By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami

Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily while celebrating Mass Aug. 20, 2022, at St. Pius X Church in Fort Lauderdale, where he installed Father Jean Jadotte as pastor.

Since Father Jean Jadotte arrived her at St. Pius X, he has learned much – and he is willing and able to learn more – as he continues to dedicate himself to you as a zealous pastor of souls.

I am happy then to formally install him today as your pastor on this day, the feast of St. Pius X, the patron saint of this parish. We pray that God, who called him to the priesthood and in doing so, began a very good work in him, will bring that work, through his service in this parish, to fulfillment.

Pope Pius X, who served at the beginning of the 20th century, began his pontificate under the motto of “Restoring all things to Christ.” He is remembered for his resolute condemnation of the heresy of modernism but also for allowing children as young as seven to take Holy Communion. There was no question about this pope’s zeal for souls.

One can draw many parallels between his inaugural encyclical, E Supremi, and Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). Both were concerned with the Gospel not being presented as an oppressive list of “don’ts” but rather as it truly is: good news, a wonderful, joyful invitation to mankind to find in Jesus Christ the authentic vision of life and the path to true freedom. And so, in E Supremi, Pius X wrote: “that Christ may be formed in all, be it remembered that no means is more efficacious than charity.” He adds: “...it is vain to hope to attract souls to God by a bitter zeal. On the contrary, harm is done more often than good by taunting men harshly with their faults and reproving their vices with asperity.”

Following the example of Christ himself, we must love the sinner even while we hate the sin. We will not be successful in converting those enslaved to sin and blinded by error unless we first love them. Such was the pedagogy of Christ himself who came to call sinners. He called them to conversion, of course; but with great gentleness and compassion.

Mercy — a favorite theme of Pope Francis — does not deny the reality of sin; for if there is no sin there would be no need for mercy. His papal motto is Miserando atque elegendo, which could be rendered, “Wretched but chosen.” It reminds us that we all are sinners; yet redeemed by Christ, we are called to witness to the Gospel.

Today in America, for some time now, political discourse is filled with shrill polemics that generate much heat but little light. Oppositional research designed to uncover dirt about an opponent is seen as a legitimate tactic in the “contact sport” that is today’s politics. Such divisive partisanship perhaps is the way of the world; but it cannot be the way of the Church, for the way of the Church must be, as St. Paul told the contentious Corinthians, a “more excellent way,” the way of love (cf. 1 Cor 12:31-13:13).

A “bitter zeal,” rather than witnessing to the Truth, will undermine it. And instead of restoring all things to Christ who prayed that all his followers be one, bitter zeal will fracture the unity of his Body, the Church. Indeed, the cause of so many ruptures in the Body of Christ that resulted in schisms over the course of history can be traced to such “bitter zeal” among those who fancied themselves as “reformers.”

Yet a Church that embraces sinners will always need reform. And many of the problems we face — the decline in Mass attendance, the crisis in vocations, the ignoring of Church teachings on matters of morality, the “religious illiteracy” among many of the faithful, not to mention the sexual abuse crisis of the recent past — all underscore the need for what Pope St. John Paul II called “a new evangelization.”

This requires, on our part, hard work, for one cannot transform the world without transforming first oneself. Thus, in today’s Gospel, Jesus passes over the question posed to him: Lord, will only a few be saved? He doesn’t answer that question because it betrays an attitude that would see “salvation” as being for just a privileged few. These “religious elite” would be saved, and the rest of us could go to hell. Christ’s message goes in the opposite direction: He’s come to get us in the door before it is shut closed. Jesus opened his arms wide on the cross – to embrace as many of us who would let him.

So, the gate that leads to Eternal life, to the kingdom of God, is open to all; but it is a narrow gate because to enter through it is demanding — it requires effort, self-sacrifice, it requires that we shed our selfishness, our pride. The salvation, which Jesus accomplished with his death and resurrection, is universal.

Jesus’ teachings are not for wimps. He even tells us to love our enemies. And as we know, it is hard enough to love our friends.

Father Jadotte, as your pastor, is to be a faithful steward of the people entrusted to his care, and he is to dispense to you – with single-minded and wholehearted devotion – the means of grace by preaching the Word and administering the sacraments. He is to encourage you to “enter through the narrow gate” of embracing the Gospel and its demands. A priest’s work is not to be like a bouncer – to throw you out of the club, as it were, but to get you in the door.

Father Jadotte, love your people with a shepherd’s heart and feed them, lead them to Christ and teach them gently – by word and example. 

Dear people of St. Pius X, Father Jadotte is entrusted with the “care of your souls,” what in Latin is called the “cura animarum.”

This care of souls is a threefold task: first, he must teach you faithfully what the Church believes and teaches. He doesn’t speak in his own name but in the name of Christ; second, he must lead you, like the Good Shepherd, to safe pastures and third, he must bring you to greater holiness. In the confessional, in the Eucharist, in the anointing at baptism, confirmation and in the care of the sick, Father Jadotte will strengthen you in the grace that will have you grow in holiness before the Lord.

Father Jadotte I am sure, will serve you well; and he will serve not by calling attention to himself but by calling attention to the Lord; he will serve not by seeking his own interests but by putting first God’s will and his people’s good and well-being; he will serve not by trying to please everyone – for one who tries to do that usually ends up pleasing no one; rather he will serve you best by trying to please the Lord in all things. In this way, he will work with holy zeal to “restore all things in Christ.”