Pope Francis: An enduring example of love and mercy

 

Pope Francis — An Icon of Reconciliation and Mercy

March 13 was a unique day in the history of the Church. On that day, 115 cardinals selected a successor to Pope Benedict XVI, and a crowd of more than a hundred thousand heard for the first time that a new Pope was elected from the Cardinals outside of Europe. For the first time, a Cardinal from Latin America, a Jesuit named Francis, has been elected as the new Pope. More than 5000 journalists were waiting outside to witness this event and report about it to their people spread all across all the  continents of the world. Thus, a new chapter has been opened in the history of the Church with the election of the new Pope. Within a few moments after his public appearance, he gained the affection of the people waiting to see and hear him. His first words were full of love and concern, calling the people to walk with him in this great pilgrimage of faith: “And now let us begin this journey… a journey of fraternity, of trust between us. I hope that this journey of the Church will be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.”

It would be interesting to note what the media, especially the Western media, were saying about the situation of the Church and about the role the new Pope has to play. According to the Press, the Church is falling apart, bedeviled with scandals and moral bankruptcy. Some of the major problems affecting the Church mentioned in the media are the following: sex abuse scandals, bureaucratic infighting in the curia, financial difficulties, money laundering, lack of transparency in the handling of finance, the rise of secularism, women's disenchantment, married clergy etc. According to these media reports, the Church is going to disintegrate unless the above issues are settled.

Some see the Church as a corporation and predict that the infighting among the curial bureaucrats would affect the functioning of the Church. The Economist of March 9, in its leading article, thinks of the Pope as CEO. According to the writer, for the successful governing of the Church, a new management style has to be adopted. They see the Pope as a CEO of a corporation. They suggest that, as the Church is international, it would be wrong to have all the bureaucrats who work in the Curia selected from Rome itself. More internationalization is needed in the functioning of the Church. It has even suggested moving the summer residence of the Pope to a country in Latin America. (This was published before the election of the Pope from Latin America).

With  the election of Pope Francis, the situation has changed, and the media and the people were taken by surprise by his humility and down-to-earth understanding of the people and their problems.

 Pope Francis has consistently used the language of reconciliation, love, and mercy. He has never spoken in a way that would undermine the dignity of any person. Even when urged during meetings or conversations to take stringent actions against individuals whose actions were deemed detrimental to the Church, he refrained from harsh responses or remained silent. He understood that such measures could deepen divisions and escalate hostilities.

From the time of his election as Pope, he led the Church with a new and distinctive perception. The very name he chose—Francis—was initially misunderstood by some as a reference to St. Francis Xavier. However, he clarified that he had chosen the name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, whose love for poverty and nature deeply inspired him, even in his early life.

The Face of Mercy

The central focus of Pope Francis's ministry was mercy. His pastoral approach was deeply marked by compassion, especially in his interactions with the poor and marginalized. He paid close attention to the needs of those living on the streets near the Vatican, ensuring they received food, shelter, and warm blankets.

During the last Synod, upon learning that a homeless person had died, he instructed a cardinal to conduct the funeral rites and have the man buried in the Vatican cemetery. In every country he visited, he made it a point to organize special programs for the poor. He also gave particular attention to migrants. For example, in response to the plight of the Rohingya refugees who fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh, he raised substantial funds to assist the local government with their resettlement. I learned of this personally through Archbishop Kocherry, the former Apostolic Nuncio in Bangladesh.

The Pope was always impartial in his approach. He prioritized visiting poorer nations and reaching out to people of different religions.

A New Definition of Hierarchy

Pope Francis redefined the Church's hierarchy by appointing laypeople, women, and religious to leadership positions in Vatican departments that were traditionally led by cardinals. A layman was appointed as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, and a religious sister became the head of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life. Through these appointments, he emphasized his commitment to recognizing the capabilities of all members of the Church, regardless of their clerical status.

In the Council for the Economy, he appointed three laywomen, demonstrating his intent to involve everyone in the mission of the Church. To further this inclusive vision, he convened two synods and published their findings to guide the Church forward.

Love of Nature

The protection of the environment was one of Pope Francis’s core missions. His love for nature was powerfully expressed in his encyclical Laudato Si'. He called on humanity to recognize the Earth as a divine gift, urging everyone to preserve and enrich it for future generations. He spoke of nature as “our mother” and reminded us that God’s love extends not only to humanity but also to the creation itself.

His Care for the Syro-Malabar Church

Pope Francis took a deep interest in the growth and welfare of various Eastern Catholic Churches. . It was thanks to his encouragement that we were able to establish four dioceses outside India. 

He maintained warm, friendly relationships with those who worked closely with him. Yet, he never hesitated to express his views firmly when necessary, even to those dear to him. He never compromised the good of the Church for the sake of personal ties. 

He had a heartfelt desire to visit India, though sadly, that visit never materialized.

Inclusivity

Pope Francis never made decisions to favor specific groups. His guiding vision was that all people are children of God, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds—even those who may hold extreme or misguided views. He respected the autonomy of local Churches in addressing diocesan issues, believing it was not his role to impose from above.

He viewed all religions and ecclesial communities through the lens of shared humanity and mutual respect. His stance was clear: every Church must make its own decisions, grounded in its unique local context.

A Visionary Shepherd

With his passing, the world has lost a shepherd, a guide, and a visionary. He reached out to all people across races, religions, and nations, seeking to unite them under the umbrella of love. His was a broad, inclusive, and undiluted vision of the Church and of humanity.