Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Pope Francis
Like many others, I greatly admired Pope Francis, and will remember him well. He was a man who probably reflected my own beliefs more than any other religious or political leader of the past few decades, though his actions were more effective and consistent than my own. He never, ever, ever lost sight of Jesus's command that we must serve the least among us.
I never met him, but felt his presence twice. The first time was when I was teaching in Rome, and went to Vatican City to come out into the square in his Pope-mobile. It sounds kind of corny, but it wasn't. What I was most taken by was a young woman near me who was nearly hiding behind a pillar. When Pope Francis appeared she began weeping with emotion. I pretty much ignored the Pope and watched her, this modern Mary.
The second time was at the end of last year. Many of us were trying to find a way to convince Joe Biden to commute the sentences of the men on federal death row. We were trying... but Pope Francis did it.
Not many of my heroes are heads of states or denominations. But this one, yes.
