Remembering Pope Francis

Matthew Willar

News Editor

Head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, died on April 21, the day after Easter Sunday. The Pope delivered a final blessing on Easter to an audience at the Vatican before he died the following day. Pope Francis had been recovering from double pneumonia and other health issues.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, Pope Francis had been a member of the Catholic Church since his early life in Argentina. He was first ordained as a Catholic Priest in 1969, ultimately leading to his later status as a cardinal. In 2013, he was elected to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned.

Throughout his tenure as Pope, Bergoglio was a known champion of support for humanity during foreign conflicts and support for the poor. However, it was his stance towards LGBTQ+ individuals that made him different from previous Popes. In 2013, he called on the Catholic Church to “distinguish between a sin and a crime,” towards LGBTQ+ individuals, according to the Associated Press. Bergoglio still held some traditional values, but emphasized not enforcing them on other individuals.

Bergoglio was also a known figure during times of conflict. In 2022, he visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to express his sorrow and support for the country following the escalation of Russia’s invasion. In response to the Israel-Hamas war, Bergoglio condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, but he also criticized some of Israel’s strikes towards Palestine. Bergoglio made it an obligation to share his stances with the world.

One of the former pontiff’s biggest appearances was at the 50th G7 Summit in 2024. He became the first pontiff to participate in a G7 event, where he was joined by world leaders, notably former President Joe Biden and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In his remarks to the summit, the Pope addressed humanitarian issues in the current world conflicts and added remarks on reproductive practices. However, he did not mention the word “abortion” in his speech.

In his last days before his death, Bergoglio continued to work despite recently returning from five weeks in the hospital. He made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, greeted by an uproar of applause from the crowd at St. Peter’s Square. The Pope’s funeral was held on April 21, with over 140,000 people attending the procession in Vatican City.