Fragile, unwell, but always determined to serve. After his long stay in the hospital, it was so nice to see the Pope yesterday on the famous Vatican balcony. It almost feels as if he wanted to celebrate Easter with Christians and Catholics around the globe, before he was ready to leave this earthly life.
This morning, the Mass at Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church was quite emotional. We were all quite sad and shocked. Father Norbert Fernandes, in his short homily, said something, which I think is really important; the role of the Pope is a difficult one. We should try not to “label” him and his successor. He wasn’t on the left or right of the Catholic Church. We must believe that he tried, a human being, to follow the Holy Spirit and be a witness by reading the signs of challenging times.
He wanted the Church to return to its original roots. The Church was there to serve the people. Pope Francis was authentic, full of love and compassion, especially for those who were often rejected and marginalised.
There are so many anecdotes of him trying to remain “human”, in spite of being the Head of the Catholic Church, a large congregation, representing so many people from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. He lived a simple life. He was humble and approachable. He compared the Church with a field hospital after a battle, which treats people who are wounded and who are suffering.
He removed a lot of formalities from his “papal duties” and enabled his position to become less rigid and structured. He lived in a modest apartment, he rejected the notion of “materialistic luxury”. He was very keen to ensure that the Church is not a Museum but a place for dialogue and reconciliation.
The Synod for Families, which some of my friends attended, historical “Laudato Si” encyclical are only a few other examples of his attempts to reform the Church but also to highlight social injustice and inequality.
Was Pope Francis perfect? No, he wasn’t. Did he make mistakes? Yes, most definitely. Did he manage to resolve the issues? Some would argue that he barely started.
Although the church continues to evolve, to rediscover its identity in constantly changing circumstances, I think that Pope Francis was someone who tried to make a positive impact on our society. He was authentic and full of love; for God and the people he served.
* Michal Siewniak is a Lib Dem activist and councillor for Handside ward, Welwyn Hatfield.
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7 Comments
The Pope remains a highly influential international figure. Pope Francis’s championing of the just treatment of migrants during a political period of increasing populism was a highly important contribution. So too were his sometimes controversial efforts to encourage humanitarian dialogue in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As always, the Vatican speaks behind opulent wealth, in a gilded & impregnable enclave.
It’s no wonder Martin Luther never recanted.
It was true then as it is today.
Martin Luther had his own faults, too: he sided with the Lords against the more radical Protestants and peasants. Francis has tried to open up the Vatican and emphasise the social gospel. Let’s hope that the cardinals elect a successor in the same mould, rather than revert to an authoritarian right-winger.
On March 10, 2022, Pope Francis said: ‘On the second day of the war I went to the Russian embassy at the Holy See to say that I was willing to go to Moscow if Putin would give me a window to negotiate. Lavrov wrote to me saying thank you but now is not the time. Putin knows I am available.
in April 2022, according to a piece in Foreign Affairs, Kyiv and Moscow may have had a tentative deal to end the war. ‘Russia would withdraw to its position on 23 February, when it controlled part of the Donbas region and all of Crimea, and in exchange, Ukraine would promise not to seek NATO membership and instead receive security guarantees from a number of countries.’
A Ukrainian pro-Western paper reported Johnson’s scuttling the talks. During Johnson’s April visit to Kyiv he urged Zelensky, who AOL said on 3 March called for direct negotiations with Putin, to break off talks with Russia because Putin cannot be negotiated with, and the West isn’t ready for the war to end.
I hope all of us will read Pope Francis’ final message.
https://inews.co.uk/news/after-meeting-jd-vance-pope-delivered-pointed-message-world-3651427
Our first thoughts should be for those who feel such loss at this time. Only after that are thoughts about his successor appropriate.
Personally, I would like to see a pope from Africa due to the growing number of Catholics from that continent. I hate all discussion about whether the new pope will be a right-winger or whatever – that misses the point. The important thing, in my view, is getting a man of integrity who will faithfully uphold and promote the teachings of the Church.
Much has been said in tribute to Pope Francis, and I cannot put any of it any better. I have been touched to read tributes from people of other faiths, including our Muslim Lib Dem chair in Stockton, and also people who do not follow any faith
The best tribute of all to him is for all, regardless of any faith or none, to follow his call for compassion, care for our planet, neighbours, the poor, displaced, migrants, and asylum seekers; to be a powerful force for peace.
Those matters must not die with him.
A friend of mine happened to be in St Peter’s Square this morning when the news was announced, and was next to this symbol of a boat. it is a boat carrying people seeking sanctuary. At the front is a Jew and a Muslim stood together.
A picture says a 1,000 words.
Please do take the time to click on the link https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/12/10/784206222/how-one-small-bag-of-food-on-a-giant-sculpture-tells-a-million-immigrant-tales