Pope Francis: A Shepherd of Mercy and Compassion
In Memory of Jorge Mario Bergoglio – Pope Francis
December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025
Pope Francis was known for his warm smile and humble, approachable presence as the leader of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025) was the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, serving from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first from the Jesuit order. Throughout his life, Pope Francis emphasized living the Gospel with joy, mercy, and humility. He is remembered for his deep love for the poor, his concern for God’s creation, and his fatherly, pastoral approach that endeared him to millions around the world.
Early Life and Calling
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, to a family of Italian immigrant heritage. In his youth he survived a serious illness that led to part of one lung being removed. After recovering, he felt called to serve God and entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1958. Bergoglio was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969.
As a Jesuit priest and teacher, he was known for simplicity and spiritual zeal. He later became a bishop, and in 1998 he was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires, caring for the people of his vast city. Archbishop Bergoglio often personally visited the poorest neighborhoods (the slums of Buenos Aires), doubling the number of priests working in those areas; this hands-on care earned him the nickname “the slum bishop” for his outreach to the poor. In 2001, Pope John Paul II created him a cardinal (naming him to the College of Cardinals).
From Argentina to the Papacy
Cardinal Bergoglio became well respected for his humility, intellect, and pastoral heart. Then, in a historic moment, he was elected as pope by the College of Cardinals on March 13, 2013, after the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He was 76 years old at the time of his election.
Taking the papal name Francis (after St. Francis of Assisi), the new pope signaled his commitment to simplicity and concern for the poor and vulnerable. “When the votes reached two-thirds… he gave me a hug and a kiss and said: ‘Don’t forget the poor!’… How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor!” he recounted, explaining why he chose the name Francis.
From his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis displayed a humble spirit – greeting the world with a simple “Brothers and sisters, good evening!” and asking the crowd to pray for him before he gave his blessing. He was the first pope ever from Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit pope in history. These “firsts” brought new perspectives to the papacy.
Rather than moving into the grand papal apartments, Pope Francis chose to live in a modest guesthouse (Casa Santa Marta) with other visitors, to maintain a simple lifestyle and daily contact with ordinary people. This simple way of life and openness set the tone for his reign.
A Papacy Marked by Mercy
Mercy was the cornerstone of Pope Francis’ message and ministry. He often taught that God’s mercy is limitless and should be at the heart of Christian life. “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just,” Pope Francis preached early in his pontificate.
In 2015–2016 he declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy to encourage Catholics to experience God’s forgiveness and show mercy to others. He constantly reminded people that “the Lord never tires of forgiving” and that the Church must be a conduit of that forgiveness.
As pope, he reached out to those who felt distant from the Church or hurt, striving to heal wounds with compassion. In one moving gesture during his first Holy Week as pope, Francis visited a juvenile prison and washed the feet of 12 inmates – including young women and Muslims – an unprecedented break with tradition for a pope. This powerful act of service, imitating Christ at the Last Supper, showed that no one is outside of God’s mercy.
Pope Francis taught that the Church should be like a “field hospital” – going out to meet people in their suffering with mercy and care. He even took as his papal motto Miserando atque eligendo (“By showing mercy and by choosing”), underlining that he felt chosen by God’s mercy. In 2016, at the close of the Year of Mercy, he wrote Misericordia et Misera, stressing that the need for mercy in the world is never ending.
For Pope Francis, mercy was “the air we breathe” as Christians – a message he championed throughout his papacy to help people know the tender, forgiving love of God.
Love for the Poor and Vulnerable
From the beginning, Pope Francis has been a champion of the poor and those on the margins of society. He often said he dreamed of “a poor Church for the poor,” meaning a Church that prioritizes the needs of the vulnerable. In both words and actions, he urged Catholics to remember that Jesus is present in the suffering of the needy.
One of his well-known quotes explains that “The Pope loves everyone, rich and poor alike, but the Pope has the duty, in Christ’s name, to remind the rich to help the poor.” He lived this out by supporting charitable initiatives, personally visiting favelas, slums, homeless shelters, and refugee centers to offer comfort.
Early in his papacy, Francis established showers and care facilities for the homeless in Rome and invited the homeless to dine at the Vatican on his birthday. He also created a special office of almsgiving to directly assist those in need.
His first trip outside Rome as Pope was to the island of Lampedusa in 2013, where he mourned refugees who died at sea and pleaded for a compassionate response to migrants. Pope Francis continually called attention to injustices like homelessness, human trafficking, and economic inequality, reminding the world that caring for the poor is a requirement of genuine faith.
In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”) in 2013, he wrote, “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets” serving those in need, rather than a Church caught up in its own security. This bold vision captured his desire for a community of believers who go out to serve the poor, the sick, and the forgotten, bringing them hope and the love of Christ.
Care for God’s Creation
Pope Francis has also been a global voice for caring for the environment as part of our moral responsibility. He believes that protecting creation is caring for our neighbors, especially the poor who suffer most from environmental harm.
In 2015, he published the landmark encyclical Laudato Si’ (“Praise be to You”), subtitled “on care for our common home.” In this document, Francis urged everyone – Catholics and non-Catholics alike – to take action on climate change, pollution, and environmental destruction. He taught that the Earth is God’s gift to humanity, and that we are stewards of creation, responsible for its preservation.
“The urgent challenge to protect our common home… includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change,” he wrote hopefully in Laudato Si’. He often said “everything is connected” – that caring for people and caring for the Earth go hand in hand.
Pope Francis linked environmental degradation to social injustice, pointing out that the poorest communities are often the first to be hurt by droughts, floods, and pollution. He called this an issue of human solidarity and encouraged young people especially to be courageous in protecting the environment.
Under his leadership, the Vatican even adopted policies to reduce its own carbon footprint. Francis also added care for creation to the traditional Catholic themes of concern, calling it a new work of mercy to care for our common home.
A Humble and Pastoral Leader
As a leader, Pope Francis was beloved for his down-to-earth, pastoral style. He saw himself first as a pastor (shepherd of souls) rather than as a ruler. He broke with many of the formalities of his office in order to be closer to people.
For example, he chose a simpler papal vestment style and often rode in a modest car. He even refused the luxurious papal apartment, opting to live in community at the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse, which allowed him to eat in a common dining room and chat with staff and visitors daily.
Francis was frequently spotted personally greeting the sick and disabled at events, kissing babies, and hugging those in pain. In one famous moment, he tenderly embraced a man with severe disfigurements, showing the world the power of compassion in action.
He made phone calls to ordinary people who wrote to him with struggles, earning the nickname “the Cold-Call Pope.” He also used simple language in his preaching, often employing homely images and even humor, so that everyone could understand the message of Christ’s love.
Pope Francis emphasized “walking with the people” – accompanying others in their joys and sorrows. He advised priests and bishops to “be shepherds living with the smell of the sheep,” meaning they should live among the people they serve and truly care for them.
He led by example with a life of modesty, prayer, and openness. Under Pope Francis, the Vatican began reforms to be more transparent and focused on mission. He convened synods (gatherings of bishops with lay input) to discuss pastoral issues like family life and young people, listening to voices from around the world.
Francis also reached out in friendship to other Christian denominations and other religions, promoting peace and dialogue wherever possible. Notably, in 2019 he co-signed a historic document on human fraternity with a Grand Imam, seeking greater understanding between Christians and Muslims.
Through all these efforts, Pope Francis modeled the role of a true servant-leader, one who, like Jesus the Good Shepherd, knows his sheep and gives his life for them.
Legacy and Passing to Eternal Life
After a rich and impactful ministry, Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. Just days before, he had given his final “Urbi et Orbi” blessing on Easter Sunday, and throughout Holy Week he continued reaching out to those around him with love.
His death in the early hours of Easter Monday brought great sorrow to Catholics and people of goodwill worldwide, even as they took comfort in the faith he had preached.
Pope Francis’s legacy is defined by mercy, humility, and joyous service. He reminded the world by his words and deeds that the heart of the Gospel is love – especially love for the forgotten and the broken.
From his birth in 1936 in Argentina to his priestly ordination in 1969, and from his election as Successor of St. Peter in 2013 to his final moments in 2025, his life was devoted to drawing people closer to Christ.
“Let us dream, then, as a single human family… each of us with his or her own voice, brothers and sisters all.”
Pope Francis leaves an enduring mark on the Church as a faithful disciple of Jesus who lived out the call to “love God and love your neighbor” in a remarkable way. His example will continue to inspire the Church to be, in his beloved image, a “field hospital” where all find the healing mercy of God.
Pope Francis (1936–2025) – Requiescat in pace.
Pope Francis once said:
“Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of hope. The Lord is always with us.”
May his words continue to echo in our hearts, and may his soul rest in the peace of the Risen Lord.