St. Thérèse’s Feast – October 1, 2025

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Today, I had the grace and privilege of speaking at St. Theresa’s Shrine in Nasonville, Rhode Island — the very first shrine in the world dedicated to the Little Flower. The occasion was especially meaningful, as it formed part of the celebration of her feast day on the 100th anniversary of her canonization.

I have cherished this shrine since we moved to the little village of Nasonville in 1979. At that time, it was overgrown, hidden, and neglected — a forgotten gem quietly waiting to be rediscovered. In the years that followed, devoted parishioners, including my own parents, worked tirelessly to restore and revive the shrine, breathing new life into this sacred place.

My parents were later appointed shrine coordinators by Fr. John Dery, a role in which they faithfully served for over twenty-five years. This shrine also holds a deeply personal place in my own vocation: it was here that I celebrated my First Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving following my ordination in 1992.

It was a joy to return today and speak once more at this beloved place of grace.
My talk follows.

“The Saints in Our Lives“

by Fr. Jay A. Finelli – October 1, 2025

From the moment I was drawn into a deeper relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ, I was drawn to the saints.

Relationship

I remember the very beginning of that journey. I immediately picked up my mother’s little Butler’s Lives of the Saints. It sat on a table near my bed, and each night I would read about one or more of them. It was like a fire — I couldn’t get enough. I found the stories of their lives extremely moving, and I wanted more. I wanted to know them, and I wanted to be like them.

The Saints

The Church proposes the saints to us for several reasons.

First: Inspiration.
If he or she did it, so can I. Every saint was just like us. Some were deeply devout from an early age, while others lived “the life of Riley” but later had a conversion. But there is a saint for each one of us. In fact, if you are like me, you can’t be satisfied with just one saint. I have a good number in my spiritual rolodex.

Second: Intercession.
The saints provide support to us in our journey toward the Kingdom. Although Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one Mediator of grace, the Blessed Virgin Mary and all of the saints share in the mediating work of our Lord. When we seek the intercession and intervention of the saints, it is not independent of Jesus. As the Epistle of James tells us: “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Every grace, every gift, every miracle, sign, or wonder received through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary or a saint is granted only according to the will and mind of God. They all come from God Himself — not from the saint.

In a very real way, we all share in the role of mediators because, through baptism, we share in the priesthood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This means that whenever we pray for one another, we do so in union with Christ the High Priest. Our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings are offered through Him, with Him, and in Him, and they draw their power and efficacy from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

So, if someone objects to the intercession of the saints by saying, “I go directly to Jesus!” — then, by that logic, they shouldn’t ask for our prayers either, because they too could “go directly to Jesus.” Yet we instinctively know the value of praying for and with one another. As members of God’s family, we turn to one another in times of need.

It is no different with the saints in heaven. In fact, their prayers are even more powerful because nothing impedes their union with God. They behold Him face to face, and their deepest desire is to see us united with them in the Kingdom. Thus, when we seek their intercession, we are simply embracing the fullness of the communion of saints — a family of faith that spans heaven and earth.

Our Connection to the Saints

Our relationship with the saints begins early on, whether we realize it or not. On the day of our Baptism, we received a name — and that name ought to be the name of a saint. And if it wasn’t, because you were given your grandfather’s name or your aunt’s name, they were probably named after a saint, or the one they were named after was.

Again, at Confirmation, we were asked to choose the name of a saint. In some places, where the people didn’t choose a saint, some priest or bishop gave all the boys the name Joseph and all the girls the name Mary. The whole purpose of taking a saint’s name is to make that connection — to give us a saint to inspire us and watch over us on the journey to the Kingdom.

The Saints Are Like Us

We often put the saints on a golden pedestal, as though we are afraid to break them. But they were — and are — like us in many ways. They know the human condition just as we do, and maybe even more so now from the Kingdom.

They were priests and religious, married and single. They were doctors, lawyers, plumbers, and bricklayers. They were teachers, mechanics, mill workers, and farmers. Men, women, and children of every background and nationality.

There is a saint for each one of us — someone who struggled with the same temptations and sins as you and I. Tall, short, old, and young. Someone just like you and me, but at the same time different — because there is only one of you and one of them, each unique in God’s plan of salvation.

Saints Had Saints Too

Like us, the saints themselves had patron saints — people they looked to for example, intercession, and friendship.

Pope Pius X had a very strong devotion to St. Joseph. He also had a great admiration for St. Charles Borromeo.

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati had a deep admiration for St. Paul.

Blessed Bartolo Longo, who will be canonized on October 19, had a devotion to St. Dominic, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Thomas Aquinas. His greatest devotion was to Our Lady of the Rosary, whom he believed saved him from Satanism.

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen was very devoted to St. Thérèse. He greatly admired her “little way” to holiness and often cited her as a model of childlike trust and spiritual simplicity.

St. Thérèse

And of course, our own dear St. Theresa — or Thérèse — the Little Flower. She held a special devotion to St. Theophane Vénard because she desired to be a missionary, although she never left the cloister. She often read his letters home.

St. Theophane was a Parisian priest who served in Tonkin — now Vietnam. He endured great sufferings, imprisonment, was placed in a small cage, and was eventually beheaded for his faith.

Besides Theophane, who was her favorite, Thérèse had a deep devotion to several saints, including St. Joan of Arc, St. Cecilia, St. Agnes of Rome, St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Teresa of Avila. All of these saints offered Thérèse something for her spiritual life. They inspired her, and she prayed with them.

Thérèse and Us

In her Story of a Soul, Thérèse reminds us that she will be there for us. Many people feel abandoned when a loved one dies. But Thérèse wrote this:

“I feel that my mission is about to begin, my mission of making God loved as I love Him, of giving my little way to souls. If God answers my desires, my heaven will be spent on earth until the end of the world.” (Story of a Soul, Manuscript C, 36v)

So we are not alone — the saints accompany us on the journey.

“I will come down. I will spend my heaven doing good on earth among the little ones and the poor.” (Last Conversations)
“I will return to earth to help souls, to draw them to the love of God.” (Last Conversations)

The good little nun also promised a sign of her intercession:

“When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens; I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.” (Last Conversations, July 17, 1897)

After such words, can we have any doubt in St. Thérèse — or in any saint, for that matter?

Eileen George

My friend Eileen George, whose cause of canonization I hope to assist, often reminded us of the importance of the saints. She encouraged us on priests’ retreats to seek the aid of the Old Testament saints. She had a devotion to Moses, whom she said was canonized by God, who called him a “just man.”

She also said that we ought to seek the intercession of the saints in a special way on their feast days, because the Father gives them special power of intercession on those days.

Closing

The saints are our friends. They intercede for us. They give us their example of perseverance. They are our best friends on the journey toward heaven.

The saints in our lives hold an important place.

And so, today, on the Feast Day of our beloved St. Thérèse, let us remind her of her promise to “spend her heaven doing good upon earth” and to “shower us with many roses” today.

Fr. Jay A. Finelli
October 1, 2025

Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

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My homily for the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross:

“The Triumph of the Cross: Hope in the Darkness”

Mass school shootings, the brutal murder of a woman on a train, and the assassination of a young man speaking on a college campus leave us shaken—helpless, hopeless, and overwhelmed by the darkness of our times. Yet what we feel is not so different from what the disciples of Christ experienced on Calvary.

On the day of the crucifixion, the disciples thought everything had ended. Our Lord’s enemies believed they had silenced Him forever. The devil rejoiced, imagining he had won, and that the world was now lost in despair. Even the disciples doubted everything they had learned.

But what looked like the ultimate defeat was about to become the greatest victory.

The Church teaches us today that the cross speaks the opposite message:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.” (2 Cor 12:9)

The crucifixion was not the end but the beginning. The very moment of apparent defeat was Christ’s triumph. The cross is paradox and mystery—it is, at the same time, shame and glory, death and life, defeat and victory. Above all, it is our greatest sign of hope.

When all seems lost—when culture is collapsing, violence and hatred are multiplying, and evil appears to be rising—this is precisely when we must look to the cross.
Christ is victorious.
The cross reminds us that darkness cannot overcome the Light.

This feast was once celebrated on May 3 as the Finding of the Holy Cross. It was later moved to its current date for a reason: at the beginning of autumn, as the days grow shorter and the nights grow darker, the Church “raises high the cross.” It is a sign planted firmly against the growing shadows of the season and of the age.

The Church lifts high the sign of the Son of Man—the same sign that will appear at His second coming, as we await Him in hope during the harvest time of history.

The cross is our unfailing sign of hope.

Do not let heart or mind be overcome by sadness or despair.
Hold fast to the cry of the Church:

“Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!”
Christ conquers! Christ reigns! Christ commands!

Even as we are surrounded by evil, we must bear witness to the victory of Christ. As Venerable Fulton Sheen reminded us:

“Evil may have its hour, but God will have His day.”

On this feast, we proclaim with confidence: the Cross is not defeat—it is triumph.

Fr. Jay A. Finelli
Feast of The Triumph of the Cross
14 September 2025

Can a Future Pope Reverse Traditionis Custodes? A Personal Reflection on Liturgical Justice

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I recently came across an article by a respected and erudite Catholic layman who suggested that Pope Leo XIV will not revoke Traditionis Custodes because Popes don’t typically overturn decisions made by their predecessors. While this may hold true in many cases, history shows it is far from a hard rule. In fact, there are clear instances in which Popes have changed the course of previous pontificates, especially in the realm of the Sacred Liturgy.

From Paul VI to John Paul II: A Shift Begins

After the Second Vatican Council, Pope St. Paul VI promulgated the new Roman Missal in 1969, commonly called the Novus Ordo Missae. It was presented as the normative form of the Roman Rite going forward, and he discouraged continued use of the older liturgy. Paul VI himself acknowledged the pain this caused among many faithful Catholics. In a General Audience on November 26, 1969, he referred to the change as a “disturbance,” especially for “pious persons” formed by the traditional Latin Mass.

Yet less than 15 years later, Pope St. John Paul II opened the door to that very Mass. In 1984, he issued Quattuor Abhinc Annos, granting bishops the ability to permit its celebration under certain conditions. Four years later, with the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei (1988), he encouraged even broader generosity toward Catholics attached to the older form.

Benedict XVI: Restoring Liturgical Continuity

The clearest reversal came under Pope Benedict XVI, who in Summorum Pontificum (2007) declared that the Traditional Latin Mass had never been abrogated and that all priests in good standing could celebrate it without seeking permission. He referred to it as the “extraordinary form” of the Roman Rite, existing alongside the ordinary form, and stressed the unity and continuity of the Church’s liturgical tradition.

This was not a mere gesture of nostalgia, but a theological correction. Benedict saw the pre- and post-conciliar liturgies not as enemies, but as mutually enriching expressions of the same Roman Rite.

Pope Francis and Traditionis Custodes: A Reversal of the Reversal

That path of liturgical peace took a sharp turn in 2021 when Pope Francis issued Traditionis Custodes. This document revoked the freedoms established by Summorum Pontificum, reasserted episcopal control over the celebration of the older liturgy, and mandated that it not be celebrated in parish churches. In his accompanying letter to bishops, Francis stated that the goal was to unify the Church under the reformed liturgy and to lead traditionalists away from the older form altogether.

Far from a neutral clarification, Traditionis Custodes signaled a decisive break with the trajectory of his predecessors. So, yes—Popes do reverse decisions of previous Popes. We are living proof of that.

What About Liturgical Abuses?

Amid this crackdown on traditional liturgy, one painful truth has often been ignored: persistent and widespread liturgical abuses in the Ordinary Form are rarely addressed with the same rigor.

I speak from personal experience.

Growing up in the late 1960s and beyond, I witnessed countless liturgical violations. In Charismatic Masses, the consecration would be interrupted by singing in tongues. At weekly youth center liturgies, music was pre-recorded and played on a switchboard. In college, our chaplain often celebrated Mass in jeans and a t-shirt with only a stole—arriving on a motorcycle and stopping mid-Mass to answer a phone call. And the Sister, chaplain on our campus read the Gospel and gave the homily. Sacred vessels were made of clay and stashed in a metal cabinet without purification.

At a parish I attended, we had no altar servers because girls weren’t allowed and no effort was made to recruit boys until there was justice for the girls. The music ministry played secular hits during Mass—including “Leaving on a Jet Plane” on Ascension Thursday. Meanwhile, liturgical roles were filled by those dressed inappropriately or poorly formed, and priests sometimes preached heresy. And yet—no one stepped in to correct these abuses.

But propose a reverent Traditional Latin Mass in a quiet corner of a parish basement chapel, and suddenly a cascade of restrictions descends.

A Question of Justice

The Church has always taught that the faithful have a right to the Church’s liturgical heritage when permitted by law. And yet, in recent years, those attached to the Traditional Latin Mass have been the most harshly scrutinized and restricted, while grave liturgical abuses in the ordinary form are tolerated or overlooked.

This inconsistency wounds the unity of the Church and undermines the credibility of those who claim to defend liturgical order.

Hope for the Future

This is why I believe—and fervently pray—that Pope Leo XIV, will bring clarity and justice to this crisis. The only reasonable and lasting solution is to restore to priests and laity the freedom to celebrate and attend the Traditional Latin Mass, without fear, marginalization, or restriction.

Let the two forms of the Roman Rite—ordinary and extraordinary—peacefully co-exist, not as competing ideologies, but as expressions of the Church’s living tradition. The faithful who are nourished by the Mass of the Ages deserve the same pastoral care and respect that others receive.

It is not structural reform or theoretical interpretation of Sacrosanctum Concilium that will bring healing—it is the Holy Spirit working through a just restoration of liturgical liberty. Only this will begin to mend the deep wounds inflicted by decades of imbalance, selective enforcement, and disregard for the sacred.

Sources & Citations:

  • Paul VI, General Audience, November 26, 1969.
  • Quattuor Abhinc Annos, Congregation for Divine Worship, 1984.
  • Ecclesia Dei, Apostolic Letter, John Paul II, July 2, 1988.
  • Summorum Pontificum, Apostolic Letter, Benedict XVI, July 7, 2007.
  • Traditionis Custodes, Apostolic Letter, Francis, July 16, 2021.
  • General Instruction of the Roman Missal (2011 edition).
  • Sacrosanctum Concilium, Second Vatican Council, 1963.
  • Redemptionis Sacramentum, Congregation for Divine Worship, 2004.

The Story Behind the Star Spangled Banner

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A Song Born from Fire, Faith, and Freedom

Every time we stand to sing The Star-Spangled Banner, we recall a night of great uncertainty—and a morning of enduring hope.

The War That Threatened a Nation

In the dark days of the War of 1812, the young United States faced the might of the British Empire once again. In August 1814, British troops stormed Washington, D.C., burning the Capitol and the White House. Their next target: Baltimore, Maryland.

Guarding Baltimore’s harbor stood Fort McHenry. If the fort fell, so might the city—and with it, a critical piece of America’s future.

A Lawyer Caught in the Crossfire

Enter Francis Scott Key, a 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet. He had sailed into Chesapeake Bay under a flag of truce to negotiate the release of an American civilian held aboard a British ship. Though the mission was successful, Key and his companions were detained temporarily—they had overheard plans for the impending attack on Baltimore.

As the British fleet began bombarding Fort McHenry on September 13, 1814, Key was forced to watch from a distance aboard a ship. For 25 hours, the sky lit up with “the rockets’ red glare” and “bombs bursting in air.” All night long, the fate of the fort—and the nation—hung in the balance.

A Flag Still There

At dawn, as smoke cleared over the harbor, Key peered toward the fort. What he saw brought him to tears: the American flag—still flying.

Inspired, he jotted down lines of verse on the back of an envelope:

“O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming…”

He would later refine the poem and set it to the melody of a popular English tune, To Anacreon in Heaven. The song quickly spread across the country under the name The Star-Spangled Banner.

From a Poem to a National Anthem

Though beloved for generations, it wasn’t until March 3, 1931, that Congress officially declared The Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem of the United States. President Herbert Hoover signed the bill into law.

The Flag That Inspired It All

The original “star-spangled banner” still exists—a massive 30-by-42-foot flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes, made by Baltimore seamstress Mary Pickersgill. Today, it is carefully preserved and displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

A Legacy That Endures

More than just a song, The Star-Spangled Banner is a testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring spirit of a free people. It reminds us that even in our darkest hours, hope can rise with the dawn—and freedom’s flag can yet wave.

“O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

Can We Please Pull Back on Papal Canonizations?

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Lately, my Facebook feed has been filled with posts calling for the canonization of Pope Francis. Occasionally, I also see similar calls for Pope Benedict XVI or Pope Pius XII.

Please—before you jump to criticize me for saying this, just hear me out.

I’m not questioning the personal holiness of these men. I’m not denying the good they did for the Church or the world. But I am asking: Do we really need to canonize every recent pope?

The Church today doesn’t need more canonized popes—at least not primarily. Because the average person simply can’t relate to the life of a pope. These calls often sound less like a recognition of heroic virtue and more like the elevation of a folk hero: “Look how wonderful Pope So-and-So was!”

And while that might be true, most people—especially your average family, parish priest, or hospital chaplain—live a radically different kind of life.

What we need are saints we can see ourselves in.

We need the woman who remained faithful to her marriage vows despite a difficult, even unfaithful, husband. The mother who sacrificed everything to raise eight children, keeping house with joy and diligence out of love for God and her family.

We need the man who rose every morning at 4:00 a.m. to work a monotonous job, giving his best every day out of love for his wife and kids. Not for glory, but because he believed in virtue, loyalty, and providing for those entrusted to him.

We need the child who wasn’t the smartest or most popular in school, but who loved Jesus, said their prayers daily, and stood firm in virtue even when mocked by peers.

We need the grandmother who made Sunday dinners for the whole family to keep them united—who quietly prayed her Rosary, went to daily Mass, and whose novenas filled volumes greater than her husband’s toolbox.

These are the saints who walk among us—whose lives mirror our own. They show us that holiness is possible in kitchens, classrooms, gas stations, grocery stores, and parish rectories.

Of course, a canonized pope may inspire us as a powerful intercessor. But most of us will never live in the Apostolic Palace or face the burdens of the papacy.

We need saints who speak to the real, lived experience of today’s faithful: to overworked parish priests wearing more hats than an old-fashioned lady’s closet could hold. To married couples struggling to remain faithful. To ordinary people striving to live the Gospel in quiet, unseen ways.

We’re not meant to copy St. John Vianney or any other saint exactly—but to be inspired by those whose lives echo our own. Saints who say by their example: “If I did it, you can do it too. You’re not alone. Let’s keep running this race together.”

Fatima and Pope Leo XIV

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Today is the 108th Anniversary of the First Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. Let us examine the Prophetic Link Between Fatima, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV

On May 13, 1917, in a remote field in Cova da Iria, three shepherd children were visited by a radiant Lady from Heaven—Our Lady of the Rosary. That encounter would mark the beginning of one of the most important series of Marian apparitions in the history of the Church, culminating in the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917. Today, we commemorate the 108th anniversary of that first apparition.

But Fatima’s message did not come in isolation. In fact, I believe there is a divine thread that ties it together with another event—one that took place exactly 33 years earlier, on October 13, 1884.

On that day, Pope Leo XIII, after finishing Mass in the Vatican, fell into a trance-like state. Witnesses reported that he stood frozen at the foot of the altar for about ten minutes. When he recovered, he was visibly shaken. He later recounted that he had been granted a terrifying vision: he had seen Satan asking God for permission to destroy the Church. The Lord allowed him a certain amount of time and power—after which, Our Lady would intervene. In response to this, Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel and ordered it to be said after every Low Mass throughout the world.

The connection between these two events—Leo XIII’s vision and the apparitions of Fatima—is striking. One could say that they mark the beginning and end of a prophetic warning: a century-long battle between Heaven and hell, with the fate of countless souls hanging in the balance.

A Time of Crisis… and a Time of Hope

Since those two monumental events, we have seen the rapid advance of secularism, wars, moral collapse, and a tragic division within the Church. The cultural revolution of the 20th century, the loss of belief in the Real Presence, the spread of doctrinal confusion, and the weakening of religious vocations have left deep scars. Evil has grown bolder, and many of the faithful have grown weary.

And yet, just when it seemed that darkness was gaining the upper hand, a new light has begun to shine—Pope Leo XIV.

The Rise of Pope Leo XIV

His rise to the papacy has been nothing short of extraordinary:

  • Ordained a priest in 1982
  • Consecrated a bishop in 2014
  • Created a cardinal in 2023
  • Elected Pope on May 7, 2025, the Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces.

From an unknown diocesan bishop to the Supreme Pontiff in barely a decade—a pace and path rarely seen in Church history. And his election, falling on the feast of St. Michael, the great defender of the Church, along with the Blessed Virgin Mary Mediatrix of All Graces, cannot be mere coincidence. It is as if Heaven is once again sending a signal: the battle continues, but God is not abandoning His Church.

A Marian Pope for Marian Times

Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated from the outset a deep and unwavering devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In his writings, his homilies, and his public acts of piety, he consistently turns to her as both Mother and Queen, Intercessor and Warrior. It is not hard to imagine that Our Lady of Fatima herself has had a hand in his election. Perhaps she has chosen this Pope—this son devoted to her—to be the one who will usher in her promised Triumph, as foretold to the children of Fatima.

Certainly, the signs of the times are converging. We may be closer now than ever before to that long-awaited moment when, in the words of Our Lady:

“In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.”

A Call to Prayer and Fidelity

If Pope Leo XIV has indeed been raised up for such a time as this, he will need our prayers more than ever. The weight of Peter’s keys is immense, and the forces aligned against him are powerful and relentless.

Years ago, I was told something sobering by Cardinal Mario Luigi Ciappi, a dear family friend and the personal theologian to five popes. He once confided to me:

“The Pope is surrounded by enemies.”

Let that sink in.

The Vicar of Christ walks daily through the fire of spiritual warfare. And yet, as we know, the gates of hell shall not prevail. Still, the Church depends on the fidelity and prayers of her children.

Let us then storm Heaven with our supplications:

  • For the protection of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV
  • For the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
  • For the renewal and purification of the Church
  • For the conversion of sinners and the peace of the world

May our Heavenly Father hasten the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, may St. Michael defend Pope Leo XIV in the day of battle, and Our Lady of Fatima safely guide and guard our new Holy Father in these trying times.

God love you!

My Prayer for the Election of a Holy Pope

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You can print 4 prayer cards on the back and front of an 8 1/2″ x 11′ [Download PDF here]

Prayer for the Election of a Holy Pope
In the Month of Mary and Under Her Immaculate Mantle

O Most Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—
we adore You, we praise You, and we thank You
for the abiding care You show for Your Church
through the gift of the papacy.

As the Church prepares to elect a new Supreme Pontiff,
we entrust this sacred moment to Your divine providence.
Grant us the miracle of the conclave:
stir the hearts of the Cardinal Electors with the fire of a new Pentecost.
Let the Holy Spirit descend upon them with tongues of flame,
that they may discern and choose
a shepherd after Your own Heart—the one You have already chosen.

O Mary, Mother of the Church and Queen of the Apostles,
in this month of May, so tenderly dedicated to your honor,
we turn to you with filial confidence.
You appeared at Fatima to three humble shepherds,
warning of the trials to come upon the Church,
but also assuring us of your promised triumph.

You called us to prayer, penance, and sacrifice—
and you promised that in the end, your Immaculate Heart would triumph.

Watch now over the cardinals, as once you watched over the Apostles in the Cenacle.

Intercede, dearest Mother,
for the restoration of sound doctrine,
that truth may be proclaimed with clarity and courage.
Implore the renewal of Christian morals,
that purity, integrity, and charity may be reborn in every soul.
Beg your Son for the restoration of the sacred liturgy,
that it may once again form saints and sanctify the world.

Gather your children into one fold under one shepherd.
Heal wounds, dispel confusion, and restore unity in Christ.
Through the heart of the Holy Father yet to come,
let the dawn of your long-promised triumph begin.

O Virgin Most Powerful,
we await with hope the new Vicar of Christ.
Clothe him with holiness, humility, and apostolic courage.
May he be a father to the poor, a voice for the faithful,
a guardian of the sacred, and a light in the darkness.

Come, Holy Spirit—
come through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
and renew the face of the Church. Amen.

Composed by Fr. Jay Finelli

[download a printable pdf here]

Top 10 Most Likely Future Papal Names

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RankPapal NameWhy It’s Likely
1JohnExtremely popular historically (23 popes). Safe, traditional, seen as pastoral and loving (e.g., St. John the Apostle, John XXIII “Good Pope John”).
2PaulTied to missionary zeal (St. Paul), reform, and modernization (Paul VI). Strong link to evangelization and Vatican II completion.
3Pius12 popes used it. Symbolizes doctrinal orthodoxy, traditional teaching. Very respected among conservatives and traditional Catholics.
4LeoFamous popes like Leo I (“the Great”) and Leo XIII (social teaching). Name suggests strength, doctrine, renewal.
5GregoryAssociated with great reformers (e.g., Gregory the Great, Gregorian chant). Strong pastoral and theological image.
6Francis IIIf someone wanted to honor Pope Francis but move forward a little differently, “Francis II” would be a natural tribute.
7Benedict XVIIIf a new pope admired Benedict XVI’s theological clarity but wanted to signal a new chapter, this could happen — but less likely immediately.
8John Paul IIIUnlikely, but still possible if a pope wanted to directly tie himself to the beloved memory of John Paul II.
9Peter IILong shot — but there’s always rumors about “Peter the Roman” from prophecies. Still, no pope has dared to take “Peter” out of humility.
10JosephNew name! Possible if a pope wanted to emphasize St. Joseph’s role (especially with all the attention Pope Francis gave him recently). Would be a major symbolic choice

St. Catherine of Siena: Fire, Fidelity, and the Future of the Church

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Today we turn to one of the most extraordinary saints in the history of the Church: St. Catherine of Siena.

She was not a priest, not a bishop, not a theologian by degree. She was a young laywoman—third order Dominican, mystic, and fearless prophet—raised up by God in one of the darkest hours of the Church.

And she reminds us today: God does not always call the powerful. He calls the faithful.

“Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”
—St. Catherine of Siena

Courage Rooted in Love

In the 14th century, the Church was bleeding from within. The papacy had relocated to Avignon. Scandals and divisions spread like wildfire. Many turned away. Catherine stepped in.

She famously traveled to Avignon and looked Pope Gregory XI in the eye—not with anger, but with burning charity. She loved the Church too much to remain silent.

“Sweet Christ on earth, I speak to you in the name of Christ crucified… Be manly in your decisions, and not fearful or timid!”
—Letter to Pope Gregory XI

She didn’t attack the Pope; she called him higher. Catherine called him to be not just a ruler, but a shepherd. Not just a politician, but a saint.

Prayer, Not Protest

Her strength didn’t come from popular movements or political power. It was born in the Eucharist, in silence, in tears.

She spent countless hours before the Blessed Sacrament, weeping for the sins of the Church, offering herself as a victim for both clergy and lay faithful.

“Cry out with a hundred thousand tongues. I see that the world is rotten because of silence.”
—St. Catherine of Siena

She did not leave the Church. She did not rebel. She remained radically obedient—even during the chaos of the Great Schism.

“Even if the Pope were Satan incarnate, we ought not to raise our heads against him, but calmly lie down to rest on his bosom.”
—Letter 28, to Brother Raimondo

This wasn’t blind submission—it was faith in Christ’s promise to never abandon His Bride.

What She Teaches Us

Catherine’s legacy speaks powerfully to us today, especially as we approach a new papal conclave. She teaches us to:

  1. Speak the truth with courage—but always with love.
  2. Intercede for the Church through prayer and sacrifice.
  3. Remain in the Church, faithful to Christ and to Peter.

“The Devil fears hearts on fire with love of God.”

We live in a time of trial. But so did she. And she shows us how to walk through it—with clarity, conviction, and total trust in Christ.

Let us pray as Catherine did. Let us love the Church as she did.
And as Cardinals prepare for one of the most important conclaves in modern history, let us offer our own prayer and sacrifice, that the will of God be done and that the Church may once again shine with the glory of holiness.

“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”
—St. Catherine of Siena

What were the names of the cardinals who became popes?

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Here is an updated list with the name of the cardinal who became pope.

Papal NameLast UsedCardinal’s Name Before ElectionHow Long AgoNotes
AdrianAdrian VI (1523)Adrian Florensz Boeyens502 years agoWidely skipped
AgapetusAgapetus II (955)Not a cardinal; Abbot of St. Rufina1070 years agoWidely skipped
AlexanderAlexander VIII (1691)Pietro Vito Ottoboni334 years agoSkipped
AnastasiusAnastasius IV (1154)Corrado Demetri della Suburra871 years agoWidely skipped
BenedictBenedict XVI (2013)Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger12 years agoPossible
BonifaceBoniface IX (1404)Piero Tomacelli621 years agoWidely skipped
CelestineCelestine V (1294)Pietro del Morrone731 years agoVery unlikely (abdication)
ClementClement XIV (1774)Lorenzo Ganganelli251 years agoSkipped
CorneliusCornelius (253)Cornelius (no surname recorded)1772 years agoWidely skipped
DamasusDamasus II (1048)Poppo, Bishop of Brixen977 years agoWidely skipped
EugeneEugene IV (1447)Gabriele Condulmer578 years agoSkipped
FelixFelix IV (530)Felix (unknown surname)1495 years agoWidely skipped
GregoryGregory XVI (1846)Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari179 years agoPossible
HonoriusHonorius IV (1287)Giacomo Savelli738 years agoVery unlikely
InnocentInnocent XIII (1724)Michelangelo dei Conti301 years agoSkipped
JohnJohn XXIII (1963)Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli62 years agoPossible
JuliusJulius III (1555)Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte470 years agoSkipped
LeoLeo XIII (1903)Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci122 years agoPossible
LuciusLucius III (1185)Ubaldo Allucingoli840 years agoWidely skipped
MarcellusMarcellus II (1555)Marcello Cervini470 years agoSkipped
MarkMark (336)Marcus (no surname recorded)1689 years agoWidely skipped
MartinMartin V (1431)Oddone Colonna594 years agoSkipped
NicholasNicholas V (1455)Tommaso Parentucelli570 years agoSkipped
PaschalPaschal II (1118)Ranierius907 years agoWidely skipped
PaulPaul VI (1978)Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini47 years agoPossible
PiusPius XII (1958)Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli67 years agoPossible
SixtusSixtus V (1590)Felice Peretti di Montalto435 years agoSkipped
StephenStephen IX (1058)Frederick of Lorraine967 years agoWidely skipped
UrbanUrban VIII (1644)Maffeo Barberini381 years agoSkipped
VictorVictor III (1087)Dauferius (Desiderius), Abbot of Monte Cassino938 years agoWidely skipped
ZacharyZachary (752)Zacharias (no surname recorded)1273 years agoWidely skipped
FrancisFrancis (current)Jorge Mario Bergoglio–New, unique
John Paul John Paul IAlbino Luciani47 years ago (33 days)New, unique
John PaulJohn Paul II (2005)Karol Józef Wojtyła20 years ago

Recent cardinals kept their full birth names less often — they usually chose a name that sent a theological or historical message.

Earlier popes often kept parts of their given name (like Mark/Marcus, Cornelius).

Some future popes may reuse older names like Leo, Gregory, Pius, Paul — all carrying “strong” papal symbolism.

Unlikely names: Adrian, Honorius, Celestine, Mark, Cornelius (too long without reuse or associated controversies).