Papa Francisco, saying a painful goodbye to Pope Francis
He led with humility and grace in a life serving all God's creation.
Dear TAT readers,
Good morning and I hope that everyone’s Easter and the other Spring holidays of so many religions, were thoroughly enjoyed and were appropriately enriching, in the past few weeks. Today, after the most important day for Christians and Catholics, we have lost the one Pope of my lifetime, that I believed emulated the life and preachings of Jesus so earnestly. Eschewing the opulence of Papal quarters, his Vatican life was as it had always been, with his flock are rarely the elite of the world. His life was remarkable in every respect and varied, but never once deviated from his passion for loving and serving, marginalized communities. In a world where people consistently ask, WWJD or the phrase, “What would Jesus do,” Papa Francisco, answered with how he lived his life, not just words.
A special advocate in support of immigrants, Papa Francisco understood them well, due to his own father being an Italian emigree to Argentina as a boy. His grandparents left Italy for a variety of reasons, that included the rising fascism of Europe and its rise in their ancestral, Piedmont region of Italy.
His commitment to the priesthood, was focused on those carving out their living, on the periphery of higher social classes. He knew them well and throughout his long career he tirelessly dedicated himself to serving the classes of human beings, most often tended to by Jesus in his brief worldly ministry. He even had been a nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires, before entering the priesthood. He knew the streets as well. There are nearly one and a half billion Catholics worldwide, and today most of them are grieving. In his home country of Argentina where he was beyond an icon, the mourning is intense and deep.
Despite a concerted effort by Steve Bannon, still a close advisor and attack dog of Trump and the MAGA GOP, to turn Catholics against the Pope, the church grew, was reinvigorated and became more inclusive than it had ever been in my lifetime. He tackled the hard problems such as rampant church sexual predation issues, corrupt finances and bureaucracy within the Vatican itself and opened doors, long closed to those demonized by today’s global right.
- An explosive article written by two close associates of Pope Francis has accused Steve Bannon, the chief White House strategist, of espousing “apocalyptic geopolitics” whose roots are “not too far apart” from that of Islamist extremism. - The article in La Civiltà Cattolica, which is vetted by the Vatican before publication, lays out a scathing critique of “evangelical fundamentalism” in the US, arguing that, on issues ranging from climate change to “migrants and Muslims”, proponents of the ideology have adopted a twisted reading of scripture and the Old Testament that promotes conflict and war above all else. - Pope Francis allies accuse Trump White House of 'apocalyptic geopolitics' - The Guardian - Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Vatican correspondent - July 13th, 2017
In our current world, where money and privilege has become their own religions, Papa Francisco was the exception. His preference throughout his career, was to be with those, not of political or social entitlement. He did meet often with world leaders, but was also respectfully intolerant of elite leadership, simply visiting the Vatican for their photo-op moment with the Pope, while embarking on policies that worked against the teachings of Jesus. JD Vance’s audience with Papa Francisco yesterday, was exemplary of his tolerance, despite being publicly critical of Vance’s citing of Catholic doctrine for the Trump administration’s policy towards immigrants.
As late as early February this year and just prior to his hospitalization, the Pope had addressed a letter to US Bishops that was critical of Vance, for citing Catholic doctrine to justify the Trump administration's deportation policy, saying that it “robbed migrants of their dignity.” In many ways, the quote on our very own Statue of liberty, was expressive of Papa Francisco’s life’s work.
"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” -Emma Lazarus - November 2, 1883
Papa Francisco though, transcended nationality, his world was exclusively the souls within it, the care for our environment as God’s creation, and how to improve life for both. Unlike some previous Popes, his world was everyone in it, not just the Catholic flock. How very Jesus-like of him.
On a personal note, regardless of which religious institutions that you align with, or even none at all, this extraordinary man improved our moral lives, not nearly as much preaching as by living an exemplary life of unfettered service to all human beings, and the earth itself as God’s creation. Unafraid of stepping into the ring with aberrant beliefs, religious or otherwise, he defended all of us and the very earth itself, long a target of selfish and greedy, oligarchical industrialists. His prayers for those who deny Climate Change to see the light, were so well grounded in his religious beliefs, as to be inseparable.
Although my religious beliefs are intensely private, like my father, I am an energetic and grateful student of different religious belief systems. When remarkable men and women live amongst us, regardless of religious affiliation such as Papa Francisco, they are to be deeply respected, not for religious doctrine but for how they lead by example in accordance with the highest standards of their respective beliefs. This is but one reason that our constitution, based largely on the ground-breaking concepts of the Scottish Enlightenment, demands that there be no state religion. There is no role for any official religious dominance, as part of our government. This saintly, now departed Papa Francisco, lived his entire life, role modeling service, universal compassion, respect and well-being. What could possibly be more moral than this?
My deepest condolences go out to those that mourn this remarkable man. His legacy is in the true love of God, all mankind and our planet. His goodwill is the most powerful example of how to tame the trending, global wave of far-right, oligarchical and fascist ideology. When we all act in accordance with our most generous religious and moral values, we do as Papa Francisco did, lead by example and crowd out, the evil, intolerance, hate and greed. Though I am not Catholic, my esteem for this extraordinary leader, will remain a prominent lantern, lighting my own way on the path to a more moral life.
May God fill his now empty seat, with one inspired by and living an equally extraordinary life, to our dear departed Papa Francisco.
Back midweek, with a new TAT essay. This essay is not what I had planned for today, but circumstances rendered all other subjects, secondary. When we fail to celebrate the achievements of such human beings, we endanger ourselves and our progeny.
Many firsts for this blessed man but especially his ability to meet with those who disagreed with the values of the Catholic faith and to try and make peace. He understood the messages of St. Francis, to pray for peace unceasingly.