Pope Francis, the Pope of hope and simplicity

Archbishop Emeritus Robert Rivas OP of Castries, St Lucia delivered a touching homily at St Finbar’s RC Church on April 24 at a memorial Mass for Pope Francis. He reflected on Pope Francis’ transformative papacy and profound global impact.

He said as the first Pope from Latin America, Francis revolutionised the Church through his commitment to synodality—calling 1.389 billion Catholics worldwide to truly listen to one another. This bold initiative invited 17.7 per cent of the global population to participate in a more inclusive Church that valued every voice.

“To see the face of a listening Pope is to see the face of a listening Church,” Archbishop Rivas noted, emphasising how Pope Francis steered the Church in a new direction through his attentiveness to “what the Spirit is saying to the Church today.”

Pope Francis embodied simplicity throughout his papacy. He chose modest accommodations over palatial living quarters, first as Archbishop in Buenos Aires and later as Pope, when he selected the Vatican Guest House, Casa Santa Marta, rather than the traditional Papal Palace. Even after his election, he continued wearing his old shoes, considering them “still good for walking.”

His commitment to the marginalised was unwavering. He washed the feet of prisoners regardless of gender or religion, kissed the feet of South Sudan leaders while pleading for peace, and consistently advocated for refugees and migrants. The Pope maintained a “preferential option for the poor” and urged the Church to remain “outward-looking” rather than “self-referential.”

Pope Francis addressed challenging issues with courage and compassion. He tackled sensitive topics including family matters, LGBTQ+ concerns, and sexual abuse in the Church, always seeking transparency while maintaining core Church teachings. His vision of the Church as a “field hospital” welcomed all who needed healing, embodying mercy and acceptance.

His environmental encyclical Laudato Si’ stands as a landmark of his papacy, calling attention to both “the cry of the poor and the cry of Mother Earth.”

Archbishop Rivas, who met Francis multiple times, poetically described him as a Pope who “makes roads where there are no roads and builds highways of hope for new beginnings.” He praised Pope Francis for “listening, discerning, and releasing the Spirit of Hope in the Church.”

As the first pontiff to choose the name Francis—honouring the humble saint who prayed, “Lord make me simple, humble, pure”—Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of courage, joy, and authentic faith.

In the words of Roman taxi drivers who affectionately called him “their Pope” because “he is one of us,” Pope Francis will be remembered as a true servant leader who gave himself completely to the very end.

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