Pope Francis, the beloved leader of the Roman Catholic Church and one of the most influential moral voices of the 21st century, passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. The Vatican announced that the Holy Father died peacefully in Rome at 7:35 a.m. after suffering complications from a severe respiratory condition that had worsened into double pneumonia.
His death marks the end of a remarkable papacy defined by compassion, humility, and a bold call for mercy and justice, especially for the poor, the displaced, and the forgotten. And for Filipinos around the world, his passing feels deeply personal. To many of us, he was more than a pontiff. He was a spiritual grandfather—ang Santo Papa ng puso ng Pilipino.
A Rain-Soaked Visit that Touched the Nation
When Pope Francis visited the Philippines in January 2015, he did more than offer blessings—he entered our pain.
In Tacloban, as rain poured and winds howled in memory of Typhoon Yolanda, he stood in a simple yellow raincoat, soaked to the skin, refusing to shield himself from the elements. He embraced survivors, comforted the grieving, and wept alongside those who had lost everything.
It wasn’t just a papal visit. It was pakikiramay—a shared mourning, a spiritual balm. For many Filipinos, especially in Leyte, this was the moment they felt most seen by the Church. Pope Francis didn’t preach from a distance; he stood with us, and it mattered.
He Saw the Invisible
Whether in Manila or Madrid, Rome or Riyadh, Filipinos often work behind the scenes—nurses, domestic workers, cooks, carers. Quietly. Humbly. Tirelessly.
Pope Francis spoke about us.
He honoured the dignity of workers who are too often overlooked. He reminded the world that behind clean hotel rooms and cared-for children are people who carry love and sacrifice on their shoulders. He made the invisible visible.
When he said, “Migrants are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity,” it resonated deeply. For the more than 10 million Filipinos working overseas, many of whom are separated from family for years at a time, his words offered both validation and grace.
A Pope Who Spoke Our Spiritual Language
He did not speak Tagalog. But he spoke a language all Filipinos know by heart: mercy.
He understood the values of bayanihan and pakikipagkapwa—the spirit of community and solidarity that define the Filipino soul.
He encouraged us to walk with the poor. To care for the earth. To listen more than judge. In one of his most famous declarations, he asked, “Who am I to judge?”—a bold, compassionate stance that mirrored the non-condemning kindness so often seen in Filipino homes and parishes.
He chose humility, always. From refusing to live in the apostolic palace to carrying his own bags and wearing simple shoes, Pope Francis reminded the world that greatness lies in gentleness.
A Global Pope, a Filipino Favorite
While Pope Francis belonged to the whole world, Filipinos embraced him in a special way. In him, we saw a reflection of our hopes, our struggles, and our unbreakable faith.
Even in faraway corners of the globe—whether it’s in an aged care facility in Melbourne, a ship in the Atlantic, or a small chapel in Alberta—you’ll find a Filipino praying for strength, lighting a candle, whispering thanks. And for many of those quiet faithful, Pope Francis was a source of inspiration and comfort.
His encyclicals, especially Laudato Si’, have inspired Filipino communities to care for creation, to organise feeding programs, to serve without recognition. His teachings were not distant theology. They were lived, daily.
His Legacy in Australia and Beyond
In Australia, where over 400,000 Filipinos have built lives, Pope Francis’ messages about migration, justice, and human dignity resonate strongly. Filipino-Australian parishes have embraced his spirit—caring for the homeless, visiting detention centres, and working for environmental justice.
He encouraged unity without uniformity. A Church that listens, not lectures. A faith that walks, not preaches. And perhaps that’s why he will be remembered not just for what he did, but for who he was: a gentle giant of the soul.
Final Benediction
Pope Francis once said, “Hope is bold. So let us be bold in hope.”
As we mourn his passing, we remember the boldness of his love—the kind that dared to touch the untouchable, to speak truth to power, and to remind each of us that no one is too far for the reach of grace.
He now joins the saints, not as a distant figure in white, but as the same warm, humble man who once knelt in the mud of Tacloban.
Pope Francis – December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025
A voice of mercy. A champion for the poor.
A shepherd who walked with his people—lalo na kaming mga Pilipino.
May he rest in peace, and may his life continue to inspire ours.
