Message from Moderator of Religions for Peace Asia

ASIAN CONFERENCE of RELIGIONS for PEACE

POPE FRANCIS (1936 – 2025)

The 22 member nations of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace mourn the death of Pope Francis, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and one of the world’s most important spiritual leaders. He died after a stroke on Easter Monday and after he had blessed the crowds on Easter Sunday calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and passed through the throngs of people in his popemobile. He had been sick for some time and his death was not entirely unexpected. His last major international trip in September 2024 was to South-East Asia, visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore. His greatest wish was to visit China but his health did not allow it.

From Argentina as the son of Italian immigrants, he was the first Pope to come from the Global South. He was also the first Jesuit pope, the Jesuits being a major religious order founded in 1540 by the Spaniard, St. Ignatius Loyola. Pope Francis has been lauded by the world press as the Pope of the People.

He was a man deeply filled with compassion and joy, and he was a simple, humble man who spurned luxury and privilege. He lived his faith with fidelity, courage and universal love, particularly for the poorest and most marginalized. On the Holy Thursday before his death, he visited the prisoners at the Regina Coeli jail, washing their feet in a sign of service and humility. And every day in recent months he had telephoned the parish priest of the only church in Gaza. He made the Church more welcoming to women and to gay people, and dragged the Church onto the digital continent.

His first and most important encyclical or letter to the world was Laudato Si’ (Praise be to you) where he called on the world to take action to combat climate change in its care for creation. Another important document was on Human Fraternity which he wrote together with the Grand Imam of Al-Alazar as a sign of his commitment to the interfaith agenda. After his election as Pope in 2013 his first visit was to the island of Lampedusa where migrants and asylum seekers were gathered in dreadful circumstances. Upon his arrival he threw a wreath into the sea for the many who had drowned on the way seeking freedom and fleeing poverty.

May this good man be received into eternal happiness. May he rest in God’s peace.

Desmond Cahill,

Moderator, Religions for Peace Asia