How Pope Francis Changed My Life
When a friend or family member dies, I often write a letter to that person in my journal. Below is the letter I wrote to Pope Francis the morning I heard of his death…
Dear Pope Francis,
I awoke this Easter Monday morning to the sad news of your death. You were truly my shepherd. Your message of hope and vision for a new creation changed the trajectory of my life.
I think back. When you were elected Pope, I was a General Manager for a large steel company. My focus was on making steel products. I had reached the pinnacle of my career and wielded a certain amount of power and status.
My life went from this enviable career path to something unimaginable at the time. My focus now is no longer on producing steel but on attending hearts seeking God. I spend many hours a week as a spiritual director. I spend just as many hours volunteering for a homeless rescue mission. In both, I learned from you to listen not so much with my ears but with my heart.
Your writings shaped my life. I have read them, taught them, and used them in missions and retreats.
Your emphasis on the art of accompaniment led me to become a spiritual director. One of my favorite quotes is:
“Pastoral workers can make present the fragrance of Christ’s closeness… This ‘art of accompaniment’ teaches us to ‘remove our sandals’ before the sacred ground of the other.” (Evangelii Gaudium 169)
Along the same lines, you taught me about the ‘Apostolate of the Ear’, a ministry the world desperately needs. With it, you gave me these ‘marching orders’: “People are looking for someone to reach out, grant them time, listen to them, hear their dramas, empathize with their difficulties, know how to advise them, and teach them through experience.” (“The Name of God is Mercy”, pg.17, 99) The ‘Apostolate of the Ear’ has put a name to the ministry I now do.
“On Fraternity and Social Friendship” (Fratelli Tutti) you painted an inspiring vision of God’s new creation which provided the foundation for my work. I responded to your call to help both the “throwaways” of the world and the “hidden exiles” that live next door. (19, 28)
In your last encyclical, “He Loved Us”, I heard your message loud and clear: align my heart with the heart of Jesus. I used to be an engineer, where I worked things out with my head. With you as my shepherd, I have since realized that “one sees clearly only with the heart.” (The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
Thank you, Pope Francis. You have been a formative shepherd of mine.
Your Servant in Christ,
Scott
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him!
