Following the death of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, the 17,000 Catholics at Texas A&M are mourning and reflecting on the legacy he left.

Pope Francis died on April 21 at age 88 after serving as pontiff for 13 years. Having been the first pope from South America and the only to take the name Francis, he led the Catholic Church through the COVID-19 pandemic and was known for his dedication to marginalized groups. 

The Reverend Will Straten ‘00, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Center, reflected on the late pope’s life during Mass.

“He was human, just as we are,” Straten said. “He had family, had friends as all of us do. He served as priest, bishop, archbishop, cardinal and then was named about 12 years ago as the successor to St. Peter as pope of the Catholic Church.”

St. Mary’s held a requiem Mass for Pope Francis on Wednesday, which is traditionally offered for the souls of the deceased. According to an estimate by Straten, over 100 people attended.

David Ojeda ‘19, the director of liturgy for St. Mary’s Catholic Center, personally feels the loss of Pope Francis every Mass.

“You feel the void there,” Ojeda said. “In the Eucharistic prayer, we would always pray for the pope. … You don’t hear his name mentioned there anymore. … It’s a punch to the gut, almost. We don’t have our shepherd anymore.”

Pope Francis was noted for his interfaith outreach efforts, which included visits to Orthodox and Islamic communities across the world. Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, released a statement the day after Pope Francis’ death expressing his condolences for the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.

“Throughout these 12 years of his papacy, he was a faithful friend, companion and supporter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” Bartholomew I said in the video, translated from Church Slavonic. “ … He left behind an example of genuine humility and brotherly love.”

Bartholomew I attended the late pontiff’s funeral on April 26 at the Vatican, in attendance with other religious leaders, including representatives of the Islamic faith, dignitaries and laypeople. Pope Francis’ coffin contained a rogito — a testimony of his life in Latin — that described how he was dedicated to working with Islamic faith leaders and the poor.

“Pope Francis really pushed the priests to ‘smell like your sheep,’” Straten said during his homily. “Live life and get out of the office, get out of the rectory to go to the people. Minister to them, whether it’s going to the hospital or going to the jail.”

Pope Francis’ work on centering marginalized communities, such as incarcerated women and LGBTQ+ Catholics, had been the subject of criticism from conservative Catholics, who accused the pontiff of destroying tradition. Straten also prayed during the Mass for those who had been hurt or offended by Pope Francis’ actions.

For Jeremy Casal, a seminarian from the Diocese of Austin who is serving his pastoral year at St. Mary’s Catholic Center, the passing of Pope Francis is a moment to remind himself of his mortality.

“It’s a sobering reality,” Casal said. “It makes me realize the necessity of our own repentance.”

As for the future head of the Catholic Church, a conclave has been declared to begin on May 7 following the conclusion of nine days of mourning for the late pontiff. All cardinals able to vote will gather in the Sistine Chapel under lock and key to vote on a new pontiff until they reach a majority. This process typically takes two to three days, with Pope Francis having been chosen on the second day in 2013.

“Yes, he has passed into this eternal life, but there is hope,” Ojeda said. “We pray for our Holy Father, who now may rest in peace, but also it’s exciting as well. We are preparing for the conclave and preparing for the new pope …. We pray and hope for him as well.”