Pope Francis visited Catholic Charities during his 2015 visit to Washington, D.C. Msgr. John Enzler wrote this column after Pope Francis met with staff members and clients on Sept. 24, 2015.
My head is still spinning as I sit here at Catholic Charities, where Pope Francis visited us as his last stop in Washington, blessing us and setting our hearts on fire. In the few hours since, I find myself thinking about what I’ve heard many times from parents, brides and grooms about weddings. There is so much work, preparation and anticipation leading up to the big event, and when the moment is everything you dreamed it would be, you can’t help but feel a bit of a letdown when it’s over.
I have a little bit of that in my heart as I write this, but only a very little bit. There was indeed great preparation, effort and expectations, and while I would have loved for the moment to have gone on and on, I am mostly overflowing with excitement about what did happen and energy about what is to come.
I still feel the excitement of being able to meet Pope Francis personally, to look into the eyes of this man who is the kind of priest I try to be every day. I feel the excitement of introducing him to some of our staff and clients. Inside St. Patrick’s Church, he blessed about 250 of our clients from all of our different programs. There were those who were hungry, those with disabilities or suffering from mental illness, those from our Spanish Catholic Center, those with new jobs and a fresh start in their lives, and many more. They were lifted up in a way that is hard to imagine if you were not present.
Then, as we came out the doors of our offices, Pope Francis did what he does best and what he calls the church to do – go out into the streets and be among people. In yet another beautiful moment, he went almost immediately to a group of children near the front. He blessed a lunch that had been prepared for 300 of our homeless clients (wishing them “buon appetito!”) and then spent time in the crowd greeting our staff and clients. I saw a big smile on his face, and some people told me that as tired as he must have been, he looked as animated and relaxed as at any time during his three days in Washington.
As I watched the pope, I was reminded again in the most personal of ways what Jesus did, reaching out and touching those in need and being fully present to all he encountered. I thought of Jesus in the early part of his ministry and how a large crowd gathered at a house in Capernaum when it became known he was there, all wanting to be healed, touched and affected by him. I felt in the presence of one just like Jesus, and it was a true joy to watch Pope Francis touch the heads, hands and hearts of so many of our people.
That includes me. I am a strong believer in hands-on ministry, in being present to all who come our way, and in trying my best to always say “yes.” Pope Francis touched my heart by his “yes” to Catholic Charities and all those who are part of our team – a “yes” that came from one so powerful in position yet so humble in attitude. He filled us with faith, hope and love. He brought us the very gift of Jesus.
I’m on the top of the world. I feel blessed beyond measure that Pope Francis came to our agency and so deeply touched the lives of those who are served by and who serve Catholic Charities. It went by quickly, but just as a wedding is the beginning of a new life, I pray that the pope’s visit will be much more than a memorable event. May we all use this historic occasion as an opportunity to grow in holiness and continue our walk with Francis. In so doing, we will surely walk with Jesus and see him ever more clearly in each other.
Msgr. John Enzler, mission advocate of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, is the agency’s former president and CEO.