The New York Young Republican Club mourns the loss of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. After battling through long illness, the pontiff returned to the home of the Father early this morning. Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, on December 17, 1936. He was elected by conclave in March 2013 after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and his pontificate was marked by a series of firsts. Pope Francis was the first pontiff from the Society of Jesus, first Latin American pope, and the first pope born outside of Europe since the 8th century.
Pope Francis was as humble as the Lord he served. He took the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his life of simple poverty and concern for the poor. Upon assuming the papacy, he dispensed with worldly luxuries traditional to his office. He preferred to live in the papal guesthouse, travel in a small car, and dress simply. He stood against war, often traveling to war-torn regions on the quest for peace. His kindness, humility, and the mercy he showed others inspired hundreds of millions of faithful Catholics across the globe.
One does not need to be a Catholic to recognize that the timeless teachings of the Church and of Jesus Christ are increasingly under assault by dark forces, often the same forces that attack our proud nation in the same breath. The eternal values of Christ are vilified in the public sphere. We fervently hope that the next chapter in the Catholic Church is one of renewal and revival, of unbending devotion to the values of Christ and traditional Catholic doctrine. As the Church convenes to deliberate upon the new Vicar of Christ, may God bless us with an ally in defense of His followers; may we accordingly in act and heart merit such a blessing. Just as yesterday, Easter, marked the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, may the next era in the Church mark a new beginning for the billions of followers of Jesus worldwide – a beginning of hope, renewal, and kinship in the Lord Christ.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus selected the tax collector Matthew in miserando atque eligendo – “by having mercy and by choosing.” The Holy Father, too, saw himself as chosen by the good graces of the Lord and he bore these words on his papal coat of arms. His holiness, grace, mercy, and humility were an inspiration to Catholics and non-Catholics worldwide. May he rest in the peace of Christ, whom he served in tireless loyalty.