Pope Francis, whose life and teachings shocked, moved, and changed the world globally, has left behind something for every single person who met him. His simple lifestyle, which stepped out of many protocols, is admirable and unforgettable. The news of 90,000 people flocking to Saint Peter’s Basilica to pay homage to the resting Pope in a single day is not astonishing because such was his love for his flock—a global flock, not just Christians but everyone, all-inclusive and universal.

The Salvatorian family of laypeople, fathers, and sisters also feels the pinch of his loss at this troubling moment in our history. As the roar of war gets louder in our society, the Salvatorian family looks for new and renewed ways to be part of the peace movement called out by Pope Francis. Remembering and mourning the loss of this prophet of peace, Sr. Maria Yaneth Moreno has called out to all its members for prayer and thanksgiving for our beloved Pope. The Salvatorian family will gratefully remember Franciscus, who bestowed three remarkable gifts upon them.

1. Pope Francis approved and beatified our dear founder, Bl. Francis Jordan, on May 15, 2021. In a video during the thanksgiving year for the beatification of Bl. Jordan, he lovingly addressed all Salvatorian family members and encouraged them not to be afraid to be apostles beyond borders.

2. Under Pope Franciscus’ leadership, the Lay Salvatorian members received official papal recognition as the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life recognized them as an International Association of the Faithful.

3. The Sisters of the Divine Savior received a private audience with him during their 22nd General Chapter. On this occasion, Pope Franciscus jokingly asked Sr. Maria Yaneth if they had any vocations from Europe. In his message on the same day, he told the Salvatorian Sisters to be like Maria, who was a polar star that directs everyone towards Jesus and not oneself.

The Salvatorian sisters had many other opportunities to meet and talk to Pope Franciscus because he was so simple that it was not difficult to approach him. For example, Sr. Gabriela Lemma, the former provincial superior of the Italian Salvatorian sisters, wrote a letter to him regarding the situation of their school in Sheildi, Albania. Surprisingly, they received a reply from Pope Francis himself. It is impossible to put into words how the Salvatorian family will miss our dear Franciscus.

Let us pray and continue to put into practise the teachings of Pope Franciscus.

The most loved “people’s Pope”, this is how Pope Francis is dearly called by the media. He was simple human yet courageous who didn’t hesistate to address the unspoken issues, who laughs and cries, shares light moments with those around him. Francis has resonated with people worldwide with his deep humility and faith-focused presence for the people, especially the poor. The first non european pope in centuries he has won millions of hearts of the world wide Christians and non believers, not to mention first from the Jesuit order, a historic point of tension with the Holy See, Francis has broken expectations and has reimagined the papacy.

He has been both the face of appreciation and the contraverse. His papacy is characterized by a line of bold, humanitarian actions that drew the admiration of some like visiting Lampedusa, Italy, a place where illegal migrants land up in europe, the washing of the feet of the women. Through his convening of the Synod on the Amazon, he addressed the environmental crisis and indigenous peoples’ rights with urgency. And his gesture of haggoating the feet of South Sudan’s leaders, pleading for them to embrace peace, was a touching plea for reconciliation. Also, his choice to live in the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse rather than the lavish papal apartments shows his desire to be humble and available to all.

Born in Buenos Aires, Airgentina on December 17, 1936 as the eldest of the five children from Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori. Inspired by the Jesuit order, he was ordained a priest in 1969. His leadership qualities were evident early on, serving as Jesuit provincial superior from 1973 to 1979. He later became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.

Through his encyclicals – Lumen Fidei, Laudato Si’, Fratelli Tutti, and Dilexit Nos – Pope Francis has courageously brought attention to critical global challenges by creating platforms for worldwide discussion. Beyond the boundaries of the Catholic Church Pope Francis’s strong climate action gave firm support for migrant rights and his strict position against clerical sexual abuse “Zero Tolence”mentioned in Delixit nos have gained widespread attention.

Pope Francis has received widespread positive attention from international media which emphasizes his genuine nature and caring approach. This also helped the church to gain back its true identiy as an all inclusive and motherly church.

The Street artist Mauro Pallotta’s depiction of Pope Francis as “supero hero”. The increase of the crowd at regular Wednesday papal audience and the Sundady Angelus address shows how much Pope Francis is loved the common folks.

Pope Francis’s papacy confirms his motto “miserando atque elignedo” which means “By having mercy he chose us”. Mercy was the central theme of his teaching and living. As we now with utmost heaviness bid loving farewell to our dear Jorge Bergoglio, let us continue to carry on his legacy and ideals of “MERCY, LOVE AND CARE FOR THE NEIGHBOUR” as he says in his Angelus message on the solemnity of Christ the King, 2017 “At the end of our life we will be judged on love, that is, on our concrete commitment to love and to serve Jesus in our smallest and most needy brothers.”

The newly elected team greets on the occasion of Consecrated life all the sisters who have embraced the life of consecration. They have a wonderful message to commemorate this great day. Emphasising on the theme of the Jubilee “HOPE” the team has encouraged all the Salvatorian members to be A Beacon of hope, A Ray of hope, A Sign of hope, A hope of transformation, A guiding light of hope.