HONOURING THE LIFE OF POPE FRANCIS

This week, the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis — a shepherd of simplicity, courage, and conviction. As the first Pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to assume the papacy, Jorge Mario Bergoglio brought with him not only the weight of global expectation, but also the unmistakable humility of a servant leader. And he carried both with grace.

I was personally inspired by Francis long before the world knew him as Pope. In the early hours after his election, stories quickly surfaced of him walking the dimly lit streets of Buenos Aires — comforting the sick, serving the poor, tending to the lowly. These were not carefully curated anecdotes but long-held truths whispered among the people he had quietly served for years. From the very start, it was evident: he was a man of Christ.

But while I was moved by his actions, I was just as moved by his words. After all, a man's words are a window to his soul. In his very first papal exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, he wrote with striking clarity:

“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.”

That one sentence has never left me. It is a challenge to the Church — and to us all — to move outwards. To serve. To get our hands dirty in the work of mercy and justice, rather than remain safe and silent behind the stained-glass windows.

Over the years, I have read and re-read all of his papal writings, but none touched me more deeply than his third encyclical, Fratelli tutti. It is, at its heart, a call to fraternity and social friendship — a sacred reminder that we are made for one another. In it, Francis writes:

“Life exists where there is bonding, communion, fraternity; and life is stronger than death when it is built on true relationships and bonds of fidelity.” (Fratelli tutti, 87)

This is more than a political or philosophical statement — it is a theological one. For Pope Francis, the wellbeing of each person is not a side issue. It is central to our shared faith. The care we show for others — especially the most vulnerable — is not a nice extra. It is the Gospel made visible.

So, what can we learn from his life?

At St Thomas More’s, we learn that greatness is not measured in titles, power, or prestige — but in tenderness, humility, and the courage to accompany others. We learn that the Church is not just something we go to; it is something we are. A people walking together, not inwardly focused but outwardly present in a world that is aching for light.

May we be a school community marked by joyful service, bold compassion, and unshakable hope — the kind Pope Francis modelled so beautifully for us all.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Amen.

Mr Casimir Douglas

Friday 2nd May, 2025