He was once asked how many people work in the Vatican his response? “About half.” One time he was visiting Holy Spirit Hospital near the Vatican in Rome upon meeting the Mother Superior of the sisters who ran the hospital, Mother said, “Welcome Holy Father, I am the Superior of the Holy Spirit.” J23 replied, “My, my! I am merely the Vicar of Christ!” He was known for his joviality and for telling lots of jokes. One day I was reading about John XXIII and about how funny he was. Sarcasm can be helpful and funny, but attached to negativity and a spirit of complaining pessimism, sarcasm becomes public enemy #1 to healthy ministry. Michael Becker, and I were beginning the long journey of “shutting me up” – that is, of working toward sanctifying my sense of humor and speech.
At the same time, my brave priest-formator and rector, Fr. John Vianney Seminary and little by little stuff about him was showing up around the seminary, in class lectures, in homilies, and in conversation with brother seminarians. I don’t remember the first time I heard about St. Claude la Colombiere back in February, there are some saints that we choose and then, somehow, there are the saints who choose us. As you might remember from my post about St. Pope John XXIII is one of my patron saints and closest spiritual friends. He is (probably) most famous for convening the Second Vatican Council, which opened on October 11, 1962. John XXIII! Born in 1881, John was elected the 261st pope in 1958 and reigned until 1963.
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