(Atlanta, GA) With the news spreading across the world regarding Pope Francis’ passing, the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe react with words of comfort and peace, recognizing Pope Francis’ impact and legacy. The Order of Friars Minor recently posted, “Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Supreme Pontiff on the 13th March, 2013, taking the name of Francis, the first in history. In fact, he is a pope very close to St. Francis of Assisi, to the Franciscan charism and to the Franciscan friars.”
Br. Lawrence J. Hayes, OFM, Provincial Minister for the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shares his words and a memorable quote from Pope Francis:
With Catholics, Christians and people of good will world-wide, we join in offering prayers of gratitude for the life and witness of Pope Francis— icon of the compassion of God, defender of migrants and the poor, champion of ecological responsibility, reformer who sought to transform the Church into a “field hospital” at the service of the vulnerable at the peripheries, and friend of Christ who longed to “wake up the world” with hope and joy. In faith, we commend Pope Francis to God’s loving embrace. Through the power of the resurrection, may he now enjoy fullness of life with God in the communion of saints. Abide in life, good and faithful servant!
“Let us welcome Jesus, the God of life, into our lives, and today once again say ‘yes’ to Him. Then no stone will block the way to our hearts, no tomb will suppress the joy of life, no failure will doom us to despair. Let us lift our eyes to Him and ask that the power of His resurrection may roll away the heavy stones that weigh down our souls. Let us lift our eyes to Him, the Risen Lord, and press forward in the certainty that, against the obscure backdrop of our failed hopes and our deaths, the eternal life that He came to bring is even now present in our midst.” — Pope Francis
A Church of the Poor
Br. William Short, OFM, Franciscan scholar: “Pope Francis brought the people of the periphery to the center. He has opened participation in decision-making to a much broader section of the baptized, especially through the synodal process. And he reshaped the College of Cardinals, which will elect his successor, into a truly international body with members from more nations and cultures than ever before. With such changes, Pope Francis can assure to some degree that the Church of the future will be shaped by his vision of a “Church of the poor,” which he called for in the very first days of his pontificate.”
A More Synodal Church
Br. Keith Warner, OFM, professor at the Franciscan School of Theology and practical social ethicist in the Franciscan tradition:
“Pope Francis called us to a second reception of Vatican II and its call to renewal. He correctly discerned that we did not need another Ecumenical Council. What we needed was a deepening of our spirituality so that we might listen to what the Holy Spirit is calling of the Church today, which way we should walk together. This is the essence of synodal discernment.”
A Church More Attuned to Modern Challenges
Br. Javier Del Angel De Los Santos, OFM, studying for the Licentiate in Biblical Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome:
“Pope Francis has profoundly influenced the Church by emphasizing mercy, synodality and social justice. His focus on the peripheries — both geographical and existential — has reshaped the Church’s pastoral priorities, making it more inclusive of the poor, migrants, and those marginalized by society. Through encyclicals like Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, he has elevated the Church’s engagement with ecological and social issues, linking them to faith and moral responsibility.
Also, his thrust for synodality intended a shift toward a more participatory Church, where listening and discernment guide decision-making. Francis has also reformed some Vatican structures and tackled clerical abuse (sexual, spiritual and of conscience) while calling the Church to a greater sense of accountability.
Perhaps his legacy will be a Church more attuned to the modern world’s challenges, grounded in dialogue and pastoral care, rather than rigid legalism. Whether his reforms endure depends on future leadership, but I think his emphasis on mercy, ecological justice and a synodal Church has set a trajectory that has the potential to shape Catholicism for generations.”
About the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a coast-to-coast Catholic brotherhood devoted to living the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis of Assisi and in imitation to Jesus Christ. They serve the poor, the forgotten and the marginalized alongside people of goodwill located across the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Alaska. Founded in October 2023, the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe was formed from friars coming together from six legacy provinces. Combining their gifts has allowed them to renew their Franciscan witness to American society and begin an exciting new chapter of their history in the United States. They go forth under the guidance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose compassion and advocacy for the oppressed and suffering calls them to live in solidarity with the marginalized. To learn more, visit friars.us.
Contact:
Kerting Baldwin, Ed.D, APR
(678) 384-3808
kbaldwin@friars.us
News & Commentary
US Friars Extend Global Condolences for Pope Francis
(Atlanta, GA) With the news spreading across the world regarding Pope Francis’ passing, the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe react with words of comfort and peace, recognizing Pope Francis’ impact and legacy. The Order of Friars Minor recently posted, “Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Supreme Pontiff on the 13th March, 2013, taking the name of Francis, the first in history. In fact, he is a pope very close to St. Francis of Assisi, to the Franciscan charism and to the Franciscan friars.”
Br. Lawrence J. Hayes, OFM, Provincial Minister for the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shares his words and a memorable quote from Pope Francis:
With Catholics, Christians and people of good will world-wide, we join in offering prayers of gratitude for the life and witness of Pope Francis— icon of the compassion of God, defender of migrants and the poor, champion of ecological responsibility, reformer who sought to transform the Church into a “field hospital” at the service of the vulnerable at the peripheries, and friend of Christ who longed to “wake up the world” with hope and joy. In faith, we commend Pope Francis to God’s loving embrace. Through the power of the resurrection, may he now enjoy fullness of life with God in the communion of saints. Abide in life, good and faithful servant!
“Let us welcome Jesus, the God of life, into our lives, and today once again say ‘yes’ to Him. Then no stone will block the way to our hearts, no tomb will suppress the joy of life, no failure will doom us to despair. Let us lift our eyes to Him and ask that the power of His resurrection may roll away the heavy stones that weigh down our souls. Let us lift our eyes to Him, the Risen Lord, and press forward in the certainty that, against the obscure backdrop of our failed hopes and our deaths, the eternal life that He came to bring is even now present in our midst.” — Pope Francis
A Church of the Poor
Br. William Short, OFM, Franciscan scholar: “Pope Francis brought the people of the periphery to the center. He has opened participation in decision-making to a much broader section of the baptized, especially through the synodal process. And he reshaped the College of Cardinals, which will elect his successor, into a truly international body with members from more nations and cultures than ever before. With such changes, Pope Francis can assure to some degree that the Church of the future will be shaped by his vision of a “Church of the poor,” which he called for in the very first days of his pontificate.”
A More Synodal Church
Br. Keith Warner, OFM, professor at the Franciscan School of Theology and practical social ethicist in the Franciscan tradition:
“Pope Francis called us to a second reception of Vatican II and its call to renewal. He correctly discerned that we did not need another Ecumenical Council. What we needed was a deepening of our spirituality so that we might listen to what the Holy Spirit is calling of the Church today, which way we should walk together. This is the essence of synodal discernment.”
A Church More Attuned to Modern Challenges
Br. Javier Del Angel De Los Santos, OFM, studying for the Licentiate in Biblical Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome:
“Pope Francis has profoundly influenced the Church by emphasizing mercy, synodality and social justice. His focus on the peripheries — both geographical and existential — has reshaped the Church’s pastoral priorities, making it more inclusive of the poor, migrants, and those marginalized by society. Through encyclicals like Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti, he has elevated the Church’s engagement with ecological and social issues, linking them to faith and moral responsibility.
Also, his thrust for synodality intended a shift toward a more participatory Church, where listening and discernment guide decision-making. Francis has also reformed some Vatican structures and tackled clerical abuse (sexual, spiritual and of conscience) while calling the Church to a greater sense of accountability.
Perhaps his legacy will be a Church more attuned to the modern world’s challenges, grounded in dialogue and pastoral care, rather than rigid legalism. Whether his reforms endure depends on future leadership, but I think his emphasis on mercy, ecological justice and a synodal Church has set a trajectory that has the potential to shape Catholicism for generations.”
About the Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe
The Franciscan Friars of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a coast-to-coast Catholic brotherhood devoted to living the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis of Assisi and in imitation to Jesus Christ. They serve the poor, the forgotten and the marginalized alongside people of goodwill located across the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Alaska. Founded in October 2023, the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe was formed from friars coming together from six legacy provinces. Combining their gifts has allowed them to renew their Franciscan witness to American society and begin an exciting new chapter of their history in the United States. They go forth under the guidance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose compassion and advocacy for the oppressed and suffering calls them to live in solidarity with the marginalized. To learn more, visit friars.us.
Contact:
Kerting Baldwin, Ed.D, APR
(678) 384-3808
kbaldwin@friars.us