The April 21 death of Pope Francis sent ripples across the globe, with people from all walks of life wondering if his successor can have a similar impact and continue Francis’ efforts to lead with an open heart.
Francis was the 266th pontiff and the first Jesuit to be elected. He was also the first to take the name Francis (after St. Francis of Assisi), and he led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years before his death.
Priests around the North Shore took the time to discuss the death of Pope Francis and what they expect from his successor.
The Very Rev. Pablo Gomis, VF, pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Lynn, spoke about how Pope Francis made a difference during his time.
“Pope Francis refreshed the church’s mission to be a home and a hospital for everyone,” Father Gomis said. “He reminded us that the church is not a club for the elite but a place for the wounded to find healing through the love of Christ.
“My priesthood has been shaped by his teachings, especially his call to welcome the stranger. Our parish in Lynn, made up mostly of Latin-American immigrants, has lived out that mission.”
Father Gomis believes the next pope will continue Francis’ vision of openness, mercy and outreach.
“We believe the Holy Spirit guides the cardinals during the election,” he said. “Our trust is not in politics, but in God’s action through the Church.
“The conclave is not just a political gathering. It is a spiritual retreat. (The cardinals) pray, they discern, and the Holy Spirit acts. No pope invents a new Church; each highlights certain aspects needed at a historical moment. Pope Francis emphasized mercy and inclusion. That direction, I believe, will continue,” Father Gomis said.
Rev. Brian Flynn, pastor of Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart parish in Lynn, shared a similar view of Pope Francis’ leadership and how he has guided the church.
“Pope Francis was truly a humble man who reminded us that all people are created in the image and likeness of God. That includes immigrants, people of every color and language — everyone is God’s creation and deserves to be treated with respect,” Father Flynn said.
“This has been a challenge for the Church at times, and it’s a lesson we haven’t fully learned yet,” Father Flynn said. “I would like the next pope to continue reminding us of that reality.”
Father Flynn said Pope Francis led the church through difficult conversations and understood that he didn’t have all the answers, but continued to press the important issues.
“I hope the next pope continues to lead us in those conversations, even if he approaches things differently. It’s important that the church keeps moving forward,” he said.
Rev. Paul Ritt of Ava Maria Parish in Lynnfield which includes Our Lady of the Assumption Church and St. Maria Goretti’s, also added to the conversation.
“Pope Francis put such an emphasis on pastoral outreach to all people all over the world,” Ritt said. “He was a champion of diversity in the church so that every human being regardless of where you came from or your background, your language, your culture, everyone has an inherent human dignity that is Christ given. And everyone should be treated with human dignity.”
Father Ritt hopes that the pastoral care Pope Francis showed is continued through the next papacy.
“I find Pope Francis’ outreach to the world is uplifting. Such a role model, his reaching out to the forgotten and the lost. We have to continue to keep our eyes open and our hearts open as well going forward as Pope Francis did so beautifully. That’s the model that we as pastors need to follow and the model I hope the church follows going forward.”
Msgr. Timothy Moran, pastor of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Marblehead, said he was not surprised at the pope’s passing due to his health issues.
“I have some very close friends in his immediate inner circle,” Msgr. Moran said. “I think people have known that his health was severely challenged in recent months, but at the same time, I think everyone feels the passing very deeply because of just the sort of power of his presence as a figure, not only in church, but as a public figure as well.”
When asked what type of pope he expects next, Msgr. Moran said, “I think (he’ll be) more toward the middle of things. Pope Francis was considered very liberal by some and not liberal enough by others, and that’s about what you’d find no matter who is in the role. (The new pope will be) trying to make decisions in terms of what the necessities of the moment are, what the demands of the faith are in terms of a good way of life and a helpful outreach to others. I think it’ll be right down that line.”
On April 22, the parish’s creation care team hosted a town-wide discussion in Marblehead where Pope Francis’ death was acknowledged for his emphasis on environmental justice and morality concerns.
Rev. Andreas Davison, pastor of Peabody’s St. John the Baptist and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes, hopes the next pope continues to be close to the people.
“Each pope is different,” he said. “Some are more reserved, others are more pastoral. Pope Francis was the people’s pope, approachable and close to the suffering.
“We have seen recent popes bring greater international representation to the Church. I believe the next pope should be someone with a global perspective; perhaps someone who speaks more than one language and understands different cultures.”
Father Davison explained that the Holy Spirit will guide the process during the conclave, but cardinals will consider many factors, including experience, leadership ability, theological vision, and personal character.
“After Vatican II, all popes have been working within its framework,” Father Davison said. “Major shifts aren’t likely, but different emphases can make a big difference — like Pope Francis highlighting immigration, poverty, and care for creation.”
Msgr. John McLaughlin, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Swampscott and St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Nahant, was also not surprised at the news of the pope’s death.
“He wasn’t wearing oxygen, so my thought was that he was doing that for a reason; he was ready to go,” Msgr. McLaughlin said.
He also commented on whether the next pope will be as liberal as Pope Francis or hold more conservative views.
“Your guess is as good as mine. But, it’s interesting — historically speaking, when you have a liberal pope, the next one, generally, will be a conservative,” Msgr. McLaughlin said. “And if you have a conservative pope, then the next one will usually be liberal. It’s hard to tell. But the funny thing for (priests) is that on some level it doesn’t matter. We just do our job and hope the pope is good and does his job.”
According to the rules of the Catholic Church, the next conclave typically begins 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death. This year, it is expected to start between May 6-11 after the appropriate time of grieving, and to give the cardinal electors time to arrive in Rome. He was to be buried Saturday.
