“I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Mt. 16:18). These are the words that Jesus said to Peter when he made his profession of faith, recognizing the Lord Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. In other words, when Jesus said these words, He chose Peter to be the head of the Church. That means that Peter was the First Pope in the Church’s history. From Peter to Francis, the Roman Catholic Church has had 266 Popes. Each Pope has apported wonderful elements for the teachings of the Church, such as councils, documents, synods, encyclicals, visits, homilies, and so on.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Argentina, was elected as the 266th Pope on March 13, 2013, taking Francis as his name. Pope Francis has shown wonderful values such as simplicity, humility, joy, and a deep love for the Lord and the Church during his pontificate. It is not a secret to anybody that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is having health problems. We know that he is in a critical situation at the hospital. The whole world has been praying for the health of the supreme pontiff who is 88 years old. Children have sent letters wishing good health and a quick recovery to Pope Francis. Pope Francis said, “I have recently received many messages of affection, and I have been particularly struck by the letters and drawings from children. Thank you for your closeness, and for the consoling prayers I have received from all over the world!”
We, as Catholics, also need to pray for the health of Pope Francis. God is wonderful and always is ready to listen to each one of our prayers.
Let us pray,
Prayer for Pope Francis
O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful,
look favorably on your servant Francis,
whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
Grant, we pray, that by word and example
he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to everlasting life.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Remember, The parish that we dream is the parish that I help to build.
God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez
