The Healthy Spiritual Journey • June 2025 – Papa Leo

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” - - Matthew 6:9b

Father’s Day is just around the corner. I am related to several fathers (or papas) named Leo and we have a new Pope named Leo. Travel this healthy spiritual journey with me as we weave those threads of information into a tapestry of thoughts.

Father’s Day is celebrated in more than 112 countries around the globe to honor fathers and fatherhood. In many European countries, it is celebrated on March 19th, Saint Joseph’s Day. However, in the United States, the third Sunday of June has been set aside for the occasion. On June 15, 2025, we’ll have the opportunity to remember the fathers in our midst and the fathers who have gone to heaven. In English, we call our fathers by many names, including: father, dad, daddy, pap, pa, pops, papi, and papa. In my Wilson family, I would like to introduce you to three Papa Leos - Robert Leo, Joseph Leo, and Ronald Leo.

Robert Leo was my great-grandfather, the only one of the three who was called by the name Leo. He is the patriarch for hundreds of offspring. The son of a farmer, five generations of farmers have followed in his footsteps. My father, Joseph Leo was called Joe by most everyone. His seven children called him Daddy when we were young, Dad as we grew older, and Pap (not quite Papa) by at least a couple of us as we grew older still. We treated Papa Joseph Leo with love and respect. He loved our mother, provided a good living on the farm, taught us right from wrong, shared his deep and abiding faith in God, and expected us to work hard, be responsible, and become leaders whenever the opportunity arose. Dad proudly wore his middle name Leo and might have been called by that name except that his greatly respected grandfather, Robert Leo, was the Leo of the family at that time. One of my brothers is Ronald Leo. He is the other Leo closest to me. Ronald Leo Wilson is a retired Internal Medicine specialist who was admired by his patients. His children love him and his grandchildren dote on him.

The words father and papa are not just exclusive to lay family life, several Christian denominations address their clergy as “Father”. This includes many Orthodox and Anglican Churches in addition to the Roman Catholic Church. In fact, my wife, a Lutheran Minister, was called ‘Father’ Linnea one day by a Greek Orthodox patient in the hospital during her seminary’s Clinical Pastoral Education internship. She was simply making rounds in the hospital to give communion to inpatients and the patient called her “Father” out of respect for her position.

Many refer to the Pope as the Holy Father to acknowledge the sacred nature of his role as spiritual leader. Interestingly, the word “Pope” comes from the Latin word “Papa”, which means “Father”. All of the Papa Leos I know (Robert Leo, Joseph Leo, Ronald Leo, and Pope Leo XIV) have been spiritual leaders who encourage their followers to walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us. 

In God’s love, 

Lanny F. Wilson, MD 

“So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.” - - Pope Leo XIV