Greetings from Jerusalem

By Fr. David Steffy, L.C., Chargé of the Holy See

May 5th, 2025 - Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center

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Dear Friends of the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center,

Easter greetings from the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center.

I’m sure many of you are closely following the news from Rome and the upcoming conclave to elect a new Pope. It’s rare for a day to pass here without a guest asking who I think the next Pope might be. I truly have no idea, but the question has led me to read more about the lives of the Cardinals being mentioned as possible successors to the Chair of Peter.

I think we can all agree that none of them are ever truly qualified—after all, how does one prepare to be Pope? The honest answer is: you don’t. One of the most profound aspects of this process is that the Pope is not simply elected, but chosen—ultimately by the Holy Spirit, who, as the saying goes, is very good at “writing straight with crooked lines.”

The last several Popes have shown us just how true this is, and how deeply the Church has been blessed by leaders willing to serve and love unconditionally, even amid countless challenges. I encourage you to prepare spiritually for the upcoming conclave by reading the inspiring biographies of recent Popes who gave of themselves so generously: St. John XXIII, St. Paul VI, Blessed John Paul I, St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. Whoever is chosen next will bring his own strengths and limitations to the mission and will need our prayers and support to carry the immense weight of that responsibility.

Here at the Notre Dame Center, we have been blessed by an increase in pilgrim activity throughout Holy Week and Easter. We were especially blessed this month to welcome nearly 300 bishops and 150 lay people for lunch and a conference. They were invited by the Neocatechumenal Way to spend a week in the Holy Land. Their pilgrimage concluded in our John Paul II Auditorium, where the Apostolic Nuncio offered a moving reflection on Jerusalem as the City of Peace—a place where faith is rooted, where unity among peoples is possible, and where Christians from all nations can feel at home. His words echoed our mission: to be a place of spiritual development through hospitality, peaceful dialogue, and solid Christian formation in the land where our faith was born. The auditorium itself has long served as a vital space for ecumenical, interreligious, and cultural encounters, and this gathering was a powerful reminder of that legacy.

Fr. Francesco Voltaggio speaking during the closing conference at the John Paul II Auditorium.

We are looking forward to the inauguration of the Pentecost Room, and we warmly invite all of you to join us—at least virtually—for the Pentecost Novena, which begins on May 30 and concludes with the blessing of the room on June 7. You can learn more about the Novena and how to participate by clicking here.

In this month of May, were we honor Mary for the privileged role she played as Mother of our Lord, we also honor and thank God for all our mothers and the special place they have in our hearts.

Thank you again for your faithful support and prayers.

May the Holy Spirit inspire and renew each of your hearts during this blessed Easter season.

Sincerely in the Lord,

Fr. David Steffy, LC