A message to our Catholic Sisters and Brothers on the death of Pope Francis Our beloved shepherd Pope Francis […]
Our beloved shepherd Pope Francis departed to the Father at 7:35 a.m. in Rome (2:35 p.m. Japan time) today, ending his 88-year journey of life. We have lost a powerful shepherd full of love and mercy.
By the time of his passing, Pope Francis, the first pope from South America, had led the Church tirelessly for more than a decade from 2013, reforming Vatican institutions that had not been touched before and promoting the synodal nature of the Church based on the results of the Second Vatican Council. We sincerely pray for his eternal rest embraced by the Father who is the source of our hope.
Pope Francis was born in Argentina in December 1936 as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was ordained a priest in 1969 as a Jesuit. After his ordination, he served as a formator for the Jesuits, serving as a director of their novitiate and rector of the seminary. For six years from 1973 he served as the superior of the Jesuits’ Argentina province.
On May 20, 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Fr. Bergoglio as auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires and he was ordained a bishop on June 27. On June 3, 1997, he became co-adjutor Bishop of Buenos Aires, and on February 28 of the following year, he became Archbishop. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II on February 21, 2001, and served as president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference for six years from 2005 to 2011.
Pope Francis, elected as the 266th pope in the conclave following the retirement of Benedict XVI, was the first pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus. Despite being 76 years old he aimed with strong and clear leadership to thoroughly implement the reform of the Church called for by the Second Vatican Council.
In November 2013, he presented his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, clearly stating his stance toward a joy-filled Church in which no one is excluded. Later, in May 2015, he issued the encyclical Laudato Si’ in which he clarified the issues to be addressed in cooperation with people around the world to protect the earth, our common home, and indicated the direction that the Church should take.
Pope Francis convened the 16th Synod of Bishops starting in 2021 and ending in 2024 to hear the voices not only of bishops but of the entire Church regarding the synodal nature of the Church. He guided the Church’s journey toward becoming a community whose guiding principle in the future would be to listen to one another, support one another, pray for one another, and discern together the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Pope Francis visited Japan in 2019 and in meetings with many people in Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Tokyo, he strongly conveyed to the world the importance of establishing peace through the abolition of nuclear weapons and the protection of all life. The Church in Japan experienced the presence of our shepherd firsthand. At that time, we were directly touched by the voice of Pope Francis and were spiritually inflamed.
The bishops of Japan visited Rome in 2015 and 2024 on their regular Apostolic Visit (Ad Limina) and had opportunities to exchange views directly with Pope Francis. We learned much from the pope’s willingness to listen and walk with us rather than making commands based on authority.
The global pandemic since 2020 has endangered lives. Frequent wars and armed conflict have robbed the world of tolerance. Violence and despair have become powerful. In response to this reality, Pope Francis set “Pilgrims of Hope” as the theme of the 2025 Holy Year and called on the Church to become a witness and support to the world of hope in Christ by walking together.
At this time when we are continuing the journey of the Holy Year, the loss of this powerful shepherd is a great blow to the Church.
On the occasion of Pope Francis’ passing, let us give thanks for his many years of service to the Church and his guidance as our shepherd, and join in prayer for his eternal rest so that he may receive a rich reward in the bosom of the Father.