Reflecting on the witness of the Holy Father as the conclave prepares to elect his successor.
As we continue to pray for the repose of the soul of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, it is a fitting time to reflect with gratitude for his extraordinary witness to the Gospel. His pontificate, marked by humility, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to those on the peripheries, has left an indelible mark on the church and the world. In this time of reflection, we recall his words, his actions and the enduring legacy of a shepherd who tirelessly pointed us toward the heart of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, ascended to the Chair of St. Peter in 2013, introducing himself as a servant from “the end of the world.” His simplicity and warmth captivated the faithful and the wider world from the outset. He modeled a church that goes forth to the peripheries, both existential and geographic. “A Church that does not go out of itself,” he said, “sooner or later, becomes sick from the stale air of closed rooms.” These words, from his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” became a clarion call for missionary discipleship, inviting us to approach others with the joy of the Gospel and the reason for our hope. Pope Francis recognized the desperate need of the modern world for Jesus Christ, inviting us to see the church as a “field hospital” caring for those most wounded by the consequences of sin in this life and most in need of Our Lord, the divine physician.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis reminded us that the Gospel is not an abstract ideal but a living reality embodied in the dignity of every person. “Realities are greater than ideas,” the Holy Father emphasized, by which he meant that our real-world encounter with our brothers and sisters and our practice of faith, hope, and love are greater and more important than abstract economic, political, or social ideologies that promise false and illusory answers. Pope Francis’ defense of the vulnerable — especially the unborn, the poor, and the migrant — was rooted in the truth that each person is precious to God. He challenged the world to reject what he called a “throwaway culture,” one that discards the weak and marginalized. In his 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’,” he extended this call to care for our common home, declaring, “Everything is interconnected, and this invites us to develop a spirituality of that global solidarity which flows from the mystery of the Trinity.” His prophetic voice urged us toward fraternal solidarity, calling us to build bridges of peace and reconciliation. His designation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016 invited us to experience God’s forgiveness and to extend it to others, for, as he said, “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life.”
One of the most enduring images of his pontificate came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Pope Francis stood alone in a rain-swept St. Peter’s Square, leading the world in a moment of Eucharistic Adoration and blessing. Prior to the silence of that moment, Pope Francis encouraged the conversion of the world: “Faith begins when we realize we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives.”
His emphasis on synodality, on journeying together as a church, will continue to guide us in listening for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as will his encouragement to hope. “We are all pilgrims of hope,” he observed in opening this Jubilee Year of Hope, a fitting capstone to his pontificate. The church’s vision of hope is not naive optimism, but a call to radical trust in God’s providence, urging us to walk with one another toward our heavenly home.
May we honor Pope Francis’ legacy by living as joyful disciples, proclaiming the Gospel with courage, defending the vulnerable, and serving the poor. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May Pope Francis, our Holy Father, rest in peace.
Finally, may we unite in prayer for our cardinals as they gather to elect a new Holy Father. And when he is announced, may we pray in a special way for God to pour out his grace upon our church to witness ever more effectively to a world whose deepest aspirations and longings are answered in the person of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
