Habemus Papam!

A little thing about me. I love the pope. I love the entire concept of the papacy and my love for it grew even more when I visited Rome for the first time 2 years ago this month and I first saw Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. I was very blessed to see him a total of 7 times during 2 visits to Rome and one of those times, he was a mere arm's length away from me. It was at the conclusion of the Easter Vigil 2011. It was during the recessional hymn that he passed right by me. I could have touched him if I'd tried. But that moment wasn't when I first fell in love with the papacy. I was standing in St. Peter's Square on for the pope's Sunday Angelus with my friends waiting for Benedict to come to the window. As he did, cheers rose from the square and he began to speak. There is no way to describe the feeling of hearing his voice in person for the first time. It was so comforting and I felt like I was in the presence of a shepherd.

I took this picture with no zoom. That's how close I was. 

I am so excited about our new pope. His profound humility has left me very humbled. Pope Francis' episcopal (from when he was just a bishop in Argentina) motto is Miserando atque eligendo (Lowly but chosen). How fitting that he then choose the name Francis. Cardinal Dolan confirmed it in his press conference that it's in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Assisi was an incredible lover of the poor and was called by God to rebuild His Church.

I'm also very excited that he is a Jesuit. He doesn't have the stigma that most Jesuits have. And from what I have read about him so far, he genuinely lives out the Jesuit motto of Ad Majorem Dei Gloraim (For the greater glory of God). I do my best to live my own life by that same idea.

If you didn't hear, this is what our new Holy Father, Pope Francis, had to say to the world:

"Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good evening.

As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome, and it seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen who is from far away. Here I am.

I would like to thank you for your embrace, also to the Roman Catholic Church and the bishops, thank you very much. And first and foremost, I would like to pray for our bishop emeritus, Benedict XVI.

Let is pray together for him so that he is blessed by the Lord...

Let us begin this journey together...this journey for the Roman Catholic Church. It is a journey of friendship, of love, of trust, and faith. Let us pray always for one another. Let us pray for the while word. Let us have a big brotherhood.

I wish that this journey for the Church, which we will start today...will bear fruits for the evangelizing of this beautiful city.

I would like to offer you my blessing. But I would like to ask a favor first. I would like to pray to the Lord so that the prayer of the people blesses also the new pontiff. Let us pray in silence your prayer for me."

To watch the Holy Father bow down and ask for the blessing of the people he shepherds was absolutely breathtaking. Such profound humility. A true example for every one of us to follow.

I am so proud to say that I work for the Church that this man now leads. I am excited to call him our new Holy Father. I am excited to follow his example of true humility.

God's Plans vs. My Plans

You know that saying, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans"? Well, that's definitely been the epitome of what's gone on the last couple weeks. At the end of February, I was cleared by my orthopedic to go back to Romania. A few days after that, my shoulder popped funny and I was in excruciating pain. I went back to the doctor and he told me that I need to have surgery. So, on Thursday, I'm having surgery on my shoulder with an expected recovery time of 10-12 weeks. PLEASE, PLEASE say some extra prayers for me. I'm actually really nervous about this surgery (it's not the first time I've had surgery, so I don't really know why). My return to Romania has been postponed to June. As extremely frustrated as I have been with all this, I'm doing my best to see this whole situation with eyes of faith. God has a reason for needing me to be in the U.S. for a couple more months. I don't know what it is and I may never know what it is, but I know He has His hand on this whole thing.

Yesterday, I spent time with the Newman family. Mark is the one who interviewed me on Radio Maria in August and then again in January. He's been a huge support in my mission work and knowing him and his family has been a huge blessing to me. Yesterday, we recorded my conversion story and some stuff about missionary life for a podcast for Mark's internet radio station (www.crossroadsradio.us).

Click here for the podcast.

Last week, I was very humbled to find out that a little blurb had been written about me and my mission in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati's Missions Office news letter. I was also interviewed by someone from Franciscan University's alumni magazine for an upcoming article. Right now, I'm working on an article for my parish's newspaper to hopefully be published in June. I'm currently in the process of scheduling some talks around the country. Trying to get to Illinois, Las Vegas, and Minnesota. Pray those all happen! I'm so excited that the word is getting out about this. I LOVE sharing my love of Romania and my kids with people!

Casa de Copii Don Bosco update: At this time (6:02pm on Monday, March 11), I have raised just over $20,170! Praise God, that's so glorious!!!!!!! He has been so amazing and the benefactors have been so generous. Oh my goodness. It's been so overwhelming to me. I wasn't expecting this amount of support this quickly. My initial goal was to raise $10,000 so that I could put in the foundation of the building. Then my next goal was $15,000. We hit that the other day. Then it was $16,250, which was 1/4 of the total cost and today, I received a very generous donation that took me over that to where we are right now. Praise God, He's just so good!! Only $45,000 more to go! If you can help make a dent in that $45,000, please go to the link on the side bar to my donation page and choose the "Romanian Orphanage Fund" designation.

Jesus (very smartly, I mean duh! He's God, remember?!) said in the Gospel of Matthew "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's trouble be sufficient for the day." I'm clinging to that verse and the promise of Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

Pray for me, but most especially, pray for the people that this mission serves. Pray for the kids God will place in our care. I'll be praying for you.

St. John Bosco and St. Raphael, ora pro nobis.