Pope Francis to wash feet of prisoners in pre-Easter Mass

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*VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will hold a major ceremony next week in the chapel of a youth prison instead of in the Vatican or a Rome basilica where it has been held before, the Vatican said on Thursday.

Francis will conduct the Holy Thursday afternoon service at the Casal del Marmo jail for minors on Rome’s outskirts.

During the service, the pope washes and kisses the feet of 12 people to commemorate Jesus’s gesture of humility towards his apostles on the night before he died.

All previous popes in living memory held the service either in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican or in the Basilica of St. John in Lateran, which is the pope’s cathedral church in his capacity as bishop of Rome.

Vatican spokesmen said they could not recall an occasion when the service was held anywhere else.

When he was archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio often celebrated the Holy Thursday service in a jail, a hospital, a home for the elderly or with poor people.

A pope is also bishop of Rome and the decision by Francis to hold the service in the prison was another indication that he intends to take that role seriously.

The Holy Thursday service is one of several during Holy Week, which for Catholics this year begins on March 24 with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday on March 31.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alistair Lyon)*
 
What beautiful act.

As usual, the media does not know how to accurately discuss the Mass. It took me a minute to figure out what they were talking about, lol.
 
I can just imagine the Vatican bureaucrat who says to the Holy Father “but it’s always done this way” and getting the response “Not any more it isn’t” 😃

I think this is another wonderful sign of the deep goodness of our Holy Father… someone to whom the words ‘service’ mean real actions in the real world and who leads by example.

We are living in wonderful and amazing times 🙂
 
“All this can be called mere symbolism but it’s good symbolism, and good Francis knows it is needed,” wrote The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan.
 
DexUK said:
I can just imagine the Vatican bureaucrat who says to the Holy Father “but it’s always done this way” and getting the response “Not any more it isn’t” 😃
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Not saying there’s anything wrong with what Pope Francis is doing here, but why do people always asume that doing something “new” or “different” is necessarily good? If you like what he’s doing in this particular case then great, but change for the sake of change is not a good thing.
 
McCall1981 said:
Not saying there’s anything wrong with what Pope Francis is doing here, but why do people always asume that doing something “new” or “different” is necessarily good? If you like what he’s doing in this particular case then great, but change for the sake of change is not a good thing.
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This is not new for him. As Bishop, this is what he has done on Holy Thrusday. He is being consistent in his priesthood ministry. 🙂

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1301316.htm
 
Marie5890 said:
This is not new for him. As Bishop, this is what he has done on Holy Thrusday. He is being consistent in his priesthood ministry. 🙂

catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1301316.htm
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Sure, and I think it’s a good thing he’s doing. I just think we can get carried away with “yay, stick it to those Vatican bureaucrats” attitude when I think the vast majority of those Vatican bureaucrats (and past Popes) care about the poor too.

For instance, Pope Benedict said Mass at this exact same prison in 2007 (during Lent) and stayed to do a Q and A with the prisoners.
 
McCall1981 said:
Sure, and I think it’s a good thing he’s doing. I just think we can get carried away with “yay, stick it to those Vatican bureaucrats” attitude when I think the vast majority of those Vatican bureaucrats (and past Popes) care about the poor too.

For instance, Pope Benedict said Mass at this exact same prison in 2007 (during Lent) and stayed to do a Q and A with the prisoners.
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I get what you’re saying. My enthusiasm for this Popes actions has nothing to do with bureaucrats or past Popes…only with the fact that he is putting emphasis on all of the right things in his first few days as a servant leader.

I have a feeling the issues in the bureaucracy will be dealt with in good time.
 
I always thought that the corporate act of mercy to visit the imprisoned was the one most ignored. Prison is a very heavy burden and often it doesn’t end with your release. Suicide isn’t unheard of. The difference between a productive member of society and a life sentence can come down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There but for the grace of God, go I. Of all of Pope Francis’ acts so far, I think I like this the most.
 
This is a very loving gesture. The CNA article also lists other times that our popes have selected prisoners, the ill, the old to have their feet washed on Holy Thursday.
 
McCall1981 said:
Not saying there’s anything wrong with what Pope Francis is doing here, but why do people always asume that doing something “new” or “different” is necessarily good? If you like what he’s doing in this particular case then great, but change for the sake of change is not a good thing.
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Why do we see it as an act of change? Why not see it as an act of love and service? If we hold on to traditions but forsake those who are in need, what will the traditions mean? Christ calls Peter to feed His sheep. Pope Francis is just being faithful to that ministry.
 
So when will priests renew their vows? That’s an importnat part of Holy Thursday Mass as well, no?
 
Lucky7 said:
So when will priests renew their vows? That’s an importnat part of Holy Thursday Mass as well, no?
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The Chrism Mass will be held as usual. The priests will renew there vows at that Mass. Check catholic news agency for his schedule.
 
choliks said:
Why do we see it as an act of change? Why not see it as an act of love and service? If we hold on to traditions but forsake those who are in need, what will the traditions mean? Christ calls Peter to feed His sheep. Pope Francis is just being faithful to that ministry.
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I’m not saying it’s an act of change (actually I’m kind of saying the opposite, it’s not that much of a change since previous Pope’s have done basically the same thing).

What you’re saying about holding on to traditions but forsaking the needy is true, but the reverse is true too: if we let go of our “traditions”, but serve the needy, what does that service really mean? Pope Francis pointed this out himself in his first homily, something to the effect that without Christ, the Church would be a “pitiful NGO”.

I think we’re getting into a distinction between small t tradition and big T Tradition. Breaking small t tradition in order to serve the poor is fine in and of itself, but it causes me to start to worry about big T Tradition later on.
 
If we’re talking about secular or diocesan priests, they don’t make vows. They make promises of obedience to the bishop and celibacy. They don’t live consecrated lives.

Just clarifying.
 
McCall1981 said:
I’m not saying it’s an act of change (actually I’m kind of saying the opposite, it’s not that much of a change since previous Pope’s have done basically the same thing).

What you’re saying about holding on to traditions but forsaking the needy is true, but the reverse is true too: if we let go of our “traditions”, but serve the needy, what does that service really mean? Pope Francis pointed this out himself in his first homily, something to the effect that without Christ, the Church would be a “pitiful NGO”.

I think we’re getting into a distinction between small t tradition and big T Tradition. Breaking small t tradition in order to serve the poor is fine in and of itself, but it causes me to start to worry about big T Tradition later on.
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I agree with you. I actually assumed that we’re talking about traditions, and Traditions are untouchables when I posted.
 
McCall1981 said:
Sure, and I think it’s a good thing he’s doing. I just think we can get carried away with “yay, stick it to those Vatican bureaucrats” attitude when I think the vast majority of those Vatican bureaucrats (and past Popes) care about the poor too.

For instance, Pope Benedict said Mass at this exact same prison in 2007 (during Lent) and stayed to do a Q and A with the prisoners.
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Dont worry about media or popular thought…

The Lord never did. He just did what was right during His ministry. Didn’t worry about the rest. 🙂
 
godisgood77 said:
I get what you’re saying. My enthusiasm for this Popes actions has nothing to do with bureaucrats or past Popes…only with the fact that he is putting emphasis on all of the right things in his first few days as a servant leader.
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👍👍]
 
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