From Our Pastor
Dear Folks,
You may notice that I always sign my bulletin notes or emails with “Pax” at the end. It’s a little odd—and a little humbling—to see others pick up and use this greeting in emails, as has happened in parishes where I’ve served.
So where does it come from?
The Latin phrase “Pax et Bonum!” was used by St. Francis of Assisi as his common greeting to those he met throughout the day. It can be translated as “Peace and Goodness. ” This is a theologically rich phrase—its depth is not reduced to a casual “peace, bro.” The bonum (goodness) spoken of refers most specifically to God, who is the supreme good. In the words of Our Lord: “No one is good but God alone” (Mk 10:18). All goodness is a smallshare in the infinite goodness of God. Thus, the greeting is truly a wish of abundant blessings upon the person encountered.
The meaning of this phrase struck me deeply in 2000 when I was leading a group of pilgrims to World Y outh Day in Rome. I had never had a devotion to St. Francis prior to that trip. The version of St. Francis I was presented with growing up in the ’70s seemed to be a wimpy projection of various secular values of that era. However, when I walked the same cobbled streets St. Francis once walked in Assisi, heard his words, and prayed at his tomb, I encountered a very different saint. This man loved God with his whole heart, mind, and soul—holding nothing back. Because he had forsaken riches to serve the Lord, he was able to recognize the providence of God wondrously in all of His created works. Hence, we know him as the lover of animals. So, when I sign my emails with “Pax, ” I do so as a brief nod to St. Francis.
Sometimes I’ll use other language variants of the Latin Pax, like: French (Paix), Italian (Pace), Spanish (Paz), or Hebrew (Shalom). But always with the same intent: may you enjoy the peace and blessing that can only come from the Lord of the Universe.
pax (et bonum),
Father John Mosimann
Pastor
