WCC mourns Pope Francis 'ecumenical prophet of mercy'

21 June 2018, in Geneva, Switzerland Pope Francis visited WCC for ecumenical prayers

Rev Prof Dr Jerry Pillay, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) said: "Pope Francis's passing will be mourned around the world, not least among his many allies and admirers in the ecumenical movement and in the worldwide fellowship of the WCC. His papacy has been a great gift to the ecumenical movement, and he has been a dedicated collaborator in our efforts toward Christian unity and reconciliation and a prophetic voice for peace, the environment, and justice everywhere."

The Argentine Jesuit, elected in 2013, leaves deep marks on the Catholic church and Christians worldwide from the chief initiatives and hallmarks of his pontificate: an open-armed embrace of all persons in a "church of the poor, for the poor" that is a "field hospital" for the healing of the sick and vulnerable, a strong and distinctive support of Christian mission as accompaniment of the marginalized, and a ministry of "mercy" or compassion to all.

Francis most notably championed a bold and unrelenting advocacy for addressing climate change and the injustices it spawns, alongside a trenchant critique of global capitalism and economic inequality. Internationally he voiced zealous support of migrants and refugees and trafficked humans, robust communication and collaboration with especially Muslim-Christian fraternal initiatives, and a bold opposition to war, calling all forms of war "a crime against humanity." Within the Vatican he pursued reform of the Roman curia and Vatican finances, appointment and elevation of bishops from marginalized countries, and appointment of women to the highest tier of Vatican departments.

A dedicated ecumenist

Francis also proved a champion of ecumenical collaboration. He advocated the missional "mandate" of sharing the Gospel ecumenically. He solidified strong working partnerships of the WCC's chief programmes with their corresponding dicasteries in the Vatican, thus ensuring deep ecumenical collaboration on such issues as ecumenical dialogue, climate justice, interreligious dialogue and cooperation, and advocacy for and service of migrants.

"The ministry and leadership of Pope Francis have been marked by an ecumenical openness and eager cooperation from the start," said Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the WCC central committee. "At their heart stand the gospel, the presence of Christ and the Spirit in the church, and the imperative of compassion and mercy toward all our sisters and brothers. He understood his mission not as a guardian of abstract truth claims but as an enabler and opener of relationship. In this he himself radiated the love of Jesus Christ that he preached. In my many encounters with him I always felt the 'ecumenism of the heart' of which the WCC assembly in Karlsruhe 2022 spoke in its unity document. In his strong commitment to refugees and other vulnerable groups, he was a true witness of this love of Christ. We share that deep faith, we are inspired by his witness, and in his memory we pledge to continue our work of faith active in justice, reconciliation, and unity."

In 2016, Pope Francis visited Lund, Sweden, to participate in a Catholic-Lutheran commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. This was the first time a Roman Catholic leader had met with representatives of the Lutheran World Federation to mark the Reformation.

Francis's commitment to ecumenical collaboration and mission were further highlighted by his extraordinary and joyful pilgrimage to the WCC, the Ecumenical Centre, and the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey in 2018.

Celebrating the WCC's 70th anniversary and its ecumenical charism, the pope said there, "We are heirs to the faith, charity and hope of all those who, by the nonviolent power of the Gospel, found the courage to change the course of history, a history that had led us to mutual distrust and estrangement, and thus contributed to the infernal spiral of continual fragmentation. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, who inspires and guides the journey of ecumenism, the direction has changed and a path both old and new has been irrevocably paved: the path of a reconciled communion aimed at the visible manifestation of the fraternity that even now unites believers."

Collaborative ministries and diaconal service were Francis's chosen form of ecumenism, uniting churches as agents of reconciliation in the world. As he said in his presentation to the WCC in 2018, "So let us ask ourselves: What can we do together? If a particular form of service is possible, why not plan and carry it out together, and thus start to experience a more intense fraternity in the exercise of concrete charity?"

Francis the lightning rod

Though immensely popular in many countries around the world, Pope Francis also sparked controversies with his practical pastoral approach to such issues as welcoming gay and lesbian people- "Who am I to judge?"-welcoming divorced Catholics back to church, restricting celebration of the Latin Mass, and opening the top tier of Vatican posts to women.

A small but very vocal minority, especially in the United States, bitterly criticized Francis over what they saw as compromises or even betrayals of traditional Catholic teaching, and they found some allies in the hierarchy. They compared him unfavourably to his predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and their more conservative approach to matters of polity and pastoral care.

Yet, despite expectations of many, Pope Francis very much held the line on doctrine and on such distinctive yet controverted Catholic teaching on abortion and contraception, ordination of women to the priesthood and the diaconate, and opposition to "gender theory."

"His words and actions on some matters may have frustrated and alarmed some people, but his courage and leadership are certainly appreciated," said Pillay. "His ability to speak truth to power and speak out on political issues may have raised some eyebrows, but prophetic witness is a gift in ecumenical circles."

The Francis legacy

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936, he was the son of Italian immigrants. He joined the Jesuit order in 1958 and was ordained in 1969. He later taught college, served six years as Jesuit provincial leader, and worked in academic and ecclesial administration. On 20 May 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed him titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires. In 1998 he became Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina.

"My people are poor and I am one of them," Francis said more than once, explaining his decision to live in an apartment and cook his own supper. He was deeply influenced by Vatican II and the "preferential option for the poor" of liberation theology. His ascetic lifestyle, commuting on public transportation, and close identification with the poor marked his ministry in Argentina and later informed his pontificate, after he was elected pope on13 March 2013.

Over the years, the WCC general secretary met with Francis four times. "In one of my personal meetings with him," remembered Pillay, "we talked about Christian unity. I said to him that the WCC appreciated his words to us in 2018, when he visited us at Bossey, that we must keep 'walking, praying, and working together.' I said to him that these are good words, but 'Don't you think the time has come for us to hold hands while we are walking, so that we can demonstrate visible Christian unity?' He smiled and said, wagging his finger, 'I like that, I like that.' What I remember most were his final words with a handshake on every occasion I met him: 'Please pray for me.'"

"Perhaps," Pillay observed, "Pope Francis's signal insights are best captured in the themes of his chief encyclicals and exhortations: the joy of the Gospel, the joy of love in families, the light of faith in Christ, the need to care for our common home the earth, and the indispensability of mercy and peace. These are precisely what we as Christians have to offer a hurting world to kindle personal and social transformation and nurture the reign of God among us. We have been abundantly blessed by Francis's ecumenical and pastoral leadership, and we have nothing but gratitude to God for his life and ministry. May he rest in God's embrace as we continue to be inspired by him in our work."

We give thanks to God for this wonderful and courageous servant-leader and pray God`s peace and comfort over the Roman Catholic Church and all concerned during this time of bereavement and loss. Further, we pray God`s wisdom and guidance over them as they embark on the processes of electing a new Pope.

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

LINKS

Read Pope Francis's remarks during his 2018 visit to the WCC and the Ecumenical Centre

See Pope Francis's message to the 11th Assembly of the WCC in 2022

Pope Francis's encyclicals are available here www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals.html