St. Katherine Drexel Regional Fraternity
Regional Spiritual Assistant
St. Francis of Assisi Friary
1901 Prior Road
Wilmington, Delaware 19809
tel: (302) 798-1454 fax: (302) 798-3360 website: skdsfo email: pppgusa@gmail.com
May 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers in St. Francis,
The Lord give you His peace
and lead you through the mystery of His Passion and Death
to the joy of His Resurrection and our renewed Life in Jesus!
Pope Francis had been a powerful magnet. People from all walks of life were drawn to his familiar and simple approach. He was not afraid of crowds. In fact he sought them out. He felt comfortable among the people. His own faithful in Argentina remembered his riding in Public Transportation, living in a common residence, cooking his own meals, approachable in all ways. True to form, and shocking the whole world, he continued this manner even as Pope. He even bought his own shoes and paid his own bills. (Not far-fetched, but as far as any Pope “pays his own bills”) He was always and truly aware of the happenings that affected the people and also still a determined Jesuit with the heart of the disarmed-hearted-man whose name he chose, Francis of Assisi. He was aware and involved in the political situations that surrounded him. Matters never seem to really change. They affected his people in Argentina and then as Supreme Pontiff matters affected the peoples in every area of the world.
It is unfortunate that many well-meaning Catholics view the Church solely as an entity that must be equal to or stronger than the powers of the world in which it exists. What drives the Church is the grace of God and the Mystery of the Cross we have just celebrated at Easter. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself. (John 12: 32) Referring to His Passion and Death, how can we not see this culminating moment as the epitome of our hopes and dreams, confirmed on Resurrection Sunday?
Have we forgotten? There can be no Resurrection from the dead, unless someone dies! Yet we fail to immediately consider death in the eternal redemptive equation. When death had been spoken of in the written prophecies regarding the Messiah as the true sign the “One Who is to come”, and promised over a millennium, why had so many not accepted him? How could a chosen few decide to eliminate the hope of the people realized and confirmed by their own sacred books? Is it possible that “religious” leaders thought they could impede the Will of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from fulfilling His designs for the redemption of His creation? Senseless people bring destruction upon themselves when they seek to do it “my way” and not God’s way.
To the last few hours of his earthly life, our Holy Father Pope Francis, as it is said “in the process of dying”, refused to leave his people without seeing them one last time and blessing them. Not able to speak or project his voice, he prepared his own sermon for Easter Sunday. He wanted to be driven around the Piazza of St. Peter so that he could greet the people: kiss this child, bless that person, wave and smile at the people for whom and to whom he always showed such love. What a drain it must have been on the last bit of his physical strength.
The Spirit thrived! There was his strength! The Spirit! While at the Loggia above the main entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, he had his sermon read and then gave his paternal blessing for the Resurrection of Jesus to the City and the World (Urbi et Orbi). This last loving expression in public for him, who truly was the “People’s Pope”, must have filled the hearts of all with joy at the moment but with sad awareness and anticipation of what seemed lay ahead for the Church, and all those for whom he showed such love and understanding.
There must be consistency between word and action for a person to be one of integrity. The “humaneness” of our humanity must look and see beyond. Francis, the shepherd, smelled the sheep and understood. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Matthew 9: 13) He sought to offer mercy not justice – Who am I to judge. As Pope he knew he was called to render “judgments” on cases or approve “verdicts” rendered by the Church Tribunal, and he often did. Even after death a verdict upheld by Francis will keep an elector from participating in the Conclave. But for the people, whose everyday lives are complicated and conditioned in so many ways, he desired and acted so that they would never doubt the mercy of an ever-loving God, Whose sign of His Love is the sentence of crucifixion so that we might look upon the one they pierced and live (cfr. Zechariah 12: 10; John 19: 24). He was able to enter the mercy of God and offer that to others. Theology and ministry always accompany and complete one another in faith related moments. Nevertheless, if our ministry does not overcome human misery in all its forms, then we have lost the mercy that is of God. Pope Francis sought to express the mercy of God as seen in the Gospels.
The following are excerpts from the Homily at Funeral of our Holy Father Pope Francis. It was written and delivered by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
… Yet, we are sustained by the certainty of faith, which assures us that human existence does not end in the tomb, but in the Father’s house, in a life of happiness that will know no end … his passing from this earth into eternity tells us how much the profound pontificate of Pope Francis touched minds and hearts…The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. He then came down to this square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile…
We are enlightened and guided by the passage of the Gospel, in which the very voice of Christ resounded, asking the first of the apostles: “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Peter’s answer was prompt and sincere: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!” Jesus then entrusted him with the great mission: “Feed my sheep.” This will be the constant task of Peter and his successors, a service of love in the footsteps of Christ, our Master and Lord, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).
Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life. He followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who loved his sheep to the point of giving his life for them. And he did so with strength and serenity, close to his flock, the church of God, mindful of the words of Jesus quoted by the Apostle Paul: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
The decision to take the name Francis immediately appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi…He maintained his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his resolute personality, immediately made his mark on the governance of the church. He established direct contact with individuals and peoples, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalized, the least among us. He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone. He was also a pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the church.
With his characteristic vocabulary and language, rich in images and metaphors, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our time with the wisdom of the Gospel. He did so by offering a response guided by the light of faith and encouraging us to live as Christians amid the challenges and contradictions in recent years, which he loved to describe as an “epochal change.” He had great spontaneity and an informal way of addressing everyone, even those far from the church. Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time of globalization. He gave of himself by comforting and encouraging us with a message capable of reaching people’s hearts in a direct and immediate way.
His charisma of welcome and listening, combined with a manner of behavior in keeping with today’s sensitivities, touched hearts and sought to reawaken moral and spiritual sensibilities. Evangelization was the guiding principle of his pontificate. With a clear missionary vision, he spread the joy of the Gospel, which was the title of his first apostolic exhortation, “Evangelii Gaudium.” It is a joy that fills the hearts of all those who entrust themselves to God with confidence and hope.
The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open. He often used the image of the church as a “field hospital” after a battle in which many were wounded; a church determined to take care of the problems of people and the great anxieties that tear the contemporary world apart; a church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds.
His gestures and exhortations in favor of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant.
It is significant that Pope Francis’ first journey was to Lampedusa, an island that symbolizes the tragedy of emigration, with thousands of people drowning at sea. In the same vein was his trip to Lesbos, together with the ecumenical patriarch and the archbishop of Athens, as well as the celebration of a Mass on the border between Mexico and the United States during his journey to Mexico…Of his 47 arduous apostolic journeys, the one to Iraq in 2021, defying every risk, will remain particularly memorable. That difficult apostolic journey was a balm on the open wounds of the Iraqi people, who had suffered so much from the inhuman actions of ISIS. It was also an important trip for interreligious dialogue, another significant dimension of his pastoral work…With his 2024 apostolic journey to four countries in Asia-Oceania, the Pope reached “the most peripheral periphery of the world.”
Pope Francis always placed the Gospel of mercy at the center, repeatedly emphasizing that God never tires of forgiving us. He always forgives whatever the situation might be of the person who asks for forgiveness and returns to the right path…He called for the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in order to highlight that mercy is “the heart of the Gospel.”…Mercy and the joy of the Gospel are two key words for Pope Francis.
In contrast to what he called “the culture of waste,” he spoke of the culture of encounter and solidarity. The theme of fraternity ran through his entire pontificate with vibrant tones. In his encyclical letter “Fratelli Tutti,” he wanted to revive a worldwide aspiration to fraternity, because we are all children of the same Father who is in heaven. He often forcefully reminded us that we all belong to the same human family.
In 2019, during his trip to the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis signed “A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” recalling the common fatherhood of God…Addressing men and women throughout the world, in his encyclical letter “Laudato si’” he drew attention to our duties and shared responsibility for our common home, stating, “No one is saved alone.”
Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions. War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: It is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone.
“Build bridges, not walls” was an exhortation he repeated many times, and his service of faith as successor of the Apostle Peter always was linked to the service of humanity in all its dimensions. Spiritually united with all of Christianity, we are here in large numbers to pray for Pope Francis, that God may welcome him into the immensity of his love.
Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying, “Do not forget to pray for me.”
Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.
We conclude our reflection together with these words of the Canticle whose centenary we celebrate this year during the Jubilee of Hope. Hope does not disappoint (Romans 5: 5). It was the strength of both St. Francis of Assisi as well as the Pope who took his name, Our Holy Father Pope Francis, Jorge Bergoglio. May he rest in the peace of the just!
Sister Death is the moment we encounter the warmth of God’s Eternal Love, the fulfillment of all our hopes. Life is Worth Living when we remember the “rest of the story,” and live in the Light and Love of the Crucified and Resurrected Lord Jesus in Whose Name we live and move and have our being (Acts 17: 28).
Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whom no one living can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin.
Blessed are those whom death will find in Your most holy will, for the second death shall do them no harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.
Peace and Blessings
Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M. Cap.
Regional Spiritual Assistant
