Another Kind Of Marriage

My work, in one of the particular contexts where I interact, has brought me into contact, including twice recently, with Roman Catholic men who have chosen the path of celibacy within their church organisations in order to devote themselves fully to another kind of marriage, with undistracted attention to their God and church.

Reading the New York Times obituary of the late Pope Francis - who died today - he had a particular moment when he was suddenly detained in front of the St. Joseph Basilica in Flores, Argentina and called inside, as his mates ran on, to experience a visceral connection with God in that very moment. And he an enthusiastic tango dancer who earned pocket money as a doorman of a tango club!

One of my recent clients told me of the carefully considered path he, and such other men, move along towards this destination with frequent ‘get out’ opportunities along the way; a journey that lasts several years until they decide to fully say, ‘I do.’

When, at the age of 21, he told his parents of his decision to start that journey, they were both moved and approving.

When the young Pope Francis told his mum, she was, apparently, annoyed he was not going to be a doctor, as per her wish. ‘Don’t feel betrayed, Mother’, he rejoined, ‘I’m going to study the medicine of the soul!

And he did, and more!

I remember how nearly twelve years ago in Rio de Janeiro I saw how his mere presence, first, in a helicopter overhead and, then, in a Pope Mobile in front of their eyes, uplifted a multitude of young people at the world congress of young Catholics that year.

Do follow the link here, and two days further forward, to get a feel for what it was like to be there those days . . . Dvorak’s New World Symphony has never resonated with so many people (3 million in that Copacabana tented village), at the same time, in such a hopeful way.

RIP Franciscus.

The start of a captivating three days, recorded by this Scottish Presbyterian . . . here . . .

https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/3307284