Students at Central Catholic High School in Bloomington are reflecting on the life and legacy of Pope Francis in the wake of his death.
The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis on Monday morning. Born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he became the first non-European pope in more than a millennium when he rose to the position in 2013. He died of a stroke after having struggled with respiratory and blood-related issues.
A trio of Central Catholic students all said they will remember Francis as a man of the people. Most current high schoolers are too young to remember his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
“I think knowing Pope Francis for as long as I did in my lifetime, he was very impactful. When I was in fifth grade, I went to a Papal Mass at the Vatican, and to see him perform the Mass and the miracle of the Eucharist, I think it was very profound,” said Blaine Tarr, a senior.
“I got to see him in the crowds going around in the Popemobile, and I would see him pick up the babies and, like, kiss their foreheads. And to see the kind of loving character that he was ... he wanted to be with the people," Tarr added.
Sophomore Grant Hageman said he woke to the news Monday when others, including people that are not Catholic, made posts on social media.
“He was a popular guy, but man, you could just see how it affected people, and how many people really cared about him and were impacted by his death just from waking up and checking Instagram in the morning," Hageman said.
Francis’ tenure also marked a change in church attitudes toward same-sex relationships. While Pope Benedict held views that homosexuality was “an objective disorder,” Francis said “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" Still, under his tenure the church did not go as far as to begin officiating same-sex marriages.
“Pope Francis was big on serving other people,” said Rylee Cook, a junior. “Not just serving Catholic people, it was everybody. He was big on peace across religion, so making like people feel loved, regardless of what you actually believe in. And I think that that emulates what Christ wanted. He wanted everyone to be loved from God, and that's what Pope Francis showed other people.”
The 2025 Papal Conclave will decide the next pope. It is expected to begin in May. Conclave cardinals below the age of 80 are eligible to vote on the next pope, of which any baptized Catholic male is eligible. However, only fellow cardinals have won the title since 1389 after the death of Pope Urban VI.
“I think that what we need to do is, as far as the Catholic Church, is just express unity and inclusion and showing the love of Christ,” said Tarr. “And so I think that there's no new direction that really needs to be taken, but maybe approaches to the same direction, which is to spread the love of Christ and to help people come to know Jesus and to follow his direction.”
Central Catholic will hold an all-school Mass on Wednesday to pray for the repose of Pope Francis' soul as well as for the Holy Spirit to guide the church as it chooses his successor.
