Remembering Pope Francis

In 2013, Pope Benedict suddenly resigned though he was mentally and physically fit. Pope Francis was not expected to be Pope because there more senior Cardinals and more important, were Europeans. Strange indeed are the ways of the Lord. His election as Pope in 2013 created many firsts. Ever since, Popes came from Israel Constantinople and Europe. His Italian parents immigrated to Argentina. He was born and grew up in Buenos Aires where he became a priest, bishop and Cardinal. 1. He was the first Pope from Latin/South America. 2. The first Jesuit Pope. 3. The first to use Francis as his Papal name. The most popular saints named Francis were super saints. St. Francis De Assisi, Italy created the Franciscan order in the 12th country. St. Francis Xavier was one of the first seven Jesuits. Appointed as Papal Nuncio for Asia, he evangelized in Asia, focusing in India, China, Japan where he died in 1552. 4. Pope Francis made more visits to Africa, Middle East, Asia than the previous Popes. 5. His kindness and respect for LGBT, the poor immigrants, refugees, imprisoned, was very clear because he reached out to them and not for them to be brought to him. 6. He was the first pope to champion, support and defend all movements/awareness/ warning about weather change, environment danger positive action to save Earth from human greed and carelessness.

The church call for synods/ consultations to review, renew, remove, improve, create programs change activities, policies that might be useless obsolete, controversial, duplications of other themes. Church officials from Priest, Bishops, Cardinals, sisters and brothers, Congregation orders participate.

The 2022 Pope Francis Synod was different from previous synods. He wanted the Church to go as deep as it can to see what’s going on. The Cardinals, Bishops were to talk, dialogue, consult the faithful, the parishioners, the GKK and ask for ideas, on how to make the church more appealing to them and more important what’s wrong. The parish priests after meeting the parishioners gives a report to the bishop. The bishop gathers all the parish reports attends the synod and submit the diocese paper. Pope Francis was overwhelmed by the reports of all the dioceses worldwide, that he said, after the October 2023 synod, that they will meet again in October 224 and October 2025 to finalize the findings. For the first time in the Church’s history, the plans, dreams if the faithful on how to make the church more open, friendly, understanding, relevant to them were made part of the overall picture of the church.

Pope John XXIII convened the 1962 synod make the church more friendly to the faithful. For the first time, the church allowed masses in the local dialects, not Latin or English. For many, it was the first time they understand what the mass was all about. This simple act stopped further decay, erosion of the church. I believe that the 2025 Pope Francis Report will also have a great impact on all of us. Babay, Santo Papa. Please pray for us.