I have been thrilled by the world’s attention to the Conclave and the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV. This moment has filled me with pride in being both a Catholic and a priest. It has made me realize that, despite its failures and weaknesses, the world still holds the Catholic Church in high regard for its sacredness, reverence, relevance, leadership, and authority. The modern papacies of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have also demonstrated that the Catholic Church is viewed as a crucial voice on issues of global peace, justice, and care for those suffering from poverty, war, human trafficking, migration, and various forms of moral degradation.
Recently, Hon. Justice Aggrey Muchelule, a judge in Kenya, who is not a Catholic, shared his admiration for the Catholic Church on social media. He noted that the Church stands steadfast in its pursuit of sacredness and continually seeks the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in its writings, traditions, and liturgies. He remarked:
“There is a kind of wisdom that is not loud. It does not seek attention. It does not scream to be seen. It simply exists, quietly, deeply and eternally. This is the wisdom of the Catholic Church, a body that has outlived empires, survived schisms, endured scandals and yet remains standing, steady and sacred. The Catholic Church is not a trend. It is not a social wave. It is an institution that walks with time but listens to eternity.
While the world busied itself with predictions, drawing up lists of notable Cardinals, analysing political alignments and floating theories about who would be the next Pope, the College of Cardinals chose a different path. They ignored the noise. They turned away from the spotlight. They went into the sacred and returned with a name the world never imagined. Pope Leo the Fourteenth. A name that had not been whispered in the corridors of speculation. A man unknown to the headlines. A choice that silenced every analyst and reset the compass of divine selection.
This is not a coincidence. It is a confirmation of the divine order.
What the Vatican did was not just elect a new Pope. They made a statement to the world. They reminded humanity that God does not follow trends. He sets them. That true leadership is not always found in the obvious. That sometimes, the one who carries the mantle is not the one the world expects, but the one heaven approves. This is the mystery of divine succession, wrapped in silence, clothed in prayer and sealed in sacred deliberation.
I am not a Catholic. But with every passing day, I see clearly why this institution continues to command reverence. It is not because its members are flawless. It is not because its leaders are immune to error. It is because despite the human imperfection that exists within it, the Catholic Church remains rooted in sacred order, structured governance and spiritual discipline. It is an institution that has mastered continuity. Its longevity is not sustained by convenience but by consecration.
The election of Pope Leo the Fourteenth is a lesson to the Church and to the world. It is a call to return to structure, to sacredness, to spirit-led decision making. It is proof that an institution can be old, yet not obsolete. Ancient, yet not irrelevant. Traditional, yet not stagnant. It is wisdom in action.
This is the wisdom of the eternal Church. This is the mystery of divine order. This is the power of the sacred. And in a world drowning in confusion, it shines like a light that cannot be hidden.”
Indeed, what a proud moment for the Catholic Church to receive admiration from people and leaders around the world, such as Judge Aggrey Muchelule. As members of the Church, I hope we promote sacredness not only within our institutions and liturgies but in all aspects of our humanity. May we continue to heed the cries of those who are deprived of their dignity as fellow children of God.
As we welcome Leo XIV as our new pope, I pray that we may unite with him and with one another in leading the world toward a path of peace, justice, and unity. Let the words of Jesus Christ in this Sunday’s Gospel (John 17:20-26) serve as our prayer:
“Holy Father, I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one: I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them even as you loved me.”
With love,
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California
Cómo católico me llena de orgullo el texto del Juez Aggrey Muchelule. Aquí en Perú donde nací y donde resido (estoy por cumplir 67 años) son muchas las personas que conocen de cerca al nuevo Papa y también mucha gente que sin conocerlo de cerca han recibido los sacramentos de él tanto en la ciudad de Trujillo como sacerdote y de Chiclayo como obispo. De hecho, estamos muy contentos y agradecidos con Nuestro Amado Señor, por haber permitido la elección de un Papa que conoce los contrastes de un país como el nuestro, estamos seguros su permanencia de muchos años en la zona norte de nuestro querido Perú no sólo lo ha dejado con ganas de regresar no sólo por un delicioso ceviche sino por motivos estrictamente pastorales, hay mucho por hacer, él lo sabe. Percibimos que León 14 ha hecho, como buen misionero una cuidadosa inculturación que le permite amar nuestra cultura lo que le ha permitido llegar al corazón de la gente, todos tenemos muchos defectos y limitaciones, pero nos damos cuenta viendo el Amor de Nuestro Señor es entregado por sus ministros. Es por esto estimado P. Rodel que le ruego que nos alcance los detalles de la fuente de este precioso texto del juez kenyano, no importa si lo alcanza en inglés, (texto, en audio o video) en suajili sería más complicado pero si es el original, por supuesto que lo aceptaríamos.
Le ruego que no se mortifique por mi pedido, el Papa Francisco nos llamó “tierra encantada”, pero aquí como en muchos lugares, hay mucha gente que se dedica a desinformar difundiendo textos falsos, hemos visto muchos textos que fueron atribuidos, falsamente, al Papa Francisco y a muchas personas importantes. Esta tarde recibi el texto del juez kenyano, sin el contexto de su publicación. Buscando la fuente encontré el sitio web de asianjournal.com, por eso me atrevo a pedirle la fuente original para poder compartirlo con más gente, quienes me van a preguntar no sólo por la confiabilidad de la fuente sino también por la fuente primigenia… Ojalá pueda ayudarme, ruego al Señor que continúe bendiciéndolo y bendiciendo su apostolado. Un cariñoso saludo desde Lima Perú.