By Father Daivd Andel
When Pope Francis was first elected in March of 2013, like most other Catholics I knew nothing about him. Until November of 2013 when his exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, “The Joy of the Gospel,” was published. Then I felt excited and challenged.
Similar to what I feel when confronted by the lives St. Francis of Assisi and Dorothy Day, the challenge was to overcome my indifference and apathy toward others, especially those on the other side of the world known to me only in the news. Speaking about the migrants who drowned off the coast of Lampedusa in 2013, Pope Francis asked us, “Has anyone wept for the death of these brothers and sisters?” I hadn’t. Didn’t even shed a tear.
In “The Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis pointed a finger, looked me in the eye and decried this “globalization of indifference” already deeply rooted in my heart. Every funeral, every penitent, every piece of paper on my desk, every email has a name, a face, and a history. Do I care enough to ask, to listen, and to know? Can I pause a moment and mourn the sad story of others?
This challenge is related to my excitement from “The Joy of the Gospel” - Pope Francis’ push to encounter and accompany others, which “teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other” (art. 169) and to journey with them on the path of life. Pope Francis noted this one-on-one ministry takes time out of our busy days. I believe this was Jesus’s approach toward ministry. Though he preached to thousands, the meaningful encounters were personal and one-on-one. As a Church, we care too much about efficiency and numbers (Mass counts, collections, DDF goals, last year’s baptisms and confirmations), something God decried in the Old Testament (cf. 1 Ch 21:1). I am excited to preach to hundreds and to have dozens attend Bible study and youth group. Not so excited by the single penitent or lone appointment in my office. It’s not an efficient use of my time, not much bang for my buck. But Jesus worked with the willing and let the others walk away. One-on-one ministry may do nothing for the 99 sheep who are not lost, and it can be criticized for being “niche” ministry. But it made all the difference to the woman at the well, the Syrophoenician woman, and the deaf man in Mark 7. As it did to the people Pope Francis quietly met with individually.
By word and example Pope Francis challenged and affirmed my priestly ministry.
Fr. Daivd Andel is the Director of the Diocesan Office of Canonical Services and the Judicial Vicar for the diocese.