Dear friends in Christ

The question that Jesus puts to all His followers - and He asked it for the first time of the Apostles - is: Who am I? If we can answer that question with the same certain faith of Saint Peter, then we belong to Him. From the beginning of Christianity, Peter - the Pope - has been given primacy amongst the followers of Jesus because of his role of being the centre and unity of our Faith. Throughout the Acts of the Apostles we read how Saint Peter was the one who was deferred to whenever there was an important question or matter to be settled. Right through to the present day, we see in the person of the Pope the personal presence of Jesus in His Church. Our veneration of the Pope has nothing to do with his human, intellectual or spiritual qualities. Our love of the Vicar of Christ comes from the fact that he has been chosen by God and set over the Church as the Universal Shepherd and as Servant of the Servants of God. We have come to expect so much of the Pope in modern times. The truth is that the Pope is not a CEO, statesman or superstar; not an expert on everything under the sun, nor a living saint The fact that the world has come to expect this of the Pope means that he comes under intense scrutiny like any person in the public eye. For a faithful Catholic, the Pope is simply Peter, the Rock on which Christ built His Church. We therefore pray daily for the Pope: in the Holy Mass and we should keep him foremost in our prayer intentions. Hearing the Gospel of Peter’s confession of faith in the Gospel of this Sunday, is a reminder to us: can I profess with Peter my utter faith and belief in Who Jesus is? As soon as I recognise with Peter, that Jesus is the Son of the Living God, then everything else falls into place.

God bless you!

Msgr Kevin Hale