Learning to be Quick to Listen

In a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time an American has ascended to the papacy. Pope Leo XIV has deep ties to Peru, where he spent over two decades working as a missionary and bishop. He is also known for his pastoral experience, commitment to social justice, and advocacy for workers' rights. He selected the name Leo to evoke Pope Leo XIII, famed for his pro-worker stance. Pope Leo XIV's deep roots in the Augustinian Order further shape his vision for the Church. As a former Prior General of the Augustinians, he brings a commitment to communal living, humility, and service. His tenure in Peru, where he served as Archbishop of Chiclayo, reflects his dedication to missionary work and social justice. His leadership style emphasizes synodality and inclusivity , aligning with the Augustinian ethos of unity and shared purpose. Pope Leo XIV has articulated a traditional ...

The Catholic Church stands as both a visible communion and a living voice of Christ's authority in the world. This authority did not disappear when Jesus ascended into heaven; rather, it was shared and entrusted to the apostles , and through them, to their successors. When Jesus gave the Twelve power over unclean spirits and instructed them to heal and teach, he was not merely granting them abilities, but embedding within them the mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God with divine authority (Matt. 10:1, 5–7). Jesus even underscored this when he said, “He who hears you hears me” ( Luke 10:16 ). This foundational act established a Church not of human invention, but of divine institution, through which Christ continues to speak, teach, and govern. For Catholics, this means faith is not an individual, isolated experience, but a relationship within the living Body of Christ, guided by those appointed to teach in his name. Saint Bonaventure , the great Franciscan theologian, affirmed t...

The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...

Yesterday, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) declared that "nothing prevents" the Vatican from recognizing the positive spiritual fruits observed over decades of devotion and pilgrimage to Medjugorje . This nihil obstat (certification by the Church that nothing objectionable has been found) is likely to continue the debate around the six visionaries who claim that Our Mother is appearing to them in apparitions. While the DDF acknowledged the value of the "spiritual fruits" from the site, they stopped short of endorsing the apparitions themselves, cautioning against pilgrimages aimed at meeting the alleged visionaries. The dicastery also highlighted concerns that some messages from the visionaries seem to reflect personal desires rather than divine revelation. For many, this restrained support of Medjugorje feels incongruent with the skepticism expressed in the 10,000-word theological note, which urged Catholics to use prudence and common sense in dis...