THE LEGACY OF POPE FRANCIS

In a world of too few heroes, he was one.

GIUSEPPE CACACE / Staff

Pope Francis truly was a People’s Pope, a profoundly beneficent presence on the world stage. His compassion for the poor, for victims of war in Gaza and elsewhere, for rights of immigrants, and for responsibility to the planet during an era of climate change, were spiritual swords of Truth.

Those of us who embraced his words were uplifted by them. His spirit of radical truth telling, including a devastating critique of the inequities of unfettered capitalism, will live on as searing reminders of our moral responsibilities to each other and to God.

The Pope is obviously the leader of the world’s Catholics, but when his spiritual power is genuine it is a blessing on the world. So it was with Pope Francis. You did not have to be Catholic to sense his holiness or to be grateful for his wisdom. He did not shy away from the political or economic realities of this world. He bravely demonstrated moral leadership, always focusing the world’s attention on the suffering of human beings despite the willingness of the world’s most powerful to dismiss it.

In a world of too few heroes, he was one. Pope Francis lived to give one last Papal blessing on Easter Sunday, as well as - you have to love this!- direct his deputy to give J.D. Vance an hour long lecture on empathy and compassion.

In worldly parlance, what a guy. If anyone belongs in Heaven, he does.

Dear God,

May Francis be received

Into the realms of Heaven

with all the blessings he gave to others

while he was here.

Amen