Tributes to Pope Francis

Apr 22nd, 2025

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Tributes, poems and prayers from organisations and individuals have been pouring in to ICN since Pope Francis died on Easter Monday. We will be publishing them all over the next few days.

The Jesuits in Britain

Pope Francis has returned to the Lord.

With heavy hearts, the Jesuits in Britain mourn the death of Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, whose leadership has profoundly shaped the Church in our time. His formation within the Society of Jesus instilled in him a gift of discernment, a sense of closeness to God, and a deep commitment to serving the marginalised and the voiceless, which he embodied throughout his ministry.

At the heart of Pope Francis's message was the joy of the Gospel. As he shared in Evangelii Gaudium, 'the joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness.' This vision will continue to resonate deeply with us, reminding us that true joy comes from our relationship with God and one another.

He consistently advocated for the dignity of the poor and vulnerable, urging us to be 'men and women for others.' His encyclical, Laudato Si', has inspired us to care for our common home, calling us to confront the ecological crisis with both urgency and compassion-a teaching that has been vital for our Province and has inspired our own commitment to sustainable practices.

In his quest for unity, Pope Francis built bridges between religions, as well as fostering good ecumenical relations. His meetings with leaders across denominations, including the last Archbishop of Canterbury, and the signing of the Document on Human Fraternity in 2019 demonstrate his belief in the transformative power of dialogue and peace, so needed in today's world.

He showed pastoral courage in facing up to the worldwide sexual abuse crisis, his encouragement to embrace solidarity and advocate for fair vaccine access during the COVID-19 pandemic, and his demand that the dignity of refugees and migrants be respected. He also championed the crucial contribution which young people have to make to the life of the Church, encouraging their active participation through events like World Youth Day.

As a Jesuit, Pope Francis placed discernment at the heart of his papacy, emphasising that the believer's journey is not only a matter of adhering to rules but also about seeking to hear God's personal call to us. He embraced a pastoral style marked by accompaniment, attentively observing how God's Spirit works among the faithful, especially those at the peripheries, and urged us to recognise the presence of the Lord in the signs of the times.

In this moment of profound grief, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and to all who mourn him. We give thanks to God for the gift of his life and ministry, and for the countless ways he has inspired us to deepen our faith and live out our call to love and serve one another. We invite all to join us in prayer for the repose of his soul.

Gracious God, may our hearts be transformed by Pope Francis's example. Inspire us to carry forward his vision of a more just and compassionate world. As we reflect on the profound impact of his life and teachings, remind us of our sacred call to be instruments of change and reconciliation in our communities and in our world. Amen.

In the peace of Christ,

The Jesuits in Britain

Jesuit Refugee Service

"I exhort all the faithful of the Catholic Church, and all men and women of good will, not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters.

With charity and clarity we are all called to live in solidarity and fraternity, to build bridges that bring us ever closer together, to avoid walls of ignominy and to learn to give our lives as Jesus Christ gave his for the salvation of all."

Pope Francis' words just a few months ago reflected his passionate defence of refugees throughout his papacy. Upon hearing the news of his death, so many of us will have remembered those powerful moments when he led calls for change: on Lampedusa, in Ciuda Juárez, and on Lesbos to name just a few.

His message to refugees: "never lose the hope that you too are facing a more secure future, that on your journey you will encounter an outstretched hand, and that you can experience fraternal solidarity and the warmth of friendship" has been an inspiration for so much work to accompany, serve and advocate with refugees across the world.

And as we mourn his passing, we give thanks for his legacy.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Westminster Abbey

The Dean and Chapter of Westminster, on behalf of all those at Westminster Abbey, has expressed deep sorrow at the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Revd Dr David Hoyle KCVO, said: 'With all Christians, and alongside people of goodwill across the world, we mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a faithful and humane witness to Christ. Knowing Christ, he was ever committed to making him known and to sharing what he called 'the quiet joy' of God's love. We will miss his profound insight, his encouragement and his generosity of spirit. During Eastertide, we renew our confidence in Christ's resurrection, in the sure and certain hope that Pope Francis now rests in Christ's light and peace. He, and our dear neighbours at Westminster Cathedral, will be in our prayers during this particularly poignant Easter Week.'

Prayers for His Holiness will be said daily in the Abbey this week.

Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia writes: It is with great sadness that the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations received the news of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. We share the sorrow of all those around the world who were touched by his ministry and witness.

Throughout his Pontificate, Pope Francis tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel message of mercy, peace, reconciliation, and care for all, with particular attention to the forgotten and those on the margins of society. He served as a guide not only for Catholics but for people of goodwill everywhere.

He was an unwavering champion for the poor, for migrants and refugees, and for those suffering in areas of conflict, as well as being a strong advocate for our common home, reminding us of our shared responsibility to care for it. In keeping with his predecessors, he was an ardent supporter of multilateralism, and his prophetic words will continue to resonate within the United Nations, urging solidarity, dialogue, and a renewed commitment to global peace and justice.

May the legacy of Pope Francis inspire us to continue his mission in tireless service of human dignity and the common good.
Mourning his passing, we join our prayers with those of the whole Church, consoled by Easter faith in the resurrection. May the Lord welcome his faithful servant into fullness of life with Him. May he rest in peace.

Catholic Children's Society

Greg Brister, CEO of the Catholic Children's Society writes: We are deeply saddened by the death of His Holiness Pope Francis on 21st April 2025.

Pope Francis led the Church with humility and compassion, championing the cause of the poor and marginalised throughout his papacy. He had a profound love for children, citing them to be a sign of joy and hope. "Children are a sign of every person's desire to grow and flourish. You remind us that we are all children, brothers and sisters." He called on us to protect and cherish every child, emphasising that "the disadvantaged cannot be thrown away... every person is a sacred gift."

His vision of a "poor Church for the poor" challenged us to serve with humility and to lift up those most in need. He reminded us that "the poor cannot keep waiting for justice and solidarity," urging immediate and compassionate action.

Hope was central to Pope Francis's message. He often spoke of hope as both a gift and a responsibility, stating, "Hope is a gift and a task for every Christian... it is God who offers it to us". He encouraged us to be "sowers of hope," bringing light to the darkest corners of society.

At the Catholic Children's Society, we will be forever grateful for the inspiring example Pope Francis gave us and his unwavering commitment to the vulnerable and marginalised. We will honour his legacy by continuing in our mission to support children and families facing disadvantage. This Jubilee Year, let us all act on his call, to "Become Pilgrims of Hope". For as His Holiness stated at his final Easter Vigil: "The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness; the promise of new life and a world finally set free awaits us"

May Pope Francis rest in eternal peace.

Aid to the Church in Need

Regina Lynch, Executive President at Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) (International), said: "We trust that we now have another advocate in heaven for our work."

She added that Pope Francis had voiced his support for the charity's mission on a number of occasions, thanking ACN and its "benefactors very much for all that we do for the Christians in the Middle East, and worldwide".

She explained that the late pope repeatedly expressed his solidarity with persecuted and other suffering Christians in countries like Iraq, Syria and Nigeria.

Pope Francis supported medical assistance for Iraq's displaced Christians with a personal gift, and in 2017 he signed a donated Lamborghini which was then auctioned, with a third of the proceeds going towards ACN projects in Iraq.

In March 2021, at the height of the COVID pandemic, he visited Iraq, meeting victims of Daesh (ISIS) violence in Mosul, Qaraqosh (Baghdeda) in the Nineveh Plains, where ACN was helping Christian communities return following the extremist violence.

In 2018, during a Sunday Angelus at St Peter's Square, he lit a candle made by ACN project partners in Syria, saying: "May these flames of hope drive out the darkness of war."

The late pontiff also met with victims of the terrorist group Boko Haram from Nigeria and supported their trauma care.

Ms Lynch said: "In countless speeches, Pope Francis took a stance for persecuted Christians, for human rights and religious freedom.

"Each of these statements, each prayer, each attentive gesture comforted our project partners and gave them back their dignity. For this we are eternally grateful."

She added: "May God reward him for his faithful service.

"We will continue the mission of Pope Francis, who on his travels often put the 'people of the margins' in the centre…"

She concluded: "As a pontifical foundation we make ourselves available to the future Holy Father, as we have done since the beginning of our work."

Dr Caroline Hull, National Director at ACN (UK), said: "At this time of great sadness as we mourn the loss of our Holy Father, I join with you and all of us at ACN (UK) in giving thanks for the life, faith and witness of Pope Francis.

"We pray for the repose of his soul. May he be welcomed into the arms of his loving and merciful Father whom he has served so faithfully."

Laudato Si' Movement

Lorna Gold writes: Laudato Si' Movement joins the universal Church in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a shepherd who transformed our understanding of our relationship with God, each other, and all creation.

Pope Francis' vision for creation care has shaped policies, inspired millions, and strengthened our mission.

In remembrance of his profound contributions, we invite you to read about Pope Francis' living legacy. https://laudatosimovement.org/news/pope-francis-revitalized-a-church-in-creation/

On a personal note, here are my reflections on Pope Francis from this morning:

As the spiritual leader who guided our Church for 12 years, Pope Francis breathed new life into centuries of Catholic teaching. As the man who inspired me and our movement, his warmth, humility, and commitment to the common good showed us a new way forward.
He sparked a sense of new hope and beginnings for many, so it's fitting that Pope Francis passed into eternal rest during Easter, when we celebrate the renewal of all life. We pray thanks for the gift of Pope Francis and for sharing in his precious few moments on Earth.

In the coming days, we'll share personal stories about Pope Francis and invite you to a celebration of his life and legacy.

Today, let us pray together: Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Catholic Concern For Animals

Chris Fegan, Chief Executive, Catholic Concern for Animals writes: "It is with profound sorrow that Catholic Concern for Animals (CCA) has learnt of the passing of Pope Francis. As a Catholic charity, we mourn the loss of an enlightened and inspiring leader who guided the Church with love and compassion for all of God's creatures. His ground-breaking Encyclical Laudato Si' has been the bedrock of CCA's work since its publication in 2015. The Encyclical's rejection of despotic anthropocentrism, and its exhortation to hear the cries of the suffering and to cultivate an ethos of care for all creation are more relevant than ever in the turmoil of today's world. Confident that Pope Francis is now resting in God's arms, we are immensely grateful for his gift. He will be sorely missed but his legacy will continue to shine a light on our path as we pursue CCA's charitable mission to advance Christian respect and responsibility for the animal creation within the Catholic tradition."

HCPT

Fr Damian Cassidy, HCPT Trust Chaplain and Trustee, said: "We heard today the sad news that our beloved Pope Francis has died. He was a pilgrim of hope and compassion who helped us to understand more deeply the tenderness of God and how to respond to the cry of the poor and the marginalised. We will continue our pilgrimage living out the legacy of his message to love one another and to love God. May the Angels lead him to paradise."

We've been broadcasting tributes on our Facebook page, including from Bishop Frank Dougan of Galloway and Bishop Joe Toal of Motherwell, both of whom are here with us in Lourdes.

The pilgrimage will continue as planned, fittingly for the kind of papacy that Pope Francis led. It's what our Holy Father would have wanted. We'll celebrate his life and legacy this week in Lourdes.

Center for Migration Studies

The Center for Migration Studies of New York joins the global community in expressing our deep sadness over the death of Pope Francis. From the very beginning of his pontificate, the Holy Father was an unflinching defender of the rights of migrants, refugees, and victims of human trafficking. He remained a voice of conscience and clarity, a reminder of our call to a just and compassionate society.

In his Urbi et Orbi address on Easter Sunday, the day before he died, Pope Francis again spoke out on behalf of the human rights and dignity of people on the move: "How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants! On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!"

His legacy will endure and his voice will continue to be heard, reminding the world of the call of the Gospel to "welcome the stranger." May he rest in peace.

Thank you, Your Holiness!

Pax Christi International

Today, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis passed away in Rome at the age of 88. On behalf of Pax Christi International, we join in the grief of the world, raising our prayers for his eternal rest. We deeply thank God for his life, his leadership, and his tireless commitment to building a more just, nonviolent, and compassionate world.

A Legacy of Mercy and Nonviolence

During his pontificate, Pope Francis was a steadfast defender of the Gospel values, especially mercy, peace, and nonviolence. In each of his interventions, he reminded us that we must follow Jesus. He also urged us to build a "culture of peace" based on respect for human dignity and the rejection of violence in all its forms.

Over the course of his twelve-year papacy, Pope Francis played a critical role in advancing nonviolence. His appeal for the world to pray for a nonviolent culture was one of many calls for the Church and the world to embrace active and creative nonviolence in response to a global culture of violence and injustice. Confronting the reality of violence with transformative Gospel nonviolence became a consistent theme of his teachings.

As His Holiness said to three French activists he met: "Start a revolution, shake things up. The world is deaf; you have to open its ears." Francis himself embodied this revolutionary spirit, urging a nonviolent revolution that prioritizes the well-being of all, especially the most rejected, excluded, and under attack.

Pope Francis relentlessly taught us that the answer to violence is not more violence. Rather than resolving humanity's greatest challenges, violence often perpetuates and escalates them. During a 2017 encounter with the Anti-Defamation League, he proclaimed: "Faced with too much violence spreading throughout the world, we are called to a greater nonviolence, which does not mean passivity, but active promotion of the good."

This "greater nonviolence," as Pope Francis envisioned, involves rejecting the temptation of violence, loving our enemies, responding to evil with good (Romans 12:17-21), breaking the spiral of violence, and creating potential for reconciliation.

A Global Call for Reconciliation

Pope Francis not only encouraged the Church to work for peace but also made a strong call to world leaders to commit to resolving conflicts peacefully and without resorting to violence.

During the 50th World Day of Peace, he reminded us that: "Violence is not the solution to our fragmented world. Responding to violence with violence leads, at best, to forced emigration and enormous suffering, as vast amounts of resources allocated to military purposes are diverted from the daily needs of young people, families in need, the elderly, the sick, the vast majority of the world's inhabitants. At worst, it leads to the physical and spiritual death of many, if not all."

Eternal Gratitude

Francis's legacy will be remembered for his tireless work in favor of peace, nonviolence, and social justice. On behalf of the entire Pax Christi International family, we are profoundly grateful to Pope Francis for being a beacon of light in a world marked by conflict.

Pope Francis strengthened a bridge between the Global South and the Global North, promoting a deeper understanding of the injustice and challenges faced by those most excluded by the extractive, consumerist economic model. He inspired not only the Catholic Church, but also the interfaith world and beyond to become more actively involved in promoting social and environmental justice and in building more equitable societies. -Martha Inés Romero, Secretary General

"In this Christmas, the beginning of the Jubilee Year, I invite all people, all peoples, and nations to gather the courage to cross the Door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the weapons, and overcome divisions." - URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE, December 25

We raise our prayers for his eternal rest and for his spiritual family in the Church. May the light that knows no end shine upon him.

Thank you, Francis, for teaching us to walk together towards a reconciled and nonviolent world.

O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Ignatian Solidarity Network

It was heartbreaking to wake up to this morning's news about Pope Francis's death at the age of 88.

Beginning in 2013, when he stepped out onto those Vatican steps, Pope Francis inspired the Church, each of us as followers of Jesus, and the work of the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

Throughout his twelve-year pontificate, Pope Francis invited the Church to live a prophetic Gospel vision. Through his words and deeds, he challenged us all to defend and promote the inherent dignity of all God's creation, both people and planet.

In the words of Pope Francis's Easter Vigil homily, read during the mass at Saint Peter's Basilica, "We are to reflect Easter in our lives and become messengers of hope, builders of hope, even as so many winds of death still buffet us." With these words in mind, amid our sadness at the loss of Pope Francis, let us find Easter hope in our own lives and in the work and mission of the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

And as we mourn his passing, we give thanks for his legacy.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN)

NJPN has heard the news of the death of Pope Francis with great sadness. To the end, he showed his great wish to be close to his brothers and sisters around the world at this blessed season of Easter and now he passes to his eternal reward.

Over time as we reflect on his years as a devoted shepherd there will be much to say but for the moment, we remember his call for dialogue, his deep love and respect for all people and for our common home. His constant message that we work for peace and justice will stay with us and provide a clear vision for all who seek a better world.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.