Shepherd of Shepherds
As I sit at my desk on the afternoon of Good Shepherd Sunday I find myself with the first protracted period of reflection in a few hectic days in the life of both the universal and local church. Like everyone else I was swept up in the excitement of the conclave, the white smoke and the news that the Chicago born, Peruvian Augustinian Missionary, Robert Francis Prevost, had been elected as Pope Leo XIV. I followed the news and analysis of the new Pope with some interest.
The distraction of the news from Rome was quickly to give way to the needs of local communities as I celebrated with joy the sacrament of First Holy Communion of young people from Broadford and Kilbane National school, I baptised two baby girls into the faith community and three times this weekend prayed the Mass with the communities of East Clare. Our local lives of faith continue with the focus on our relationships with Jesus Christ and with one another.
Many commentators in the media have been earning their crust these last few days making all sorts of predictions about the new Pope, based on the signs they’ve seen or chats they’ve had with former colleagues but I would admonish like the financial ads on the radio constantly remind us; past performance is no guarantee of future results. In an early address Pope Leo described the Petrine ministry of the Papacy as both a blessing and a cross. In his opening address from the balcony of St. Peter’s he prayed for peace and put the person of Jesus Christ at the centre of his new mission as Pastor of the Universal Church.
This past weekend, the Vatican released the first official portrait, coat of arms and signature of the new Pope Leo. I note with interest that Pope Leo signs his name followed by the capital letters PP which his predecessor Pope Francis tended to omit. It doesn’t stand for Parish Priest but rather Pastor Pastorum – meaning the Shepherd of Shepherds. The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd was at the centre of our Sunday worship this first weekend of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, a sign of divine providence if ever there was one.
The story is told of a farmer who had just rescued a lost sheep. When asked how the sheep got lost, the farmer replied, “They just nibble themselves lost. They go from one tuft of grass to another, until at they’ve lost their way.” That’s what happens in life, isn’t it? We nibble away at life with little purpose or direction, until it’s gone and we have no idea where it went.
In a world that’s increasingly more scattered and scared, our task as Christ’s Church, under the guidance of Pope Leo, is to translate and transmit the voice of the Good Shepherd to all those who are lost, hurting, and alone. It’s also about following Jesus’ example and welcoming everyone into the fold. Even we sheep should be able to understand that.
The people of God have been placed in a very large field that is often called the world. Many voices are calling us to come and join them. The voice of materialism wants us to deny our faith in the supernatural and believe only in the physical world. The voice of consumerism calls us to fulfil our envy by overspending. The voice of entertainment wants to fill our lives with media driven flashes that grab our attention, isolate us from our family and friends and then leave us with nothing but an oversized bill.
The other great sign of hope I saw following the election of Pope Leo XIV was his description of himself as a son of St. Augustine. Of all the Fathers of the Church, Saint Augustine has always moved me the most, precisely because he didn’t have a perfect past. When you read his Confessions, his theology of love is unmatched. Pope Leo XIV comes from that same lineage.
The world under Saint Augustine’s rule, in which Pope Leo XIV lived as an Augustinian, is not a world where sin horrifies and paralyzes, but one where it is embraced as part of the human condition — and ultimately dissolved in the radiance of love that knows how to build bridges. That allegory of bridges and love is the one Leo XIV repeated most in his message in his first address.
Shakespeare asks the question; What’s in a name? Leo the Lion – I like that phrase from the writings of Pope Leo’s spiritual Father, St. Augustine; “Truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself.”
Fr. Brendan Quinlivan, VF, Ceantar na Lochanna is Communications Officer for the Diocese of Killaloe
Clare Champion Article Friday 16th of May 2025