On the morning of April 21, the Holy See announced with deep sorrow the death of Pope Francis. His departure, lived in the heart of the Easter season, invites us to contemplate his life as a career sustained by hope. We Augustinian Recollects give thanks for his luminous witness and for the words that, until the end, called us to seek the living Christ everywhere, especially in the most wounded faces.
A pastor who lived the Gospel with a fraternal flavor
The death of Pope Francis, at the age of 88, was announced this morning by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and henceforth camarlengo:
“His whole life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially towards the poorest and most marginalized.”
From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis left us words that marked a new ecclesial springtime. His magisterium spoke to us of integral ecology(Laudato si’), of universal fraternity(Fratelli tutti) and of the certainty of Christ’s love that nothing can separate(Dilexit nos). Like St. Francis of Assisi, he knew how to look at creation, his brothers and sisters and God with clear eyes, capable of discovering beauty and urgency in the same gesture.
A spiritual legacy for the Church and for the Augustinian Recollect Family
For the Augustinian Recollects, Pope Francis was more than a pontiff. He was a father close to uswho accompanied with lucidity and affection key processes such as the synodal journey, the charismatic revitalization and the formation of co-responsible laity. In his meeting with the participants of the 56th General Chapter of the Order, in 2022, he encouraged us to keep our spirituality alive, with creative courage and fidelity to the charism received.
He also challenged us with one of his most realistic and courageous questions:
“Are we preparing people to follow through with your spirituality, which is a gift from God, to carry it forward?”
His last homily: running to meet the Risen One
The words that Pope Francis pronounced in his last Easter homily, a few days before his death, seem today like a spiritual testament.
Moved by the impulse of Mary Magdalene, Peter and John running to the empty tomb, he told us:
“This is the proclamation of Easter: we must look for it elsewhere. Christ is risen, he is alive! […] We cannot remain immobile. We must get moving, go out to look for him in life, in the faces of our brothers and sisters, in everyday life”.
Even with the weariness of years, Francis taught us that the Christian life is a race towards love. That faith is a restlessness to find Christ in unexpected ways. That we cannot park our hearts in sadness or close ourselves up in our habits. That “everything is new, Lord, and nothing is repeated”.
Our prayer and gratitude
While the whole Church raises its prayers for the eternal rest of our Holy Father Francis, we Augustinian Recollects thank the Lord for his fruitful life, his shepherd’s heart and his untiring impulse to seek the living Christ.
From the charism of St. Augustine, we unite ourselves to the paschal wonder that Pope Francis preached so much:
“With you, Lord, everything is new. With you, everything begins anew.”