Audio only:
Trent Horn reflects on Pope Francis’s passing, and his pontificate marked by heart and humility, despite occasional disagreements.
Transcription:
It’s been confirmed that Pope Francis has passed away and so I’d ask that you please pray for the repose of his soul.
For me, there are two words that summarize the Francis pontificate: heart and humility. On the latter word, I remember in 2013 watching the election of Pope Francis at the Catholic Answers office alongside the rest of the staff.
I was struck by the almost forlorn way the Pope addressed the crowds in St. Peter’s square. Some memes even contrasted his reserve with the more joyful expressions of John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. It seemed that in this moment he focused almost entirely on the weight of the office given to him and the responsibility that lay before him.
A few months after the election Laura and I got married and on our honeymoon we took part in a tradition called Sposi Novelli. This is where the Pope greets newlywed couples who attend his Wednesday Audience in their wedding attire. We followed a priest friend’s advice and went to Gammarelli’s, the Pope’s official tailor, to purchase a papal zucchetto. When we met the Pope, which was unusual because Benedict often greeted the newlyweds as a group, we offered to trade him Zucchettos.
Pope Francis then took Laura’s bridal tiara and jokingly said, “I take this instead?” To which I blurted out, “You’re the Pope, you can have whatever you want.”
Laura then went in to hug the Pope which threw the papal security into disarray.
I could tell Francis was a man who liked to think with his heart. In his pontificate this led to joyful, humorous moments and other incidents that would have benefitted from more clarity and a headfirst approach. However, there is something endearing about someone who values speaking and acting from the heart. And throughout his papacy the Pope’s embrace of the most marginalized and vulnerable shows how he led with the heart. In fact, I would say his greatest encyclical was the last one he wrote, Dilexit Nos, a mediation on the sacred heart of Jesus.
There’s a lot more that can be said and will be said about Pope Francis and, in spite of my occasional disagreements with him that I have discussed in previous episodes, I firmly maintain that Pope Francis has been a blessing to the Church in many ways and he will be missed.
And so now, we should pray for the bishops of the world and especially the cardinal electors as they prepare to gather to elect a new Pope. The Holy Spirit doesn’t automatically select the next Pope but instead, gives the cardinals grace to guide them. Scandalous popes in the past were a consequence of the cardinals resisting that grace so let’s pray that they not be tempted by politics or petty interests but turn to prayer and listen to how God wants to lead his church.
If you have other questions on papal elections or the papacy I recommend you check out the website of Catholic Answers at Catholic.com. Thank you all so much and I hope you have a very blessed day.