Bishop’s Message
Dear Fathers, Sisters, and Brothers ,
Greetings!
We have not yet come out of the sad fact that our beloved Pope Francis is no more. His charismatic and servant leadership still reverberates in our minds and hearts. Even though we miss him in reality, he will live forever in our hearts. His witness of simplicity, his tender love as a shepherd who knows the smell of the sheep, and his fearless voice as a prophet continue to echo in the life of the Church and in the soul of the world. He taught us that true greatness lies in service, that true power is mercy, and that true courage is found in hope. As we carry forward his dreams and his prayers, we know he is still alive with us, walking quietly beside us, leading us closer to the heart of Christ, where love never ends.
The image of Jorge Mario Bergoglio stepping onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on March 13, 2023 remains etched in our hearts – a moment as fresh and alive today as it was then. As he bowed before the world asking for the people’s blessing before offering his own, the Church and the world witnessed something extraordinary: a simple man carrying a great mission with deep humility and startling courage. As he narrates in his autobiography ‘HOPE’, his life has always been marked by simplicity. Born in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrant parents, he lived a modest life, commuting by bus, cooking his own meals even as a bishop and cardinal. His choice of the name ‘Francis’, after St. Francis of Assisi, was itself a powerful symbol of simplicity, poverty, and care for the marginalized.
In his Encyclical Laudato Si (2015), Pope Francis reveals his soul’s affinity for simplicity. He says: “There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions” (no. 211). His very lifestyle speaks louder than his words rejecting the palace meant for the Holy Father for a modest guesthouse room in Casa Santa Marta, preferring simple attire, and showing tenderness in each personal encounter – be they statesmen, leaders of nations or simple people from every walk of life. Simplicity for Francis is not a style. It is, for him, a Gospel truth lived in every fiber of his being. Pope Francis was a Simple Person! His simplicity is for us a lesson to learn!
Pope Francis constantly reminded us that a true shepherd must smell like the sheep. In his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (2013), he writes with moving sincerity: “Here I repeat for the entire Church what I have often said to the priests and laity of Buenos Aires: 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 confined and from clinging to its own security” (no. 49). He called the Church not to be a museum for the perfect but a field hospital healing wounds and spreading God’s love without judgment.
His humility exuded in his pastoral approach. He listens more than he speaks, embraces sinners with open arms, and never tires of reminding the faithful that “the confessional is not a torture chamber, but the place of the Lord’s mercy” (EG 44). In Misericordiae Vultus, Pope Francis speaks from a heart that knows it need God’s mercy – a very humble, childlike trust in God’s endless forgiveness (no. 22). As a humble pastor, he embodied the face of the merciful Father, tirelessly seeking the lost, binding wounds, and carrying the weak on his shoulders like Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
We have seen his love for the people was tender and personal. In his visits to prisons, refugee camps, hospitals, and slums, Pope Francis reminded the people that they are first in God’s heart. He washed the feet of the inmates and Muslims, kissed the faces of the disabled, and held the hands of the dying – always with the humility of a servant of God’s love and compassion. Pope Francis was a Humble Pastor! His humility is an exceptional example to follow!
Pope Francis was a lion-hearted prophet who spoke truth to power like Jesus before Pilot with fearless conviction. He called out indifference, corruption, consumerism, clericalism, environmental degradation and injustice, even when it cost him popularity or invited criticism. He made historic strides in increasing women’s presence in leadership positions of greater influence in the Vatican such as members of Vatican dicasteries and advisors in areas like economics, finance, and doctrinal issues. His reforms of the Roman Curia to be more collaborative and decentralized had been both bold and transformative and the establishment of a Council of Cardinals, known as the C9, to advise him on reform of the Curia, a move that was unprecedented in history. His concept of the Church as synodal is prophetic as it challenges the traditional models of Church governance and leadership, calling the Church to embrace a more inclusive, participatory and communal approach.
His prophetic voice echoed the cries of the poor, the migrants, the abused, and the earth itself. In Fratelli Tutti, he decries: “Each day offers us a new opportunity, a new possibility… We are called to be God’s co-workers in a task of building bridges and breaking down wall” (no. 183). Pope Francis’s courage was manifest during the COVID-19 pandemic when he stood alone in a rain-soaked, empty St. Peter’s Square, blessing the world with the Blessed Sacrament on March 27, 2020. It was not just a moment of prayer; it was a prophetic cry that even in desolation, God’s mercy abides. His prophetic leadership called the Church not to turn inward, but to go forth from comfort zone “in order to reach all the “peripheries” in need of the light of the Gospel” (EG, 20).
He was deeply united in heart with young people and believed that are the ‘now’ of God (Christus Vivit, 178 & 64). He was also renowned for his deep commitment to interreligious dialogue, fostering relationships with leaders of various faiths to promote peace, mutual love and solidarity. Pope Francis was indeed a Courageous Prophet! His prophetic courage is an inspiration to act!
Pope Francis, with his simplicity, humility, and courage, has shown us the way of being true disciples of Christ. Let us not only admire him but imitate him – by living simply, serving humbly, and standing bravely for truth. In following his example, may we become signs of hope and God’s mercy to the wounded world!