the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV
Dear Friend in Mission,
With hearts full of hope, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers joyfully welcomes the election of our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. In this historic moment for the universal Church, we give thanks to God for the gift of a new pope—chosen to succeed Pope Francis and guide us forward in faith, love, and missionary zeal.
Pope Leo XIV brings with him a deep commitment to dialogue, peace, and global solidarity—values that echo the very heart of our missionary vocation. A seasoned pastoral leader and thoughtful theologian, he is known for his compassionate outreach and dedication to the spiritual and social needs of the Church, particularly in regions experiencing hardship and need.
His years of missionary service in Peru, working among underserved communities, reflect a profound dedication to the Church’s mission of presence, accompaniment, and evangelization. His firsthand experience on the peripheries of society has shaped his vision for a Church that listens, serves, and uplifts—all grounded in Christ’s love.
As missionaries, we have been deeply inspired by Pope Francis’s call to go to the peripheries, to serve the poor, and to be instruments of God’s mercy and peace. We now look with prayerful anticipation to Pope Leo XIV, confident that the Holy Spirit will continue to lead the Church through his words and witness.
We invite you to join us in praying for our new pope, asking the Lord to bless him with wisdom, courage, and compassion as he begins his ministry as the Vicar of Christ and visible sign of unity for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
Thank you for walking with us on this missionary journey. Together, in communion with the successor of St. Peter, we remain committed to proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to Christ’s love around the world.
In gratitude and peace,
Reverend Lance P. Nadeau, M.M.
Superior General
Featured image: Pope Francis waves to visitors in St. Peter’s Square while riding the popemobile after his general audience at the Vatican May 22, 2024. (CNS photo/Pablo Esparza)
Come Experience Revival With Us
What does “Eucharist”What does “Eucharist” mean to you as a missioner?mean to you as a missioner?
“After my first Holy Communion, I always felt that the Eucharist offered me a desire and drive to go out into the world to do something on Christ’s behalf. Yet, in this journey of being a Maryknoll Missioner, I find more and more each moment in service of the people is an Eucharistic moment, and a moment to bring to the Mass. During the Mass, the Eucharist joins me to Christ and through Christ I feel at comfort, knowing that while I am not physically present to the communities I have served in different places (in Singapore, Hong Kong, Chicago, Bolivia, and El Paso), Christ joins us together in the sharing of his Body in a mystical union with one another.”
– Deacon Matthew Sim, MM
“For me, the Eucharist is the gathering of the community of the Body of Christ to re-member, or re-live, re-enact the supper meal in which Jesus broke bread with his disciples to ritualize how he is offering his body to be broken in service to the Reign of God. When we take the bread (and cup), we commit as a community to embody (as Jesus did) the Spirit of God’s love and mercy as the Body of Christ in the world, and to be “broken” (giving up our time, energy, resources, comforts, etc.) in doing so. We gather around the table to be nourished, encouraged and blessed so we in turn can nourish, encourage and bless.”
– Fr. Gene Toland, MM
Pilgrimage of HopePilgrimage of Hope
On a city street of asphalt and concrete
where last winter’s ice cracks a stubborn sidewalk,
a defiant dandelion takes root and proudly
Puts forth its floral sunburst.
A young couple prays test results will confirm
If this time the Lord will at last bless them with new life
Even as a world away another couple awaits word
An orphaned child will soon make them a family.
With each interminable hour and passing day
Prisoners and hostages alike long for news
Their detainment is at an end and their
Long-awaited deliverance is at hand.
With aching joints and weakened legs and a heart
Broken by loss of too many loved ones over the years
An elder reverently plants a delicate sapling
under whose shade future generations will rest.
War-weary relatives bid a reluctant farewell
As their young flee certain death for refuge
In a land that once welcomed such as they,
Trusting in a God known for liberation.
Hope thus infuses every moment of every day
With a vision of a far, far better world
Transforming the most mundane into a holy shrine
Compelling us to take off our shoes and worship.
– By Joseph R. Veneroso, MM
Director’s Greetings: The Holy Doors are Open!
On December 24th, 2024, Pope Francis opened the Holy Doors of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, officially inaugurating the Church’s Jubilee year. Our Jubilee theme this year: Hope!
In western Christianity, the celebration of jubilee years first arose from the journey of pilgrims to Rome in 1299. They traveled long distances by foot to pray before the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul. Moved by their devotion, Pope Boniface VII declared the following year, 1300, a jubilee year dedicated to the forgiveness of sins.
Since then, the Church has typically celebrated a jubilee year roughly every 25 or 50 years with extraordinary jubilee years declared as spiritual needs arose. You may recall that Pope Francis proclaimed the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015.
Our jubilee year concludes on December 28th, 2025, when the Pope will again close the Holy Doors. While these door remain open, we are challenged to keep our hearts open as well to the power and lessons of hope in our lives and times. As the Bull of Indiction (the papal decree) of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 proclaims, “Spes non confundit – Hope does not disappoint.”
Let us invoke the Spirit of God throughout this year to fill our hearts with the gift of hope. Recalling Psalm 27, “Have hope and wait for the Lord, be strong and wait for the Lord.” Paul explains in his Letter to the Romans (5:5), “this hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Pope Francis cites the prophet Isaiah in encouraging us to lift our eyes to the horizon and see the blessings that God has in store for us.
Could it be though that we have tried a lot of things in the past and are tired of waiting? Perhaps our own discernment has left us feeling disappointed and discouraged. Have you been there?Pope Francis observes that, “we often find that some people have lost hope, they look towards the future with skepticism and pessimism, as if nothing can offer them joy” (Spes non confundit, 1). Sadly, there are young adults who believe they no longer deserve hope because they have failed Jesus.
If you’re experiencing something of this despair in your own life, take heart! Give hope another look! Don’t turn away from it; the door is open to you.
When you experience a crisis in your vocation, take a moment to realize that you may, in fact, be standing on a personal and spiritual threshold. A simple step bravely taken through the open door of hope can bring you into a new realm of possibility for your life. Pope Saint John Paul II exclaimed as the central message of his pontificate, “Do not be afraid. Open, I say, open wide the doors for Christ! …. I plead with you – never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” To that, I affirm to you, “Amen”.
Everything that we have reflected so far should be tied up with discerning a vocation, making a decision with our lives and finally, trusting that Jesus will sustain our vocations. As we begin this jubilee year, give hope a chance. Discerning a vocation is an inner journey with an outer purpose. Your vocation in the Church can touch so many lives. What a great year to discern a vocation!
We invite you to one of two paths – missionary priesthood or missionary Brotherhood. Both begin with the same spark – that unique moment when Jesus calls each of us to say, “yes”. I said “yes” and I hope you can do the same. Give Jesus a chance! If you want to know what are the initial steps to discern a vocation in Maryknoll, contact the vocation office.
Be assured of my prayers for you as we embark in this Year of Hope!
– Fr. Rodrigo
LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCISTO THE BISHOPS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate,
I am writing today to address a few words to you in these delicate moments that you are living as Pastors of the People of God who walk together in the United States of America.
1. The journey from slavery to freedom that the People of Israel traveled, as narrated in the Book of Exodus, invites us to look at the reality of our time, so clearly marked by the phenomenon of migration, as a decisive moment in history to reaffirm not only our faith in a God who is always close, incarnate, migrant and refugee, but also the infinite and transcendent dignity of every human person. [1]
2. These words with which I begin are not an artificial construct. Even a cursory examination of the Church’s social doctrine emphatically shows that Jesus Christ is the true Emmanuel (cf. Mt 1:23); he did not live apart from the difficult experience of being expelled from his own land because of an imminent risk to his life, and from the experience of having to take refuge in a society and a culture foreign to his own. The Son of God, in becoming man, also chose to live the drama of immigration. I like to recall, among other things, the words with which Pope Pius XII began his Apostolic Constitution on the Care of Migrants, which is considered the “Magna Carta” of the Church’s thinking on migration:
“The family of Nazareth in exile, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, emigrants in Egypt and refugees there to escape the wrath of an ungodly king, are the model, the example and the consolation of emigrants and pilgrims of every age and country, of all refugees of every condition who, beset by persecution or necessity, are forced to leave their homeland, beloved family and dear friends for foreign lands.” [2]
3. Likewise, Jesus Christ, loving everyone with a universal love, educates us in the permanent recognition of the dignity of every human being, without exception. In fact, when we speak of “infinite and transcendent dignity,” we wish to emphasize that the most decisive value possessed by the human person surpasses and sustains every other juridical consideration that can be made to regulate life in society. Thus, all the Christian faithful and people of good will are called upon to consider the legitimacy of norms and public policies in the light of the dignity of the person and his or her fundamental rights, not vice versa.
4. I have followed closely the major crisis that is taking place in the United States with the initiation of a program of mass deportations. The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality. At the same time, one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival. That said, the act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness.
5. This is not a minor issue: an authentic rule of law is verified precisely in the dignified treatment that all people deserve, especially the poorest and most marginalized. The true common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all — as I have affirmed on numerous occasions — welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable. This does not impede the development of a policy that regulates orderly and legal migration. However, this development cannot come about through the privilege of some and the sacrifice of others. What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.
6. Christians know very well that it is only by affirming the infinite dignity of all that our own identity as persons and as communities reaches its maturity. Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. In other words: the human person is not a mere individual, relatively expansive, with some philanthropic feelings! The human person is a subject with dignity who, through the constitutive relationship with all, especially with the poorest, can gradually mature in his identity and vocation. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the “Good Samaritan” (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception. [3]
7. But worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these considerations, easily introduces an ideological criterion that distorts social life and imposes the will of the strongest as the criterion of truth.
8. I recognize your valuable efforts, dear brother bishops of the United States, as you work closely with migrants and refugees, proclaiming Jesus Christ and promoting fundamental human rights. God will richly reward all that you do for the protection and defense of those who are considered less valuable, less important or less human!
9. I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters. With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all.
10. Let us ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to protect individuals and families who live in fear or pain due to migration and/or deportation. May the “Virgen morena”, who knew how to reconcile peoples when they were at enmity, grant us all to meet again as brothers and sisters, within her embrace, and thus take a step forward in the construction of a society that is more fraternal, inclusive and respectful of the dignity of all.
Fraternally,
Francis
From the Vatican, 10 February 2025
_______________________________
[1] Cf. Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dignitas infinita on human dignity, 2 April 2024.
[2] Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia, 1 August 1952: “Exsul Familia Nazarethana Iesus, Maria, Ioseph, cum ad Aegyptum emigrans tum in Aegypto profuga impii regis iram aufugiens, typus, exemplar et praesidium exstat omnium quorumlibet temporum et locorum emigrantium, peregrinorum ac profugorum omne genus, qui, vel metu persecutionum vel egestate compulsi, patrium locum suavesque parentes et propinquos ac dulces amicos derelinquere coguntur et aliena petere.”
[3] Cf. Francis, Encyclical Letter Fratelli tutti, 3 October 2020.
