“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced last week. The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis had died from a stroke. His death comes after he was admitted to Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic on Feb 14 following a respiratory issue that developed into double pneumonia, a condition likely exacerbated by the Pope’s history of chronic lung disease and the fact he had part of one lung removed when he was younger.
Despite his health complications, Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday to bless thousands in St. Peter’s Square, the same loggia where he was announced to be the next Pope in 2013.
With his appointment, Francis ushered in a new era for the church, preaching humility over hubris at a time when the Catholic church was riddled with scandal. He was often ridiculed by conservatives for his progressive approach, including his open acceptance and outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, cracking down on traditionalists in the church, advocacy for migrants, and criticism of the global economic system that creates climate issues. He was a pope of many firsts; notably the first pope from the Americas, the first to take the name of Francis after St. Francis of Assisi, the first Jesuit, a Roman Catholic order of priests, to be pope and the first to visit Iraq.
His life was not without scandal, however, in 2018 Francis came under fire when he defended a Chilean priest accused of being complicit in sexual abuse by clergy. He quickly sought to rectify the situation, and invited the accusers to the Vatican so he could apologize to them in person. He did not stop there, and opted to bring the Chilean Bishops conference to Rome and urge them to resign. He also passed church laws abolishing pontifical secrecy and created procedures to investigate bishops who cover up or perpetrate abuse. These moves sought to rectify Francis’ mistake and show the church’s commitment to change the narrative around sexual abuse in the church and implement concrete steps to combat it.
Martin O’Connor, a professor and the university’s chaplain, said, “For millions of people in a world fragmented by wars and divisions of all sorts, Pope Francis personified what it means to live a life of faith.
“His was a life of service, a life given over to the needs of others, Throughout his ministry, but especially in his 12 years as Pope, Francis offered the world an example of Christian witness on behalf of those most in need, those who find their way on the margins of our society. His voice, now sadly silent, called each of us to greater service of one another. The world has lost a moral giant. Those of us who worship in the Roman Catholic tradition feel his loss even more acutely because he was our chief shepherd to whom we looked for guidance and inspiration.”
Pope Francis was buried Saturday outside of the Vatican at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome as outlined in his official testament in 2022.
