In Memoriam: Pope Francis
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:11
With deep sorrow and abiding faith in the promise of the Resurrection, the Church mourns the passing of Pope Francis, the 266th successor of St. Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. His Holiness passed into eternal life on April 21, 2025, after years of tireless service to the People of God.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to take the name Francis—after St. Francis of Assisi, the beloved saint of peace and poverty. Elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, his 12-year pontificate was marked by a profound emphasis on mercy, humility, and care for the poor, the marginalized, and creation.
From the very beginning of his papacy, Pope Francis sought to model the simplicity and compassion of Christ. His apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”) called the Church to a renewed missionary zeal, and his encyclicals Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti echoed the Gospel message of love, solidarity, and justice in our troubled world. He reminded the world again and again that “the name of God is Mercy,” and that the Church is called to be a field hospital for the wounded.
Pope Francis was a shepherd who walked with his flock. He visited the forgotten corners of the world, spoke out boldly for the voiceless, and continually pointed us back to the face of Christ in the poor, the immigrant, the prisoner, and the unborn. Even amid personal suffering and increasing frailty, he remained a tireless witness to the joy and hope of the Resurrection.
As we entrust his soul to the loving mercy of God, we give thanks for his life, his teachings, and his enduring example of pastoral charity. May Pope Francis now be welcomed into the eternal embrace of the Good Shepherd whom he served so faithfully.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.
In Christ,
Fr. Joe Connelly