Sonal Castelino is the Director of Mission and Ministry at the University of St. Michael’s College and a candidate with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto.
Pope Francis – I remember. Pope Francis – I am grateful.
As I draft this reflection, I have Pope Francis’ Hope: The Autobiography on my desk, which arrived just in time for my reading for the Easter season as a way to walk with Pope Francis during the jubilee of hope. Now in a mysterious way he walks with me at the conclusion of his earthly pilgrimage. I never met Pope Francis but his papacy coincides with my formation and work in ministry, as well as personal discernment of vocation and place within the Catholic Church. Thus I am deeply influenced by his leadership.
I remember March 13, 2013, very well. It was a Wednesday. I was a master’s student at Regis College and our weekly liturgy was on Wednesday at 1:30 pm. Gordon Rixon SJ, then Dean of Studies, was the presider and we had a St.Patrick’s day social scheduled post-liturgy.
For Mass, Gordon chose to celebrate the Mass of the Holy Spirit because the Cardinals were prayerfully electing, perhaps counting votes, for the successor of St. Peter at that time. He suggested that we unite our prayers with their prayers. At the end of Mass, we heard that the election concluded and that there was white smoke. Needless to say, the St. Patrick’s celebration quickly transformed into a watch party with about 50 of us gathered in the Student Lounge, the TV wheeled in, eagerly waiting for the name of the new Pope.
When Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s name was announced and the Papal name, Francis, as his choice, I remembered looking around to see if anyone recognized his name. No one did. A Jesuit from Argentina. Ordained to the priesthood in 1969. A priest ordained after the Second Vatican Council is our new pope. Having taken Prof. Michael Attridge’s Vatican II course the previous year, I remember an instant prayer of gratitude and hope that this papacy under the direction and service of Pope Francis might inspire us to embrace the aggiornamento desired by the Council Fathers in 1962.
When Pope Francis made his appearance on the balcony, I do not remember anything he said but him bowing down and asking the world to pray for him – that silence – is forever imprinted in my heart. This is how he commenced his papacy, as a servant of the servants of God, a memory I have returned to many times over the past 12 years.
While many of us will have our own memories and what we choose to hold on to from Pope Francis’ legacy. Below are a few that I cherish.
Encounter – There are many words that can describe Francis’ papacy and encounter – encuentro – is one. From day one through both words and actions he embodied ENCOUNTER. He encouraged all of us to create a culture of ENCOUNTER – a church that reaches out, that dialogues, that is not afraid. This posture moves us away from the centre and creates space for the other, thus teaching us to enlarge the space of our tent – a phrase that would eventually colour the Synod on Synodality. A difficult thing to do: creating space for the other, when the other is a stranger, unknown, different, but perhaps it becomes easier or at least more important when we are in relationship with the other.
In his visit with Ecclesiastical Movements at the Pentecost Vigil in 2013, with this invitation in mind, he said, “In this ‘stepping out’ it is important to be ready for encounter. For me this word is very important. Encounter with others. Why? Because faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others. We live in a culture of conflict, a culture of fragmentation, a culture in which I throw away what is of no use to me, a culture of waste…However, we must go out to meet them, and with our faith we must create a “culture of encounter”, a culture of friendship, a culture in which we find brothers and sisters, in which we can also speak with those who think differently, as well as those who hold other beliefs, who do not have the same faith.”1
Mercy: Prayer and Action – This is another word that colours Francis’ papacy. Perhaps the most opportune moment for this was the Extraordinary Year of Mercy in 2015 where all the faithful were encouraged to practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and to read Dante’s Divine Comedy as a fitting spiritual guide for the year.2 Up for the challenge a few of us gathered at the late Prof. Janine Langan’s house every month that year to read the Divine Comedy and draw inspiration.
Beyond words, Francis also demonstrated these in so many ways: from Holy Thursday foot washing in prisons and detention centres – a practice he participated in this Holy Thursday, to visiting the hidden, the forgotten, the marginalized in society during his Papal visits.
He also elevated many devotions – Our Lady undoer of knots, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Joseph, Sacred Heart of Jesus – and connected popular piety to social concern and action showing, as the 2016 title aptly holds, the name of God is Mercy.
Humble and Human – I chuckle when I write this: Pope Francis was human. But for people in positions of authority and power, we’re also quick to divinize them. Whether we are attentive about this or not. Francis was under scrutiny since day one and I am certain this affected him in different ways. What strikes me is how he remained authentic about who he is, “a sinner,” as he introduced himself in an interview on September 30: “Yes, perhaps I can say that I am a bit astute, that I can adapt to circumstances, but it is also true that I am a bit naïve. Yes, but the best summary, the one that comes more from the inside, and I feel most true is this: I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.”3 A man of deep faith who knew that his place and valor was nourished by God. Far from perfect – but that was never his intention.
There were many times in his papacy where he took risks and encouraged others to do the same. As a result, his critics were known not only to him but also to the world. What inspires me is that the culture that emerged within Francis’ Papacy allowed space for everyone to not only have an opinion but to voice it. This unveils another dimension within the Synod on Synodality – co-responsibility. As members of the body of Christ and members of the Church all of us have a voice. With such a position we are called then to both listen and speak – in that order. Francis showed this to us. While there are many, one example I would like to highlight is the journey from Laudato si’ to Laudate Deum. Two texts eight years apart. With Laudato si’ in 2015, Pope Francis invited all people of good will to take concrete steps to address the importance of integral ecology and a deeper care for creation. Many movements on the local and global level sprung forth but they were not enough. Eight years later, Pope Francis wrote Laudate Deum, a shorter document but more forceful in language, saying our efforts are not enough.
Francis did not shy away from emotions, his affection for the poor and the forgotten. He has cried out for peace, inclusion, and justice many times both within the Church and globally in the political and economic milieu.
Twelve years ago, Pope Francis was relatively unknown. Today, all of us learned of his passing and many have stopped and reflected. There will be more insightful writings about Francis’ papacy in the days to come on synodality, reforms within the Church, creating more space for women, the list can go on.
These words are more personal. I am grateful for Pope Francis. His joy, radiance, passion, and dedication to drive home that there is room for all in the Church, God’s love is for everyone and that all of us are called to practice this love that gets our hands dirty, that takes risks and goes forward without any hesitation moved by the Holy Spirit. May this continue through all of us touched, challenged, and inspired by him to be the hands and feet of God who is mercy.
1 https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2013/may/documents/papa-francesco_20130518_veglia-pentecoste.html
2 https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2015/05/07/the-pope-the-poet-and-the-year-of-mercy/
3 https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2013/09/30/big-heart-open-god-interview-pope-francis
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