Musings of a Catholic Convert

Bishop Johnston is the newly installed Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Guess what, folks, he's from Knoxville.  Hooray!  Not only that, but (then) Father Johnston was the first priest I spoke to about becoming Catholic.  Needless to say, I'm a big fan.  He's a good priest and I know he's going to be terrific as a Bishop.  

Now check this out.

I was watching the Holy Father address the US Bishops last night, and who do I see sporting a nice aisle seat?  Bishop Johnston!  I paused the TV to show Kimberly.  "Hey, that's Father Johnston - I mean BISHOP Johnston!" Camera hit him every time it shot the main aisle.  Then came another treat.

5 Questions from the US Bishops to the Holy Father, asked after his address to the Bishops.  Who gets to ask the first question?  Hmmmm, let's see.  Bishop James Vann Johnston!!!  I'm loving this.  Newest installed Bishop gets to address the Holy Father on behalf of his brother Bishops.  How cool is that?

Listening to the Holy Father speak to the Bishops, I could sense his love for these men, even though we all know some Bishops are less than admirable in their actions and even sometimes lack of unity with the Holy Father and the deposit of faith in their teaching.  He was very pastoral with them, bringing up the key issues that must be addressed without "yelling" at them.  Pope Benedict has a lot more wisdom and patience than I do.  No question about that.  I know he has a plan in motion to help bring about the renewal the Church so desperately needs.  We see bits and pieces of it, and it is encouraging to see.  Of course, I remember that the Church is always reforming and always seeking renewal and improvement of its constituent leaders.  After  all, every one of us is called to be a canonizable saint.  

Holy Father, I'm really glad you're here in the United States.  I hope that everyone listens to what God has placed on your heart to share with us all.  We love you, and we thank God for your ministry as our pastor. 

I am super excited about the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, coming to America.  It's not every day that you get a visit from the Church's senior pastor.  I was reading in USA Today this morning about the preparations for the visit.  Last night, every major news channel was talking about His Holiness.  This is a big deal.  I'd be willing to bet that in the pulpits of thousands of Protestant churches, the Pope was the topic of discussion as well; although, I'd also bet it wasn't always a positive discussion.  Either way, the fact that the Holy Father is coming to the United States does bring attention to the Church and, most importantly, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  People who don't even know Christ are going to at least be curious about this visit.  The Pope coming to the States may be the "foot in the door" that allows their heart to be further opened to the Gospel and ultimately their salvation. 

For Christians such as myself, this is bigger than any celebrity appearance I can imagine.  It would be my honor to meet the man who has been such a great teacher and leader, even before being chosen as our Pontiff.  If he ever needed another envoy to our Protestant brothers and sisters, or anybody else for that matter, I would be more than happy to oblige.  I'm so glad God has given us Pope Benedict XVI after the passing of His faithful servant, Pope John Paul II (John Paul the Great, if you ask me).  What champions for the Gospel!

God be praised!