In the days which have passed since we heard the news on Easter Monday of the death of Pope Francis, much has been said and written about his life, his influence within the Church and his influence globally. Alongside expressions of profound sadness, people from all walks of life have acknowledged, with deep gratitude, the witness of “the People’s Pope” over the past 12 years.
Within Mercy Ministry Companions, we are inspired by the Gospel vision of Catherine McAuley who named ‘mercy’ as the business of our lives. As a pastoral leader, Pope Francis has continued to inspire us to foster “a heart for Mercy” as we follow Jesus in our time and context.
- How blessed are we as part of the global Mercy family to be able to respond, through our ministries, to his call for us to be people of compassion, mercy, justice, healing, inclusion, peace and hope!
- How blessed are we to have been enriched by his reflections and writings during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2015-2016!
- How blessed are we to ponder his challenging image of the church as a ‘field hospital’ and his call to its pastors to be ‘shepherds with the smell of the sheep’!
- How blessed are we to be living in the time when the eighth Work of Mercy “to care for our common home” was added to the traditional Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy which underpin our service and accompaniment of others!
- How blessed are we as people of faith to be exploring together ways we can reflect a synodal way of ‘being church’ now and in the future!
- How blessed are we to be journeying with each other as ‘pilgrims of hope’ in this Jubilee year of 2025!
- How blessed are we to acknowledge with humility that there is more healing work to be done within the Church and the wider world if we are to include everyone and respect their dignity!
The life and death of Pope Francis will continue its influence on us. We give thanks for his courageous witness to the Easter message of life, death and resurrection. May God’s spirit guide those who will discern the person to replace him. May Pope Francis rest in peace.
Annette Schneider rsm
