Pope Francis passed away today. What does that mean to me as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Not as much as it does to a Catholic, but it still matters. Pope Francis was a beacon of light in a dark world. I admire Pope Francis’s lifelong dedication to God. That is something not many people can claim. I truly appreciate his pro-life stance, condemning abortion. It can be difficult to stand up for what is right in our current climate, but he was fearless and defended those who couldn’t defend themselves.
What Did Pope Francis Teach?
He also stressed the need for deeper spirituality and a return to the core values of the gospel. I feel that it is timely and important for people of all faiths. As the world gets closer to the Savior’s Second Coming, we all need to have a deeper connection to God. And it’s the core values of the gospel that will set us on the path to God.
There have been times when I sat in Sunday School and just shook my head as people debated issues that wouldn’t affect their salvation. For example, it doesn’t matter what colors were in the coat of many colors that Joseph wore. And the specific traditions of the ancients, though interesting, don’t make the gospel more or less true. So, returning to the basics, which I feel deeply will be what affects our salvation, is important.
Pope Francis was also famous for simplifying and living a life without excess. He could have lived in the spacious and opulent Papal apartments, but instead chose to live in the guest house. He wanted to be closer to the people, and took time regularly to eat with them and get to know them and their needs.
Focusing on the people
He also disciplined other church officials who abused church funds. One inspiring story I found was about the Archbishop who heads the Vatican agency for handing out alms, who said that Pope Francis told him:
“You can sell your desk. You don’t need it…You need to go out and look for the poor.” the archbishop explains, “This is the concept: be with the people and share their lives, even for 15, 30 minutes, an hour.” he tells how Pope Francis, as cardinal, “would go out at night in Buenos Aires, not just to find people, talk with them, or buy them something to eat… he would eat with them… this is what he wants from me.”
Pope Francis took a position that could be very aloof and apart, and brought it to the people. I’m grateful for the example that Pope Francis was to me and to the rest of the world. Many will be deeply mourning Pope Francis for years. He served for 12 years as Pope and passed away at the age of 88. He lived a long and impressive life. I feel like the whole world would benefit from living closer to God and following the Christ-like teachings of Pope Francis.
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