Pope Francis, the 266th Bishop of Rome whose papacy emphasized mercy, social justice, and inclusivity, has died at the age of 88 following a lengthy battle with pneumonia. His passing, in the early hours of Easter Monday, marks the end of his 12-year papal tenure—a sacred responsibility he approached with humility, deep compassion, and an undeniable devotion to God.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to a working-class family in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis made history in 2013 as the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit pope. He took the name Francis after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the poor, and from the beginning, he
demonstrated an intense and deep devotion to the marginalized. Throughout his tenure as pope, Francis consistently spoke of a Church that looks to the lowest in our society to lift us high, encouraging parishioners in his first apostolic exhortation (Evangelii Gaudium, or The Joy of the Gospel) to “find Christ in them.” His unwavering focus on mercy, outreach, and poverty exemplified his progressive pastoral vision—to reorient the Catholic Church’s global presence toward advocacy for those living in material and spiritual poverty.
In his actions, too, Francis showed his earnest desire to create a Church that is “poor and for the poor.” He rejected many of the traditional trappings of the office, choosing to live in the Vatican guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace of his predecessors, where he continued to reside until his passing. He repeatedly challenged the rigid doctrine of the Church, bringing us into a new era marked by direct encounters with both geographical and existential peripheries, often urging Catholics to focus on compassion. Francis embraced refugees, people with disabilities, and those living outside the law, even when it was unpopular to do so. He spoke often of a “field hospital” that heals wounds rather than casting judgment, calling upon us all to open our hearts and welcome the role of medic.
Pope Francis sought to heal the world—spiritually and physically—passionately urging us in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ to care for God’s creation, linking environmental destruction to the suffering of the poor and framing environmental justice as a moral imperative. He demanded us to find God within our physical environment, cultivating the greenness of our world as we seek to nurture God’s love.
Despite criticism from some conservative factions within the Church, Pope Francis remained steadfast in his commitment to reform and renewal. He led efforts to make the Vatican more transparent, tackled corruption at all levels, and initiated a new openness to discussions on taboo topics such as LGBTQ+ inclusion, clerical celibacy, and the role of women in the Church. Even if these discussions were not always followed by immediate structural change, Francis led us on a new path—one guided by listening to others as we do to God, seeing His presence in all that we encounter.
At institutions like Saint Anselm College, Pope Francis’s legacy will be remembered not only in the classroom but in the everyday spiritual life of the community. Our monastic community’s connection to Francis stretches even beyond his words; the abbacy of Abbot Isaac Murphy—the first abbot in Church history to serve without ordination—serves as a testament to Francis’s embrace of new expressions of leadership in Catholic life and governance. His death will certainly resonate deeply within the Benedictine community at the Abbey, where, according to Father Benedict, “the monks… have listened to every major encyclical or apostolic letter that he has written.” Likewise, the Hilltop will mark his passing with solemn reverence and prayer in the days and weeks to come. Professor Marc Rugani, discussing Pope Francis’s health struggles earlier this year, highlighted the lasting campus-wide impact of the pope’s teachings. “His outreach and hospitality to those at the margins… reinforces my confidence in the mission of our school and our approach to serving all of our students in and through the Catholic Christian faith.”
Even in his final days, Pope Francis continued to teach, never ceasing to call for solidarity among all of God’s children across borders. His legacy, of love through action and an ongoing pursuit of a Church “where everyone can feel welcomed, loved, forgiven, and encouraged to live the good life of the Gospel,” will survive long after any of us, the world still reverberating with the echo of his call: to love without limits, walk humbly, and serve with joy.