EASTER SUNDAY 20TH
APRIL 2025
By Barbara Thomas
Everyone waited in anticipation,
would Pope Francis give the Easter Blessing.
Everyone went quiet when the
French windows opened and a very frail figure
In a wheelchair being pushed
by a priest bought the wheelchair to a halt on the Balcony of St Peter’s square
Bonsilica.
The roar went up; our
beloved Pope Francis had come to give his Easter blessing and homily.
Weeks before the Pope had
been near to death and after 5 weeks in hospital, he came home which unlike
other Popes he chose to live outside the Bonsilica in a 2-bedroom apartment.
The doctors instructed
strongly that whilst he was fairly good enough to go home, it was vitally
important that he rested so therefore no meetings and that included Royalty, presidents
and world leaders.
But the Pope had other
ideas. He met our King Charles and
Camilla the Kings consort,
Vice President of the United States of America,
the Ukrainian President,
and many more. All against
Doctors orders.
Let me tell you about this
extraordinary man who sadly lost his fight just after 7.00am our time. On the
21st of April 2025 88 years of age.
JORGE MARIO BERGUGTIO who
years later was to take the name of Pope Francis.
was born in Argentina’s capital BUENOS AIRES on the 17th December
1936
His father was an
Accountant on the railway and an Italian by birth.
He indoctrinated his son
Jorge with his obsession of a football club San Lorenzo de Almagro.
Pope Francis would say
years later that this was one of the best times in his life.
Jorge would go with his dad
to the stadium. Although he also admitted he was no great player and played goalkeeper
in matches to avoid the humiliation. The Pope would say later that playing in
goal was a great start to get him ready for the school of life. The goalie has
to be ready to respond to threats which can arrive from every side.
Wise words for when as
Pope Francis he took on the Vaticans
“Snakepit”
He started by dismantling
the monarchy-style of previous Popes.
He expanded dramatically
the number of decision-roles that both lay men and women could hold within the administration.
He would be heard repeatedly
saying (about being a goalie makes you aware).
I digress let me tell you
more about this amazing person.
One day in 1995 a 16 year Jorge
dreamed of being a chemist, on his way to a party he passed a Church and
dropped in on a whim to make his confession. Afterwords he said “I felt
something had changed, I was never the same, I heard something like a voice or
a call I was convinced that I should become a priest.”
He studied at a seminary,
but this did not distract him from his other passion ‘The Tango’. Also, during
this time, he met a girl and in his own words “I was bowled over for quite a
time.”
Jorge eventually chose his
faith and particularly the Jesuit Order with its focus on missionary activities
and its vow of poverty.
Although whilst he was studying,
he worked part time as a bouncer. Young Jorge
took his final vows as a Jesuit priest in April 1973.
This was the year before
the outbreak of Argentina’s
so called “Dirty War”.
He explained that this was
the darkest days of his life. During this time, he was chosen to be the archbishop
and had become the leader of the Jesuits in Argentina.
It was felt at the time
that as Archbishop he had failed to protect two Jesuit’s priest who had been
continually tortured for alleged involvement in left wing activities in 1976, he
would always maintain all that could have been done had been done.
Moving forward, as he
worked his way through the ranks in 1998 Jorge Mario BERGUGTIO was appointed
the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
The archbishop was soon
famous for visiting slums the poor and lonely he would use a bus rather than
car to get to his flock.
He continued doing this
even when he was made a Cardinal by Pope John Paul, the second in 2001.
Four years later he
narrowly avoided becoming the new Pope after Pope John Paul died.
Despite begging his fellow
Cardinal’s NOT to vote for him, he still came 2nd behind Pope
Benedict XV.
But in 2013, after continues
illnesses a poorly Pope Benedict shocked the world by becoming the first Pope
to resign since 1415.
Jorge Mario had not
thought of being a contender this time, after all he was now 76 and had already
lodged the official paperwork for his retirement.
Many Cardinals strongly believed
that the new Pope should be from Latin America
home to 39% of the worlds catholic’s.
Then Jorge Mario caught
their attention by giving an emotional speech in which he said:
“The church must walk
amongst people and be in step with the poor.”
Jorge Mario was voted into
the top job on March13th 2013, he joked, “may God forgive you for what you have
done.”
When he first appeared on
the balcony of St Peter Basilica, he made sure he looked different from any
previous plaintiff. The Pope chose the
name Francis as Saint Francis governed the poor sick and lonely. And that’s
what Pope Francis always wanted for himself. Therefore, instead of all the pomp
of the Vatican
he chose to wear a white Cossack and instead of an ornate cross he once again
chose his old iron cross.
An Australian Archbishop
at the time, Mark Coleridge was later recorded as saying:
“It was clear that this
was NOT business as usual.”
So, this is my homage not
only to Pope Francis in situ but the man behind the throne, Jorge Mario Bergugtio.
Pope Francis may all the
Angels and Saints take you up to the Kingdom
of Heaven, you have
served his people well and deserve the rest.
God Bless may perpetual
light shine above you, live in the house of the Lord forever.
Rest in Peace, Amen.
Barbara Thomas
