Pope Francis, a humble shepherd

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:5, 8)

I have had the privilege of meeting two popes so far. The first was Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City in 2012, during the canonization of our very own Cebuano saint, San Pedro Calungsod. The second was Pope Francis at the Tacloban City Airport, during the Mass he celebrated for the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in 2015.

Both popes are models of humility. In both encounters, I felt a profound sense of awe from their presence. Imagine Pope Benedict XVI, despite holding the highest position in the Roman Catholic Church, humbly choosing to resign and give way for another leader to guide over 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide. He was succeeded by another humble man, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who chose the name Francis as pope.

Pope Francis has redefined what it means to be the leader of the most influential church in the world, not through grandeur, but through striking humility. From the moment the white smoke came out from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a new pope had been chosen, to the moment he stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, it was clear that he would be a different kind of pope.

Despite being the head of the Vatican City State and the global Catholic Church, he refused kingly treatment. He broke the tradition. Instead of wearing the luxurious red papal shoes, he wore simple black ones. Instead of the gold Fisherman’s Ring he chose silver. And rather than living in the Apostolic Palace reserved for Popes, he opted for a modest apartment in Casa Santa Marta, where he could live among others.

Even in death, he remained true to his message of simplicity. As early as 2022, he had written his wishes regarding how he should be treated after death. He requested not to be buried in the Vatican Grottoes among his predecessors, but in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a church connected to his deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. He has also asked to forego the traditional three-layered coffin used for popes, a gesture of his commitment to equality with the ordinary mortals.

In my interview over radio station dyHP-RMN Cebu and IFm with Prosperidad Bishop Rebuen Labajo, he shared that he was initially in disbelief over Pope Francis’ sudden passing. He thought the pope would have more years to serve, especially after surviving a 38-day hospital stay. In fact, he had celebrated Holy Week and delivered an Easter Sunday message.

The bishop expressed mixed emotions. He was saddened, recalling his personal encounter with the pope when he was ordained bishop and assigned to the Diocese of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. But at the same time, he felt joy in the belief that we now have an additional saint in heaven. He firmly believes that Pope Francis will be canonized saint soon.

Pope Francis championed inclusivity while upholding the core teachings of the Catholic faith. He did not condemn the LGBTQ community, the divorced, those living outside the sacrament of marriage, or even those who had committed abortion. Instead, he gave them hope and allowed them to feel God’s compassion.

Pope Francis is gone but his legacy remains forever.