February 15, 2026 • Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Dear Parish Family:
I am humbled to share with you that Pope Leo XIV blessed the altar stone of our new altar to be installed as part of the Now Is the Time Project. The altar is from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary’s former location in Overbrook, outside of Philadelphia. It comes with an incredible heritage. Saint Mother Theresa, Saint Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, and Pope Francis were all at this altar when they visited the seminary.
Because several of Pope Leo’s predecessors either celebrated Mass at our new altar or spoke and presided at the altar at various gatherings at the Seminary, notably Pope Saint John Paul II (1979), Pope Benedict XVI (1991), and Pope Francis (2015), on behalf of our parish, I asked that our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV bless the altar stone (the piece of the altar’s mensa (table top) at the center of the altar). Bishop Senior made this request to the Papal Household at the Vatican, and it was granted.
On a raining February 4, 2026, I made my way to Pope Paul VI Hall in the Vatican for the regular Wednesday General Audience with Pope Leo. Every Wednesday, the pope holds a General Audience in Saint Peter’s Square during the summer and in Pope Paul IV Hall during the winter. At the General Audience, the pope gives a catechesis (usually on a certain topic or theme over the course of several weeks), is greeted by representatives of the different language groups that are present, prays the Our Father, and then gives his blessing on all gathered and any religious articles that the faithful have brought with them.
As I got to the entrance of the Hall, the Swiss Guard saw I had a yellow ticket, and they directed me to a side entrance. An usher inspected my ticket, verified my name, and then showed me to a seat in the front row of the Hall. The Hall seats about 6,000 people. I nervously waited, and finally the ceremony began. When Pope Leo entered the hall, the response was electrifying. The audience proceeded as normal. At the end of the audience, the bishops on the stage greeted the Holy Father. Then they lined all of us in that front row at the foot of the steps, at the top of which was the Holy Father. You really couldn’t see what was happening ahead of you. I was about the fourth person in line. As the person ahead of me finished and stepped to the side, there he was … Pope Leo. It seemed like time stood still, and nothing and no one else was there.
In Italian, my ticket said “an encounter with the Holy Father.” That is exactly what it was. Not rushed or hurried. The pope was calm, peaceful, and gracious. I introduced myself and explained I was there on behalf of the good people of Good Shepherd Parish. We spoke in English for a few moments. Then the Holy Father blessed the altar stone, and I was ushered to the side. I thought to myself: Did that just happen? It all seemed a blur, but very real. An ocean of feelings came and continues to come when reflecting on that moment. But at the heart was the ability to have the stone blessed for Good Shepherd Parish. Historical? Yes. Special? Yes. Blessed? Oh, indeed!!! In countless ways!
Grace and peace!
Father Neil Sullivan