On the Death of Pope Francis

Today we join billions of Roman Catholic Christians around the world in mourning the death of Pope Francis. And it is not only Roman Catholics who mourn – the world has lost a visionary spiritual leader who truly cultivated unity, justice and peace in turbulent times.

Pope Francis stood as a beacon of faith. He stood in solidarity with immigrants and refugees, with people in poverty and on the margins of society. He called for peace in the midst of wars, for care in the midst of a growing environmental crisis, and for compassion and unity in the midst of global crises.

In short, Francis showed us the very best of what a strong faith can accomplish in a troubled world. And as such, his loss is a loss to us all, no matter our faith tradition.

And so we stand in mourning. But we also stand in hope, for Francis’ story gives us hope that each of us can make a difference. May we each have the courage to stand against injustice, to bring healing to the broken, and to use our faith to make the world a better place for us all.

May he rest in peace.