As we were preparing to send this issue of Maryknoll magazine to the printer in April, we received the sad news of the passing of our beloved Pope Francis. As soon as he was elected in 2013, Pope Francis signaled a different approach to the papacy. As one colleague here at Maryknoll put it, “We finally have a pope who speaks our language.” By the time this issue comes out, we will probably have a new pope. For now, we dedicate this issue to the one we just lost.
In fact, this whole issue of Maryknoll looks back while contemplating what’s to come. Our story on the 50th anniversary of the founding of Maryknoll Lay Missioners covers its history and the groundwork the organization is laying for mission ahead. We preview the June 7th ordination of our two new Maryknoll priests, exploring the faith journeys that led them to this momentous juncture. We continue our series on the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, which paved the way for new approaches to mission and which was instrumental in the formation of Pope Francis, the first pope ordained to the priesthood after Vatican II.
An important note from Maryknoll’s superior general addresses the seismic shifts in policies from Washington, D.C. and their potential impact on people on the margins whom we serve, and affirms Maryknoll’s commitment to the Church’s social teachings. As Jesus expressed succinctly in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Lynn F. Monahan
Editor-in-Chief
