He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, ordained a Catholic Priest of the Jesuits in 1969, ordained a Bishop in 1992, made a Cardinal in 2001; Francis was the first of his name as Pope, elected 13th March, 2013. And 12 years later, his authority as the 266th Vicar of Christ on earth came to an end, with his passing on Easter Monday, 21st April, 2025. Francis positively affected the world immensely with his person and Papacy. His Papacy was hinged and founded on Mercy, as seen in the Motto of his Coat of Arms; Miserando Atque Eligendo… Having Mercy, He Called Him.
Mercy and compassion drove Francis to every action and fashioned every speech. He believed and taught that with mercy and compassion, justice and fairness can be achieved and the world becomes a better place. The mercy he taught is double-directional. First, as sinners, we should constantly seek God’s mercy because he is never tired of forgiving us; for God hates the sin but loves the sinner. He tirelessly encouraged the faithful to approach the sacrament of Reconciliation. As a means of encouragement, Francis inaugurated the extraordinary jubilee year of Mercy from December 2015 to November 2016, where he gave priests the faculty to absolve the faithful from those sins reserved to the Bishop or the Pope.
Inspired by the forgiveness of God, we should tirelessly extend forgiveness to others; in our families, our communities, schools, local Church and every sphere of human relationship we find ourselves. Francis taught that the mercy we bear should come to life in the kindness we show to the world, most especially the less privileged and marginalized in any form and for whatsoever reason. The rights and freedom of every human should and must be respected. So, he visited heads of countries suffering from the ravages of war and genocide (South Sudan, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Colombia, Canada). He reached out to those within such communities; he shared in the pain and suffering of peoples (the Holy Family Parish of Gaza).
And he spoke out against every policy and action, of leaders and followers alike, that were against peace, justice and fairness. Mercy also drove his call to inclusivity in the society and the Church. In the Church, inclusivity was at the heart of the Synod on Synodality, between 2021 and 2024. The Synod aimed to seek out more ways to draw the faithful closer and encourage their increased, more active participation in the life and mission of the Church. While promoting transparency between the clergy and the faithful in the Church, Francis did not fail to adequately attend to issues of clerical abuse in any form; due sanctions were given to those found guilty, and he did not cease to encourage and strengthen his brothers – bishops and priests and deacons – to be faithful to the life and not be discouraged by the many daily challenges. Francis did not cease to speak for the care of the earth, the responsible use of resources and due attention to our environment.
He summed his thoughts in the encyclical, Laudato Si, one of the highlights of his Papacy, teaching that the earth is our common home, our dominion is not to destroy but preserve, and if we destroy the earth, we lose our home. Waste of resources, uncontrolled hunting, irresponsible disposing of dirt, poor attention to sanitation, consumerism (greed) and deforesting without a doubled attention and effort towards afforestation kill the ecosystem, the animals, humans and the earth. To his flock, he never stopped saying, pray. He invited all to sainthood; we need saints in jeans, saints on the internet, saints on the streets. So, he began the canonization process of the now Blessed Carlo Acutis. Francis asked that the world should never lose hold of hope, nor steal it from people, most especially the young who are the hope of tomorrow, the future. Francis inaugurated the ordinary jubilee year of Hope 24th December, 2024. He teaches that we are pilgrims of hope and hope does not disappoint, so, “we must fan the flame of hope that has been given us, and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”
Francis, the ardent devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Francis, his vehicle to achieve all this was his humility and simplicity; he was a gentle man. Francis was an emblem of kindness. Even in pain and difficulty, he encouraged his brothers and flock to find joy and laughter to serve God fruitfully in the world. Francis, the man with a pristine and contagious sense of humour. Francis, friend of the poor, lowly, suffering, marginalised and unloved. Francis, the voice of the voiceless. Francis, father of the young. Francis, the easily misquoted and misunderstood. Yet he stood firm and progressed. Francis saw and felt the pain around and sought to heal the world. So, he flew a flag of peace, mercy and compassion.
Of the 266th Vicar, we can boldly say; truly, we saw Christ in him. In 2013, with joy we shouted; habemus papam – we have a Pope. Today, with great pride, we can beat our chests and say; in Francisco, habueramus Papam – in Francis, we had a Pope. Thank you, Papa Francesco, you have fought the good fight and finished the race. May you now rest in the bosom of him whose Vicar you were and she, to who you were so devoted. And pray for us that we may find mercy, kindness, peace and joy, and share them with others; work towards a better world; and never lose our hope.
