Remembering Pope Francis

“Solidarity, understood in its most profound meaning, is a way of making history, and this is what popular movements are doing . . .”
(Fratelli Tutti, §116)

At the heart of his Pontificate, Pope Francis proclaimed solidarity as a central virtue of what it means to be Catholic and Christian. His solidarity extended to Indigenous peoples, the LGBTQIA+ community, victims of genocide, women in leadership, and even to our winged, furred, and finned siblings throughout all of Creation.

He modeled this in ways that were profoundly radical—his nightly pastoral calls to Holy Family Parish in Gaza, his encyclical Laudato Si’, his washing of the feet of prisoners and refugees, and countless other actions that number easily into the thousands. True to his commitment to accessibility, he offered a public audience on his final day on Earth, even traveling through St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile to offer up-close blessings to those gathered for Easter.

One of his most transformative contributions to the Church was the Synod on Synodality. He opened the door for meaningful structural change, grounded in the grassroots. He listened deeply to the people and invited them to shape what the Church means and how we live out the Gospel. This is, at its core, the spirit of community organizing.

Pope Francis was a Pontiff like no other, leading by example to remind us that we are a Church that is poor and for the poor.

Words cannot fully capture the impact he had on our work. He inspired countless workshops, organizing strategies, and spiritual practices. His writings and actions will continue to guide and shape how we live out our mission. He embodied solidarity in its truest form.

Now, with his passing into the Eternal Realm, it falls to us to carry on his example. Well-funded political forces and alt-right movements are working to redefine what it means to be Catholic—offering a vision that stands in stark contrast to the love and justice Pope Francis modeled.

He was unafraid to call out these movements and their hypocrisy. Like so many who followed in Jesus’ footsteps, he knew that we are called to be a people who bring God’s love and justice into the world.

Pope Francis’ prophetic witness of solidarity revealed the beauty—and the messiness—of humanity’s interconnectedness. As we pray for his peaceful transition into the Creator’s embrace, we are left with a question worthy of deep reflection:

Are we willing to make history, as he did?