Easter Monday was a profoundly sad day as we begin to mourn the passing of Pope Francis – a man who, for me and for many around the world, embodied humility, hope, and humanity. I had the privilege of meeting him on a few occasions, and each encounter left a lasting impression. A couple of years ago, during one of our conversations, he said to me: “We must walk together, work together, and pray together.”
That simple phrase has stayed with me. It wasn’t just a soundbite – it captured his entire approach to leadership and faith. He saw the Church, not as an institution that had arrived, but as a people on a journey together. Pope Francis brought to the Catholic Church the idea of synodality from the Greek word meaning “walking together”.
He imagined a Church that listens, that learns, and that moves forward not as individuals, but as a community. And that vision reached far beyond Catholicism. As an Anglican Archbishop, I saw how his example encouraged unity, not division, among all of us who seek to live lives of faith, compassion, and service. Earlier this month, King Charles and Queen Camilla met him, a sign of the close and respectful relationship between the Anglican and Roman Catholic traditions. Pope Francis deeply valued unity not only between churches, but among all people of goodwill.
What stood out most to me was Pope Francis’s humanity. I expected a brief handshake when I first met with him. Instead, he welcomed me warmly, sat me down, and we spoke for half an hour. At the end of our conversation, we prayed the Lord’s Prayer together. I’ve said that prayer thousands of times, but sitting beside him, the words “our Father” resonated in me and in that moment, I understood in a deeper way what it means to belong to one another.
His ministry was marked by service to the poor, tireless work for peace, and an insistence that faith is for everyone. Even in his final days, he was still serving, still blessing, still praying.
Pope Francis changed how many of us think about faith, leadership, and unity. I believe his legacy will continue to shape the Church – and the world – for years to come.
