Pope Francis had died at age 88

[durangodawood]

He seemed to me like a man bent on reminding us of the devastating personal and social effects of suffering and instability in the world.

Pope Francis dies aged 88

 

[GoldenBoy89]

A truly good man.

His calming presence in the world will be sorely missed.

 

[Fantine]

Having been too young to remember Pope John XXIII well, Pope Francis had the greatest impact on my life and the world.
A Jesuit with a missionary heart, who saw firsthand the dangers of fascism and dictatorship, who tried to keep peace with the government--and who spent years in seclusion reflecting and repenting when the government was overthrown, emerging as a Pope who truly embodied the gospel message of Jesus.
If we in the west listened with our hearts, we saw how challenging his call to us was.
He is with God. May God send the world a Pope with his compassion and courage.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump directs flags flown at half-staff for Pope Francis​

“He was a good man; he worked hard; he loved the world. And it’s an honor to do that,” Trump said, flanked by first lady Melania Trump and the White House Easter Bunny.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Sad for his family. If any are still a live.

 

[RileyG]

He seemed to me like a man bent on reminding us of the devastating personal and social effects of suffering and instability in the world.

Pope Francis dies aged 88

Well done good and faithful servant.

 

[Fantine]

Trump directs flags flown at half-staff for Pope Francis​

“He was a good man; he worked hard; he loved the world. And it’s an honor to do that,” Trump said, flanked by first lady Melania Trump and the White House Easter Bunny.

Kind of odd. Worked hard and loved the world...2 sentences smushed into an egg hunt where 80% or more of the audience were children. Looking forward ?! to the funeral.

But I was just so grateful it didn't deteriorate into the usual hate speech. Probably Melania being there helped rein him in.
I understand too that he seems incapable of displaying compassion or empathy and that this is a disability and recognized as such.

 

[RileyG]

Having been too young to remember Pope John XXIII well, Pope Francis had the greatest impact on my life and the world.
A Jesuit with a missionary heart, who saw firsthand the dangers of fascism and dictatorship, who tried to keep peace with the government--and who spent years in seclusion reflecting and repenting when the government was overthrown, emerging as a Pope who truly embodied the gospel message of Jesus.
If we in the west listened with our hearts, we saw how challenging his call to us was.
He is with God. May God send the world a Pope with his compassion and courage.

Thank you for your beautiful writing and tribute.

He will be greatly missed.

God bless you.

 

[RileyG]

Kind of odd. Worked hard and loved the world...2 sentences smushed into an egg hunt where 80% or more of the audience were children. Looking forward ?! to the funeral.

But I was just so grateful it didn't deteriorate into the usual hate speech. Probably Melania being there helped rein him in.
I understand too that he seems incapable of displaying compassion or empathy and that this is a disability and recognized as such.

I have far more respect for the late Pope Francis, than Trump, but that’s a different story

 

[Fantine]

I have far more respect for the late Pope Francis, than Trump, but that’s a different story

It speaks well of your character and judgment.

 

[RileyG]

It speaks well of your character and judgment.

Why, thank you. I appreciate your kindness.

Also, this thread is about Pope Francis. Trump has no business being mentioned, right now.

 

[RileyG]

Trump directs flags flown at half-staff for Pope Francis​

“He was a good man; he worked hard; he loved the world. And it’s an honor to do that,” Trump said, flanked by first lady Melania Trump and the White House Easter Bunny.

I truly appreciate your contributions, BUT, respectfully, can we leave Trump out of this? The world doesn't revolve around him.

REALLY.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Alright, I hate to be "that guy", but why are so many people (especially secularists) venerating a particular pope as if he's "above" other people?

To be clear, it's sad when someone dies, and I get that he had people who liked him.

But why is this "more special" than other similar scenarios?

Let's just be frank here, he was the latest person to "hold the office" in a long line of other popes who either failed to address (or handled with kid gloves) the issue of sexual abuse within the ranks of the clergy of his organization.

 

[Malleeboy]

My guess is that people who are progressive believe he moved the church towards their position. Some conservatives (esp Catholics) feel guilty about their treatment of him. I must admit as a protestant (technically maybe a lapsed catholic, as I was baptized Catholic but raised Protestant) to enjoy Lutheran Satire's takes on Pope Francis somewhat garbled communication skills which often left people perplexed.
Whatever his faults, (which were probably far less than mine own) he certainly was a follower of Christ, who lived his life in service to the body of Christ. I can even concede that being Pope is probably a more difficult/complex role than any other Christian leader.

 

[Fantine]

Pope Francis was the last person ever to put himself "above" other people. After becoming Pope, he continued to live in a guest house outside of the majestic Vatican, taking a bus to work as he did when he was a cardinal (as long as he was physically able.) In his first year as Pope, he went to a women's prison on Holy Thursday and washed the feet of Muslim prisoners (following Jesus, who washed the apostles' feet at the Last Supper.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13:12-14

On other holy days, he invited the homeless to shelter overnight at the Vatican.
In his will, he requested a far simpler burial than other Popes--one simple casket lined with zinc, and burial at a church in Vatican City where he liked to go and pray, with a simple headstone: "Francesco."

His solidarity with the poor and suffering and his moves towards inclusivity--for women, LGBTQ, and people of other faiths--or no faith--challenged every Catholic to meet a standard of unconditional generosity and love that was far more difficult than merely following the ten commandments.

He never put himself "above" anyone--but the world recognized his compassion, generosity, love--and saw him as a mirror of God's love.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Alright, I hate to be "that guy", but why are so many people (especially secularists) venerating a particular pope as if he's "above" other people?

I really don't know man. I really don't know.

To be clear, it's sad when someone dies, and I get that he had people who liked him.

But why is this "more special" than other similar scenarios?

It isn't. He's just the head of some church we're not a members of. He really should have retired before dying on the job from old age.

Let's just be frank here, he was the latest person to "hold the office" in a long line of other popes who either failed to address (or handled with kid gloves) the issue of sexual abuse within the ranks of the clergy of his organization.

There are certainly choices for replacement that could be made that would be worse.

 

[RileyG]

Alright, I hate to be "that guy", but why are so many people (especially secularists) venerating a particular pope as if he's "above" other people?

To be clear, it's sad when someone dies, and I get that he had people who liked him.

But why is this "more special" than other similar scenarios?

Let's just be frank here, he was the latest person to "hold the office" in a long line of other popes who either failed to address (or handled with kid gloves) the issue of sexual abuse within the ranks of the clergy of his organization.

Failed to address? really?

Pope Francis declares ‘zero tolerance’ for Catholic Church abuse, saying he takes personal responsibility for ending it | CNN

Pope Francis says he has taken it on himself to rid the Catholic Church of sexual abuse, telling CNN’s partner channel CNN Portugal that he was “responsible that it doesn’t happen anymore.”

amp.cnn.com

Not to mention the sex abuse scandals that also occurs within public schools, southern Baptist church, Jehovah witness etc, but no one bats an eye.

And yes, some men have done immense harm inside the Church and, from my perspective, deserve the wrath of God.

Peace

 

[RileyG]

I really don't know man. I really don't know.

It isn't. He's just the head of some church we're not a members of. He really should have retired before dying on the job from old age.

There are certainly choices for replacement that could be made that would be worse.

It’s a spiritual leader, it’s not a “job” one retires from. Most Popes typically die from old age in office, much like many monarchs.

 

[Nithavela]

Alright, I hate to be "that guy", but why are so many people (especially secularists) venerating a particular pope as if he's "above" other people?

To be clear, it's sad when someone dies, and I get that he had people who liked him.

But why is this "more special" than other similar scenarios?

Let's just be frank here, he was the latest person to "hold the office" in a long line of other popes who either failed to address (or handled with kid gloves) the issue of sexual abuse within the ranks of the clergy of his organization.

Personally, I'm not venerating him. I just think that he did an important job a lot better than his immediate predecessor, and probably a lot of other predecessors before him. That includes doing more to combat the abuse problems in the catholic church.

He also appeared to be genuinely a nice person. I think that's worth a lot.

I also don't think that you really "hate" to be "that guy".

 

[Nithavela]

It’s a spiritual leader, it’s not a “job” one retires from. Most Popes typically die from old age in office, much like many monarchs.

I think that popes should be free to retire when they feel they get too sick to fulfill their duties. Benedict XVI did so, as did other popes before him. There's no shame in that.

But Franciscus literally did his duties until the day before he died, so criticism in that regard seems unwarranted.