I AM writing this article on the first day of the Conclave, waiting with bated breath to see whether the smoke will be black or white. I am a Catholic priest and the identity of our future Pope is very important to me - not exactly my line manager - but someone to whom all Catholics look with great love and affection. Indeed, one of the great achievements of Pope Francis was to bring the Catholic Church into the mainstream, so not just the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, but a shepherd, a father, a pastor to the whole world.

One of the great enduring images of the papal funeral was Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, sitting together on two random chairs in St Peter’s Basilica, having an impromptu peace conference. One of the papal titles is Pontifex, which means bridge builder. How we need more bridge builders in our world today!

But beyond all the politics and the hype, there is something much deeper going on. As parish priest at St Augustine’s, I have responsibility for the Catholic population across a large swathe of Cornwall, helping and enabling one another to live and proclaim the good news of Jesus. Imagine having that responsibility for 1.4 billion people.

The bond between the Pope and his people is deeply personal. “Do you love me?” asks Jesus, of Peter. “You know that I love you,” replies Peter. “Feed my lambs.” This is the dynamic of all Christian ministry - living in the love of Jesus and sharing that love with all our brothers and sisters, especially the poor, the refugees and the wounded.

By the time you read this article, we will have a Pope. Whatever your faith, please pray for him and for his ministry of reconciliation and love.

Fr Michael Brandon

Parish Priest, St Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church