A Shepherd of Love, for All People
With heavy hearts and deep gratitude we remember Pope Francis—a humble leader who reminded the world that love must always come first.
From the moment he stepped onto the balcony as the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis, he set a new tone—one of tenderness, simplicity, and compassion.
Throughout his life, Pope Francis made it his mission to reach those on the margins: the poor, the forgotten, the excluded. He spoke often of a world in need of healing and of communities rooted in care, humility, and hope. His message was not only for Catholics, but for people of all faiths and all walks of life—a call to build bridges, protect the vulnerable, and care for our common home.
Whether washing the feet of prisoners, embracing refugees, or calling out injustice, he showed us that leadership grounded in love can transform lives. He challenged systems and inspired hearts.
May we honor his legacy not only with words, but by continuing the work of compassion, justice, and welcome for all.
Rest in peace, dear Papa Francisco. Thank you for walking with us.
Reflections from Leaders
Meg Bowerman, St. Columba Catholic Church, Oakland:
What comes to me foremost about Pope Francis is that like a lot of other prophets, he had a transformation in his life that led to his leadership. The people formed him, the marginalized in Argentina formed him. When he was made pope his Jesuit brothers said, “Don’t forget the poor,” — and he didn’t.
I am very proud of how he spoke up for Mother Earth. In his encyclical, Laudato sí, my community and I always marvel not only at what he said, but how he said it.
Jay Mitchell ~ St. Augustine Catholic Church, Oakland:
I am really moved by his example of wanting to turn the Catholic church into a poor church for the poor. He wanted less of the imperial extravagance of the church — not only in symbols but in actual money, to not hoard and invest but spend it on helping people.
Being a South American Jesuit was a mind-blowing choice from a historical perspective for the College of Cardinals, although his parents (like a surprisingly large number of Argentinians) were Italian immigrants. So he spoke Spanish and Italian fluently (contributing to his “pastoral” sense as the Bishop of Rome).
His influence brought more public art in Vatican City. There is a sculpture of Jesus as a homeless person, lying under a blanket on a park bench. You can tell it is Jesus by the nail wounds in his feet. The artwork references Matthew 25:40: “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Seeing that made me put more of my faith into action.
The late pontiff was a “de facto” FIAEBer for his dedication to the poor, marginalized, and especially the migrant and refugee particularly in the United States. He was in the fight with us. Pope Francis recently wrote a letter to the United States Council of Bishops, encouraging them strongly to protect the dignity of immigrants:
“The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.”
The full text of the February 2025 letter to the US Bishops is here: Pope writes letter to US bishops about migration (Full text)