Buffalo, NY - Canisius University joins the global Catholic community today, Monday, April 21, as it mourns the passing of Pope Francis. As we reflect on his profound impact on the Church and the world, Canisius University President Steve Stoute shares this message of remembrance and hope:
“ Jesus wants to open our hearts to hope, to remove our anxiety and fear before the pain of the world.” – Pope Francis
History often fixates on what makes a figure unique. In the case of Pope Francis, his election ushered in a series of firsts: the first pope from the Society of Jesus; the first from the Americas; the first from the Southern Hemisphere. These distinctions are significant, but do not define Francis because another first—a simple yet profound choice revealed the essence of his papacy.
He was the first pope to take the name Francis. Not after a great theologian or statesman, but after St. Francis of Assisi—the saint of radical humility, the saint of the poor, the saint who embraced the outcast and saw God reflected in all of creation. In choosing it, Pope Francis declared that his leadership would not be about grandeur, but about service. It was a name that signaled intention and from the very start Francis showed what the Church can be, and must be, by amplifying a core tenet of Ignatian Spirituality through his example of finding God in all things and all people.
As we mourn the passing of Pope Francis and reflect on his service to our Church, we recognize that he confronted poverty, migration, climate change, social polarization and so many other issues that divide people. His legacy is a synodal Church; a people more closely and deeply connected, desiring to choose love over fear, justice over indifference, communion over division, and destined to hope.
At this challenging moment in history, for our Church, our country, and our world, let us heed Francis’ example. It is not in standing apart that we find our purpose, but in standing together for what matters most. In Pope Francis, we have been blessed with a shepherd who reminded us of who we are called to be. In this Jubilee year of Hope, and beyond, may we continue on this journey and carry forward his vision, walking in faith, in humility, in love, and with a fervent hope for our future.
AMDG,
President Steve Stoute, JD
