Pope Francis Passes Away On Easter Monday
Hours after underscoring the need for hope, love and unity during his Easter speech, Pope Francis died at the age of 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber announced his death on April 21, Monday.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was the eldest son of Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori. Originally from Italy, the Bergoglio family relocated to Argentina following the rise of fascism under Benito Mussolini. After receiving a religious education in his youth, Bergoglio was drawn to the Jesuitical school upon a chance visit to the church. Upon completing his formal training as a novitiate, he officially became a Jesuit in March 1960. However, he regularly deviated from the Jesuit line of thinking. Owing to contrarian views that challenged orthodoxy, Archbishop Bergoglio was in “virtual estrangement from the Jesuits” until his papacy.
From Archbishop Bergoglio To Pope Francis
Rising through the ranks due to his charismatic nature and selfless service, Bergoglio ascended to the position of Archbishop of Buenos Aires. In February 2001, Pope John Paul II designated Archbishop Bergoglio as a Cardinal. When Pope John Paul II passed away in 2005, Cardinal Bergoglio participated in the conclave to elect Pope Benedict XVI.
After Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 due to his advanced age, Cardinal Bergoglio emerged as an immediate “papabile” or one of the frontrunners for the papacy. Following the papal inauguration, Cardinal Bergoglio adopted the name Pope Francis, honoring Francis of Assisi, the Italian Catholic Friar.
Pope Francis: A Champion Of Masses
A champion of social justice causes and open dialogue, Pope Francis espoused views considered radical and out-of-the-ordinary for the Catholic church. Likewise, Pope Francis underlined the need to “accept, welcome and accompany” LGBTQ+ people and “denounced” laws criminalizing homosexuality. Furthermore, he also called for active climate action to “protect the environment” and “address its effects on the poor.”
As a result of his unorthodox views, Pope Francis accrued his share of detractors. Politico reporters, Ben Munster and Hannah Roberts described his tenure as a “dramatic papacy.” They noted that he markedly “frustrated conservatives and progressives alike.” Acknowledging that Pope Francis was “beloved by the faithful,” Munster and Roberts observed that he leaves “behind a divided Church.”
During the Easter mass on Sunday, Pope Francis decried xenophobia and called for acceptance of immigrants. He said, “I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!”
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