Pope Francis remembered as someone who is 'among the people, with an open heart' in homily
As Pope Francis was laid to rest, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re looked back at his legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church, saying he was a “pope among the people, with an open heart.”
In the homily presided over by Re at St. Peter's Basilica, the Dean of the College of Cardinals recalled Francis’ pontificate, saying the pope "maintained his temperament and form of pastoral leadership" and that he was "eager to be close to everyone."
"Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings, and hopes of this time of globalization. He gave of himself by comforting and encouraging us with a message capable of reaching people's hearts in a direct and immediate way," Re said.
'Pope among the people, with an open heart'
Francis was remembered for how he aimed to establish a "more compassionate" Catholic Church during his 12-year papacy.
"He established direct contact with individuals and peoples, eager to be close to everyone, with marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalized, the least among us. He was a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone," Re said.
Proving his humble leadership, Re noted Francis' significant efforts to help refugees, migrants, and poor people.
"His gestures and exhortations in favor of refugees and displaced persons are countless," Re told the over 200,000 crowd, including US President Donald Trump, with whom he had clashed over the treatment of migrants.
Re also highlighted how Francis urged for "reason and honest negotiation" over conflicts around the world. "Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions," he said.
Francis believed 'Church is a home for all'
As the leader of the Catholic Church, which is known for its conservative takes on the LGBTQ+ community, Francis also made significant progress in his refusal to judge gay, as well as divorced, Catholics. Re noted how the Pope believed the Church "is a home for all."
He was driven by "the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open... a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds," he said.
The 88-year-old pontiff, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died on Monday aged 88 after suffering a stroke, coma, and heart failure.
His death comes a day after he had made his first prolonged public appearance since being discharged on March 23 from a 38-day hospital stay for pneumonia.
His funeral day will also begin the novemdiales, or the nine days of mourning. (With reports from AFP)
