I was reading an article about St. Philip Neri, and awesome saint and a good role model for the diocesan priesthood. The article said, despite great scandal and corruption in the church during the time of his life, St. Philip resisted the temptation for division and accusation and worked to reform the church by transformation of his heart, not the political structure. At that time the Pope and bishops were extremely wealthy and corrupt.
I was thinking that the church today has a lot of problems. And there are persecutions of the church. The church is facing some powerful forces. But, how blessed are we to have had two AWESOME Popes. Even if the Church was under full attack from every known enemey (which it seems to be) at least we have a brilliant, holy, loving Pope to lead us. Pope Benedict, despite some controversies is a really great leader.
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Philip was the man. I'm sure he got strength from the Holy men and women around him like St Ignatius, and all the young Jesuit vocations that were studying to become priests so they could go to England where they faced an almost certain martyrdom.
ReplyDeleteRutherford