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!
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.
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
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…
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.”
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.
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
Over this past year, as before, the vocations office has accompanied many young men in discernment. We are blessed, through them, to discover that God continues to call the young of our world to be missionary priests and Brothers. Missionaries are sent forth to give witness to the greatest story ever told; Jesus’ story always inspires awe and wonder! Preaching Jesus is not only a matter of sharing a story but encountering a person. The Gospel reaches through the Word to impart divine grace in our lives. Invite God to shed light on your vocation journey this Christmas! Suddenly your vocation is no longer a mystery.
Looking back over this year, we in the Maryknoll vocation team are thankful to have been invited into the lives of so many young people in seeking together God’s will. What do we really want to see in discernment? A grateful heart! We want to see clarity, a direction, an orientation that leads us to make decisions and, without fear, press the YES buzzer to respond generously to God’s call.
It’s normal though, during discernment, to experience interior conflicts, inner resistances. We all go through them. It’s important to remember, however, that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). Everything will fall into place, in due time. Make it a habit every Christmas to place all interior conflicts and resistances in the manger – give them to Jesus. You can be sure that He will continue to point you in the right direction. One of our great Maryknoll missioners, Bishop James E. Walsh wrote, “To every passing trouble we must remember that it is not trouble and have the conviction that it is passing.”
Speaking about celibacy, many discerners ask me how I manage sexual attraction after ordination and final oath. My answer is that sexual attraction does not stop with ordination or final oath. Celibacy results from ongoing healthy relationships. As missionaries we need to find healthy ways to navigate moments when sexual attraction challenges our celibacy. Our personal prayer makes all the difference!
Next year we celebrate a jubilee year! Beginning this Advent and through the liturgical year, Catholics throughout the world are encouraged to focus on forgiveness and reconciliation. Pope Francis offers the theme “Pilgrims of Hope” to give witness to Christian hope in the face of war, climate crisis, and the ongoing impact of COVID-19. To upload the prayer for this pilgrimage please go to www.jubileeyear2025.org
Don’t forget that Maryknoll serves in Latin America, Asia and Africa; we teach in schools, we do campus ministry, we serve the homeless and the sick. There are numerous possibilities for you to share your gifts with us in overseas mission. You can do it in vocation ministry, retreat ministry, migrant ministry, in our leadership, in formation or mission promotion. Yes, we welcome all your gifts! We are a community rooted in Jesus Christ. When you join us we will make sure you are rooted in Christ, ready to be his witness wherever you are called. And we will teach you to do mission with love as our founders, Bishop James A. Walsh and Fr. Thomas Frederick Price did.
I pray this Christmas that the gift of Jesus finds expression in all our ways of living; let us create openings where there are walls.
A common question discerners ask me is, “Where does the desire to serve the poor overseas come from?”
Our deepest desires and longings are found in a very special place in our heart. Our intellect knows God, our heart desires God. And when our intellect and heart familiarizes with God, we also get in touch not only with the way God sees the world but also with how God cares for the world.
Care involves protecting that which you love. Jesus came to show us how God loves, how God desires and communicates with the world. And if Jesus spent significant time attending the poor, we are to look at this aspect carefully. The desire to serve the poor overseas is directly linked to the commandment Jesus gave us, namely, to love one another.
I was recently asked why it’s important for a person to take time to consider whether he or she has a vocation to serve the poor overseas. It’s because the “why”, when given quality time — when carefully looked at and properly discerned — will produce great meaning and vision for our way forward in this world. In short, it aligns us to follow Jesus. If we claim to follow someone who served the poor, we should do the same. As the very name “Christian” implies, we who follow Jesus are to share in his preferential option for the poor. Our lives should manifest our concern for God‘s vision.
Having a concern for the poor overseas — working for peace and justice in other parts of the world — is part of our baptismal & confirmation promises. Our vocation as Maryknoll priests or brothers is a gift full of good news for those deprived, excluded and marginalized. It is as if we are using a magnifying glass to discover the layers of our vocation as baptized Catholics sent out into the world as missioners — as heralds of the Gospel. Often the most difficult and thought-provoking questions bring us to a place of vision such as, “What kind of person do I want to become?” Think of the meaning behind the beatitudes Jesus preached during the Sermon on the Mount!
How do I know this vocation is for me then? When is the right time to decide? A good answer is when your intellect and heart agree that, regardless of how many more options are out there, this one makes the most sense and is worth committing to.
So if you have the desire to serve the poor abroad, Maryknoll can be your opportunity! I want to persuade you to make up your mind and apply now. Don’t rush away from the passion of your life. Give it a shot. Do it. Suddenly, your vocation is no longer a mystery.
Here is a quote from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “watch carefully how you live… try to understand what is the will of the Lord… be filled with the Spirit… give thanks always and for everything.”
Our Lady of Maryknoll, pray for the young men who are discerning a call to serve the poor.
What motivates these prove souls to overcome Fears, doubts and, oft times, it seems Even common sense to go No, run towards that from which most people flee?
And who are these who lay aside concern For their own health and safety to minister To strangers, whose only claim to assistance Is their desperate need for hello and healing?
How is it thot despite perhaps on indifferent or Ungrateful public, still these women and men arise Even after little rest and no relaxation; Ignoring death and defeat, to do and do again?
These are the very soul and conscience of our land Who do what most dare not nor cannot comprehend For in their selfless service more than individuals Are saved, comforted or consoled.
For all of us, through them, are ennobled, encouraged, Inspired and enriched beyond what we deserve And because of these angels the human race will endure With brighter eyes, clearer thoughts and purer hearts.
We are a Catholic Society of priests and brothers based in the United States. We are dedicated to missionary work overseas in over 20 countries. Additionally, we animate Catholics in the United States to follow their own baptismal call to share God’s compassion and love with the poor, the sick, and all those in need.
The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers Africa Region will provide tuition assistance to African clergy, male and female religious at institutes of higher education or specialized training. Read More
The life of a Maryknoll missioner is challenging, fulfilling, and deeply rewarding. Follow your baptismal call to mission by sharing God’s compassion with the poor, the sick, and people most in need.
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
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