Pope Francis' call to humility, purity and service is making a difference for the Catholic Church. At a bishops' annual assembly in Baltimore last week, Cardinal Timothy Dolan reported, "I hear from our parish priests. They're telling me the crowds at Sunday Mass are up, the confession lines are longer, inquiries about the Catholic faith are more abundant, and even the collections are going up."
When we help hurting people, the world notices. When we stoop to serve rather than straining to crow, people respond. I have been convinced for many years, and am even more so today, that no one will be able to stem the tide of people rushing to a church where they are authentically loved just the way they are. This ecclesiastical substance we might term transparent acceptance, and is evidence that Christ's kingdom has come to our church.
Yes, humility, purity and service still count for something! And so does authentic acceptance by God's forever family.
(Dr. Dane Fowlkes, pastor)
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