Written By David Gomez
Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88. And as I write this column, a profound sadness takes hold of my entire body and mind. On Monday, April 21st, I heard the news early in the morning. Saddened, I quickly called my mother to confirm it. I couldn’t believe it—and in truth, I still can’t.
For millions of Catholics around the world, this is a moment of deep mourning and sorrow. For many, Pope Francis—Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio—was the representative of the Church who fought the hardest for the poor, the marginalized, and the forgotten. No other pontiff before him had been able to achieve so many significant changes within the world’s oldest religious institution. Bergoglio was a humble, compassionate, and courageous shepherd who touched millions of hearts through his words, his smile, and his unwavering faith. He was our Argentinian Pope—our Latin American Pope—which made him feel even closer to us all.
I have had many moments of spiritual doubt. I still do, sometimes. But my deeply rooted Catholic upbringing has always brought my thoughts and my will back to mercy, and to a faith that, in the end, seems unshakeable.
I remain skeptical, but mostly of corrupt institutions that lack goodwill. I distanced myself greatly from the Catholic Church because of the horrifying abuses that have happened in so many parts of the world. Cases of sexual violence, pedophilia, and unchecked cruelty made me step as far away as I could from what I once believed was a space of community, peace, and love. That skepticism led me to a kind of rebellious atheism—loud but empty. Eventually, I was left with a simple, but consistent, form of agnosticism. That began to shift thanks to the words and actions of the Holy Father in recent years. And I dare to say it again: Francis was the best Pope the contemporary Church has ever had.
The Pope who just passed was the one who firmly emphasized compassion and mercy over outdated, rigid, or extremist religious doctrine. He was the Pope who most deeply cared for migrants. He was the son of immigrants himself—he knew firsthand what it means to leave your homeland and try to build a better life elsewhere. He understood how painful and difficult a migrant’s journey can be. Throughout his papacy, Francis condemned exclusionary immigration policies and consistently advocated for a Church that welcomes, protects, promotes, and integrates migrants and refugees. “Anyone who builds walls instead of bridges is not Christian,” he said in a 2016 speech.
He was also the Pope who called the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza every single day while the Strip was under attack. He was the Pope who never abandoned the Palestinian people in their suffering and recognized the injustice they endure.
He was the first Pope to seriously address the problem of clerical abuse. In 2019, he convened a conference at the Vatican with survivors of sexual abuse committed by priests and religious figures from around the world, along with members of the Roman Curia, to address the crisis of sexual violence in the Church. Let us not forget: this was the Pope who dissolved the criminal Catholic organization Sodalitium Christianae Vitae, which had been tied to severe cases of sexual abuse, illicit financial gain, and sectarian indoctrination. Never before had a Pope taken on such a fierce and personal battle on behalf of victims and the most vulnerable.
During his visit to Canada in July 2022, the Holy Father delivered his apology speech in Maskwacis, Alberta, at the site of the former Ermineskin Residential School—one of the largest in the country. “I have come to your native lands to tell you in person that I am deeply sorry, to implore God’s forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation,” Pope Francis said. “I ask forgiveness, in particular, for the ways in which many members of the Church and religious communities cooperated in projects of cultural destruction and forced assimilation.”
I could say so much more about the Holy Father. I embrace all Catholics, and even non-believers, because this is not just a loss for the Catholic Church. It is the loss of a universal figure. A figure of progress, of modernity, and of profound love for others.
I want to close this grieving column with a few important words Pope Francis shared back in 2015: “Don’t let yourself be defeated, don’t let yourself be fooled, don’t lose your joy, don’t lose your hope, don’t lose your smile.”
