Upon This Rock

“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18

Monday, April 21, 2025, 7:35 AM. Rome, Italy. Pope Francis, the 266th Bishop of Rome and Vicar of Christ on earth, returned to the Lord. The successor to St. Peter, Rome’s first bishop, is also the first Jesuit and South American to ascend to the papacy. Pope Francis, the spiritual and religious leader of the world’s 1.5 billion Catholics, was 88 years old and had been in poor health for some time, having spent the past several weeks hospitalized and under medical care.

Pope Francis’ ascendancy in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church was impressive. He came from humble beginnings, and was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, the oldest of five children. As a youth, before entering the seminary, he held a variety of jobs, including janitor, bar bouncer, and chemist. In 1969, he was ordained a Catholic priest in the Jesuit order, and from there became provincial superior in 1973. In 1992, Francis was named auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. He was appointed cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. In 2013, with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, he was installed by the papal conclave of cardinals, and took the name of Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

Pope Francis’ death came as a shock and was unexpected. Even though he had been ill, the day before his passing, Easter Sunday, he made an appearance in St. Peter’s Square in the Pope-mobile, to the cheers of the thousands of faithful that has assembled. He then appeared on the balcony of the papal palace and blessed the throng. But that night he had a stroke and fell into a coma, and in the early morning hours returned to the Lord. Easter celebrates the ascension of Christ to heaven, and only hours after the pope’s appearance on Easter, did he also ascend, God willing.

The Jesuits are recognized as the Catholic Church's progressive order, and Pope Francis did not disappoint their philosophical beliefs. His papacy was controversial, and conservative Catholics within and outside the church made their grievances and misgivings known. There is little doubt that his legacy will be recognized as groundbreaking, but it also rankled many of the faithful.

Pope Francis was often called the “People's Pope.”  He was vociferous in carrying out the mission of the Church, to serve and support the poor and marginalized. He would often remind us that we all have a responsibility as God’s children to reach out to those in need. He spoke out in support of immigrants and refugees, and criticized America for its handling of the migrant crisis. On the teachings of the Church, however, especially those culture-war issues, like abortion, traditional marriage, the family, and homosexuality, Pope Francis was uncompromising and unapologetic, and the voice of orthodoxy. 

When asked about homosexuality, a lifestyle considered a sin in the Church, Francis’ response was, “Who am I to Judge?” Those few words were like the “shot heard round the world,” and were the “grist for one's mill.” The media, news services, progressives, and advocates for the LGBTQ community were all euphoric, and questioned whether the Church was changing its position on this issue; it would not. He also spoke out on the vaccine, and that all people were morally obligated to get the shot.

Francis also endorsed legal protection for same-sex couples, and in 2023 approved the blessing of their unions. These cultural issues, where his words and actions collided with the conservative and traditional teachings of the Church, created a schism, especially among American Catholics. He would, however, also face criticism from liberals who felt he did not go far enough. And the one issue that he embraced, which was a point of intense contention, was climate change; he would often speak out and warn the world of its impact.

Francis found himself having to face the perennial accusations of sexual abuse against the clergy and lay people that have plagued the Church. He addressed this thorny issue, implementing extensive measures to correct any inefficiency, and also changing Church law. The Vatican has also been caught up in financial difficulties, specifically misappropriating funds in questionable investments. He addressed this problem with stringent application by purging the office of the Secretariat of State of its financial assets.

After three days of public viewing inside St. Peter's Basilica, and a funeral procession that passed historical sites and the Colosseum, on Saturday, April 26, before an estimated 250,000 faithful and world leaders, including President Trump and the First Lady, Pope Francis was laid to rest. Unlike his predecessors, according to his wishes, his was to be a simple funeral and burial ritual.

His coffin was made of wood instead of three nested encasements composed of cypress, lead, and elm. He was buried at St. Mary Major Basilica, instead of the Vatican grottoes, which are a network of underground chambers and chapels located beneath St. Peter's Basilica. The last Pope to be buried in such an unconventional manner was Clement IX in 1669.

After 15 days have passed following Pope Francis’ burial, and nine days of official mourning, the conclave of Cardinals will convene; this should occur on May 7th. Until then, the chamberlain will oversee Church operations. There are 252 Cardinals worldwide: North America, South America, Central America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Of this number, 135 are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote for a new Pope.

The Cardinals are sealed inside the Sistine Chapel in St. Peter's. There can be no phones, computers, no electronic devices. The voting is done by writing the name of a chosen candidate on a piece of paper, it is folded and placed in a ceremonial urn. Three of the Cardinals chosen will count the votes; a candidate must receive two-thirds of the ballots cast. This will be repeated until a candidate is selected; after each vote, those ballots are burned.

The smoke signals we’ve all become familiar with will be seen twice daily from the Chapel's chimney. Black signifies no Pope has been selected; when white, we have a new Pope.