The Pope that the Church Probably Needs Today

It's March 12 and in the old Catholic liturgical calendar, it is the Feast Day of Pope St Gregory I, acclaimed as Pope Gregory the Great. Interesting date for the start of the Conclave whereby the College of Cardinals will choose the next Pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. As Catholic Online puts it, "Gregory the Great would be a great model for our next Pope." 

POPE GREGORY I, THE GREAT
Image from catholic.org

St Gregory the Great, the first monk to become Pope, contributed many things to the Church. He was not only an ecclesiastical and spiritual leader, but he also administered to some extent the temporal concerns of the people of Rome for Constantinople, at the time the center of the Roman Empire, was too far and too busy fighting "the Persians in the East and the Avars and Slavs to the North". He is also considered one of the four eminent western Doctors of the Church [together with St Ambrose, St Augustine and St Jerome] though his theological prowess is not very much appreciated and yet he wrote many sermons, letters, and others, and has been instrumental in the revision of the liturgy and even considered to have been the author or inspiration of the chant that has come down to us as Gregorian Chant. He ably administered the Church during his time.

He wanted to turn down the Papacy but the clergy and the people of Rome were one in choosing him. That time there was no conclave yet and it was the clergy and the people of Rome who elect the Pope with the confirmation of the Byzantine Emperor. That confirmation was given even if Gregory hoped that the Emperor would not. 

But even if he was already Pope he still lived a simple life. He was so simple that he always thought of the poor and made ways to protect their interests and respond to their needs. He would even give as alms to the poor whatever donations the Church received after ensuring the expenses for the maintenance of the Church. It is even said that he would not east breakfast until after he was assured that the poor have been served with food.

During this Conclave, may Pope St Gregory the Great pray with us so that the College of Cardinals may be truly enlightened and guided by the Holy Spirit in choosing the worthy successor to the Chair of St Peter. May his simplicity and holiness be an inspiration to the new Pope who have to face various issues and yet must remain rooted in the love of God. 

Leonardo Cardinal Sandri of Argentina mentioned that the new Pope if not yet a saint should be someone "who is at least walking towards that direction through a life of humility, work, prayer, and witness to the Gospel." These qualities Pope St Gregory the Great had which makes him truly a model for the next Pope who will guide the Church of 21st century so that it may continue to become a light to the world and the salt of the earth [see Matthew 5: 13-16]. 

Pope St Gregory the Great was Pope from 590 to 604.

More about this great Pope at the following sites

[1] Catholic Encyclopedia
[2] Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia 
[3] Catholic Online