I mourn the loss of Pope Francis this week. I am glad he has passed this earthly suffering and gone to his Eternal Reward.
We’ve had our disagreements and frustrations, but it was in a spirit of growth. And I’m glad for the opportunity of his pastoral care in this world.
Moving with the Spirit
After Pope Benedict XVI stepped down, I felt the Holy Spirit moving toward something new.
Yes, his accessible intellectualism drew me deeper in my faith. But Francis’ practice of “smelling like sheep” satisfied a gap in my spirituality.
His early moments captured my imagination. When he embraced a man covered in cysts. When he personally intervened for women seeking annulments, insisting bishops not keep them waiting for years.
He also moved boldly to canonize his friend, Archbishop Romero. Even amongst the controversy of Liberation Theology. His example of uniting a flock in the face of oppression let the love of Christ shine through racial divisions.
Or that time a two-year-old crawled onto the altar during Mass. He kept on with a smile and understanding for God’s children.
Francis was a shepherd truly among his flock. He prioritized action even after Benedict wore down under the weight of Vatican bureaucracy.
Losing the Path
There were also times Francis’ actions confused me.
It was at this time the inefficiencies of Peter’s Pence came to light. I had been skeptical and even more so after learning only 10% of donations made it to peacekeeping efforts. The rest sat in assets, like real estate, “for a rainy day.”
But I never heard any follow up on how he reformed the program. Let alone any property sales to ease a migrant crisis.
Laudato Si addressed worthy environmental concerns. Then, I watched the vigor devolve into carbon trading markets. There was more focus on transferring wealth than caring for creation.
His confusing directives around the Latin Mass threw our local community into uncertainty, leaving traditionalists wondering what would happen to their beloved rite. Then complained to his Jesuit brethren about how frustrating the this wing of the Church was.
Most disheartening was the Vatican’s stance on COVID shots. Yes, giving some concern to your neighbor’s health is a work of mercy. But that’s different from saying you’re callous unless you accept experimental gene therapy.
Refusing exemptions for those of his flock who faced community and workplace persecution created painful divisions.
Hope for What’s Coming
As I pray for Pope Francis’ soul and for our next pope, I find myself contemplating the warning of the Catechism.
We’re told the end times will grow increasingly challenging before Christ’s ultimate victory. Then again, recent memory continues to test the limits of my imagination.
Yet, I am not without hope something better is coming.
So, please, pray with me for a worthy successor.
How has this turn of events impacted you? Share your story in the comments below.
Liberty Begins At Home 
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