Really enjoyed the Pope’s homily yesterday…applies to everyone. We all need to know when it’s time to step away or step down.

Preaching May 15 at the Vatican’s Santa Marta Residence, the pope noted that St. Paul, who was “compelled by the Holy Spirit” to leave Ephesus and journey to Jerusalem, “shows us the pathway for every bishop when it’s time to take his leave and step down.”

“When I read this, I think about myself,” Pope Francis said, “because I am a bishop and I must take my leave and step down.”

“I am thinking of all bishops,” the pope continued. “May the Lord grant all of us the grace to be able to take our leave and step down in this way [like Paul], with that spirit, with that strength, with that love for Jesus Christ and this faith in the Holy Spirit.”

“All pastors must take our leave. There comes a moment where the Lord tells us: go somewhere else, go there, go this way, come to me. And one of the steps a pastor must do is to prepare himself to take good leave, not to leave halfway,” he added.