Pope Francis, the Great Reorganizer, Dies at 88
By • April 21, 2025 One Comment 407
He was with us one last Easter until the Lord called him home. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known to us all as Pope Francis, died early this morning, Easter Monday, at the age of 88. A statement from Cardinal Kevin Farrell read: “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.”
While his cause of death has not yet been revealed, Francis had chronic lung disease and had part of one of his lungs removed when he was young. He had recently come off an extended stay at Gemelli Hospital in Rome for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.
Francis became pope in March 2013, after the shock resignation of Pope Benedict XVI led to his election. Francis’ papacy paved the way for more progressive views after decades of conservatives leading the church. In December 2023, he formally allowed priests to bless same-sex couples. In an April 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with Norah O’Donnell, he said:
“No, what I allowed was not to bless the union. That cannot be done because that is not the sacrament. I cannot. The Lord made it that way. But to bless each person, yes. The blessing is for everyone. For everyone. To bless a homosexual-type union, however, goes against the given right, against the law of the Church. But to bless each person, why not? The blessing is for all. Some people were scandalized by this. But why? Everyone! Everyone!”
Pope Francis also made strides with divorced Catholics, saying those who remarried shouldn’t be treated as excommunicated, but instead the church should focus less on how he treats divorcees and more on how to help people stay in loving relationships, despite modern challenges to marriage.
He also took more action against sex abuse of children by Catholic Church clergy issuing the biggest revision to its law in 40 years, calling the abuse “our shame.” He took up a zero-tolerance policy, saying in his “60 Minutes” interview,
“It cannot be tolerated. When there is a case of a religious man or woman who abuses, the full force of the law falls upon them. In this, there has been a great deal of progress.”
An advocate for the poor and migrants, he told O’Donnell in his interview that the solution is migration, and for an immigration policy to be good, it must have four things: “for the migrant to be received, assisted, promoted and integrated” and this is what is most important to integrate them into a new life.”
Francis met with Vice President J.D. Vance the day before he died, wishing each other a happy Easter after getting into some long-distance discussions about the Trump administrations immigration tactics.
Pope Francis on Constitution Avenue Sept. 23, 2015. Photo by Robert Devaney
Many may remember Francis’s visit to Washington, D.C., which is hard to believe was 10 years ago. He was honored with a State Arrival Ceremony at the then-Obama White House, the biggest event of Obama’s presidency at that time. Francis remarked: “As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families.”
He later met with American bishops at St. Matthew’s Cathedral before celebrating outdoor mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It was there he canonized Junipero Serra, making him the first saint to be canonized in the U.S. He also became the first leader of the Catholic church to address a joint meeting of Congress.
As far as what comes next, Francis had chosen to live in a suite in the Vatican guesthouse to live a simpler life than the regal and majestic papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. He rode around in a Ford Focus. Chances are, his funeral could be simpler than previous popes, as he was often called the “People’s Pope.”
For those who saw the 2024 movie “Conclave,” it could be worth a rewatch to learn just a bit about the events that will happen to elect a new pope. There will be a nine-day period of mourning, known as “Novemdiales,” where Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. His funeral will take place sometime between the fourth and sixth day after his death.
Pope Francis I
The first Jesuit pope. The first Hispanic pope. The great reorganizer. The champion of the people. As former President Obama said in a statement earlier today: “Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another…”
Francis will be greatly missed, especially during the turbulent times we are currently in. May we remember his legacy and remember to not harden your hearts. He said speaking of his legacy during his “60 Minutes” interview in 2024:
“A closed heart becomes hardened. It hardens and gets sick. It gets life sick. The heart must be open. It is true that in many people, their selfishness leads them to close up their hearts. But that can be helped by talking, discussing, helping, right? Someone who dies with a closed-up heart is a pity. They miss out on a great happiness, that of going forward with an open heart.”
O’Donnell called Pope Francis “incredibly generous with his time.” He sat with O’Donnell and the “60 Minutes” team for over an hour.
“I remember being surprised at how funny and warm he was,” she told The Georgetowner. “One of the most memorable moments during our interview was when we asked if he liked being called the ‘People’s Pope.’ His smile was enormous, and I think that’s because he believed the Church is for the people it serves—we saw in his final days when he disobeyed doctor’s orders to be closer to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square.”
O’Donnell called Francis’s legacy “one of great humility and great compassion.”
The best way to honor Pope Francis in these coming days is to open your hearts, your eyes and your ears. Sit and listen to someone and don’t interrupt them. Learn from others to make this world better. Be compassionate and be loving. After all, the easiest lesson Francis taught us is to “Love thy neighbor.”
Honor the life and legacy of Pope Francis at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown. The church will be gathering for a Mass for Francis on Wednesday, April 23, at 5:30 p.m., and on Friday, April 25, there will be evening prayer at 7 p.m. in the church.
Really a great article kate! Well done!