At Friends Committee on National Legislation, we join so many around the globe who are mourning the passing of Pope Francis this week. We hold those who loved him in the Light.
Pope Francis was a champion on many of the issues that drive our work at FCNL. We will miss his witness but are inspired by his prophetic words and actions on so many causes that Quakers hold close.
Creation Care
Pope Francis was a major champion of climate action. He chose to be called Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian friar who founded the Franciscans and is closely linked to protecting the natural world as a key part of personal faith.
In 2015, Pope Francis released Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, the first encyclical by a Pope on the climate crisis. It laments environmental degradation and urges swift and unified global action to reverse it. He framed climate change as not just a political issue, but a spiritual one, emphasizing how it is linked to poverty and migration.
He followed up this historic call with Laudate Deum in 2023, which called for speedier action against the climate crisis and condemned climate change denial.
Peace in Israel and Palestine
Pope Francis was a consistent advocate for peace in Israel and Palestine. He has called for a ceasefire to end the Gaza war, an end of arms shipments to Israel and a rush of aid to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Right up until his death, he called the Catholic church in Gaza almost nightly to express his care. His final Easter message condemned the war and the ongoing atrocities committed against Palestinian civilians.
Nuclear Disarmament
Pope Francis was the first pope to clarify that the very possession of nuclear weapons, not just their use, was immoral, marking a broader moral reckoning within Catholic teaching.
He showed bold leadership in advocacy for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, saying “The Holy See has no doubts that a world free from nuclear weapons is both necessary and possible.”
Pope Francis appealed to countries everywhere “to silence all weapons and eliminate the causes of conflicts through tireless recourse to negotiations.”
Care for Migrants and Refugees
Care for vulnerable migrants was a theme throughout Francis’ papacy. His first pastoral visit as pope was to Lampedusa, a Mediterranean island where many migrants were shipwrecked on their way to Europe.
His final Easter message calls on us all to “hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!”
Let’s live up to Pope Francis’ example of love for the sojourner!
Indian Boarding Schools
In 2022, Pope Francis visited Canada and made a heartfelt apology for the Catholic Church’s role in the residential schools there. He said, “We want to walk together, to pray together and to work together, so that the sufferings of the past can lead to a future of justice, healing and reconciliation.”
Although Canada has gone farther in its journey of reconciliation than the United States, more remains to be done in both countries. Native leaders have expressed their appreciation for Pope Francis’ humility and leadership.
This week, as we mourn Pope Francis, we will continue to be inspired by his prophetic leadership in these and other issues of peace and justice.
Rooted in hope, we will strive to carry forward his legacy and build the world we seek, no matter the challenges that may arise.
