Pope Francis died early Monday morning, Rome, Italy time. It was surprising news following his Vatican balcony appearance to bless the crowd, the “popemobile” ride around St. Peter’s Square, and his Easter audience with Vice President J.D. Vance. In the photos of these events, Francis looked like death warmed over, which in a few hours proved to be the case.
The pope has been unrecognizable since last year, especially
in photos published at the start of his long hospitalization. Having had some
firsthand experience seeing up close the slow yet unrelenting progress of a death
march, I realized the pope would most likely be gone by summer. So, I certainly
was not shocked at the news of his passing.
However, I’m not sad. First of all, the man was very sick
and probably suffering. It was time for him to go. Secondly, I haven’t been a
fan of Pope Francis for many years. This is unfortunate, as I am a practicing
Catholic. But, as my mother might have said, “I just can’t take to the man.”
His papacy seemed promising in the beginning. Francis
started off with a humble approach to the papacy. He moved into a modest
apartment rather than the lavish Vatican rooms. He wore a simple iron cross and
a silver Fisherman’s ring instead of the usual golden accessories. For everyday
wear, he appeared in only the pope’s white cassock, not in the additional embroidered
robes of past popes. There were no frills, nothing fancy from the start. So
far, so good.
Then he opened his mouth and, in my humble opinion, inserted
his plainly-shod foot. “Who am I to judge?” was his response to reporters asking
about a priest's sexual orientation, igniting a wildfire of speculation that he would
“normalize” LGBTQ+ relationships--a doctrinal challenge, to be sure. “All religions are paths to God,” he declared
in non-Christian Singapore where he, as Christ’s most visible and prominent representative on Earth, flubbed
a perfect opportunity to proclaim Jesus. That would’ve been the only answer a
responsible pontiff could provide.
Francis was highly critical of capitalism and the USA. I got
tired of his frequent harangues chiding us against building a wall and admonishing
us to welcome illegal immigration. As “Border Czar” Tom Homan (a Catholic) pointed out, the Vatican has a wall. Homan added that the pope should “fix the Catholic
Church” and let him fix the border. (Go, Tom!)
Pope Francis did some good work. I liked his ministry to prisoners
and his attention to the poor. I admired his dedication to his ministry and his determination to work until his painful end. But his politics were too far left for me. Politics
is not the pope’s job; saving souls is.
I remember being sad when St. John Paul II died, and I was
upset when Pope Benedict XVI resigned. With the passing of Pope Francis, I’m
mostly relieved. I’m relieved that his suffering is over, and also that the
confusion he sowed within the Church may now be resolved. His successor will need
a steady, clean-up attitude--and a lot of courage.
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| The silver Fisherman's ring and iron cross of Pope Francis. |
