Nearly six years ago, then-Archbishop Velasio De Paolis (now a Cardinal) drew an assignment he likely was expecting: Papal Delegate to the Legion of Christ.
It promised to be a big and rather complicated job to lead the congregation through its renewal. And he quickly learned that with an affiliated lay movement and consecrated lay members the organization was even more complicated than initially apparent.
As a cleric in his late 70s (no over 80) he took on a job both broad and deep – at a time when most people would be laying claim to a lounge chain on a Florida beach. But from all appearances, he took on the task with a spirit of humility, determination and obedience.
I don’t know Cardinal De Paolis. Oh, I met him briefly on one occasion and have heard him speak a few times. He speaks Italian and I speak English, so even if we were hanging out at the coffee bar it would be difficult to engage in much clever repartee.
Regardless of a deep “personal” connection to the Cardinal, I have to say that…well…I like him. And that affection came to the surface of my muddled mind last night when he celebrated Mass for the renewal convention in Rome.
When it came time for the homily, he walked slowly, stooped, to the ambo. Then he launched into an energetic, passionate fast-paced homily on the Love of Christ. It was in Italian and so fast and rip-roaring that not only couldn’t I understand the language; the simultaneous translator couldn’t match the pace.
It didn’t matter. I got the passion, the twinkle in his eyes, the power of his voice that far exceeded the physical appearance of an elderly man.
I felt such gratitude. This was the wonderful soul who helped us navigate the tricky road of renewal. It was because of the process he helped map that the delegates were in Rome. He became our mentor and ever to those of us who only know him from afar, he became our friend.
In Regnum Christi, we speak often of the need to accompany people on their journey to a deeper friendship with Christ. Cardinal De Paolis has shown us accompaniment at its best.
