Warming the Hearts of the Faithful: Honoring Pope Francis

Jorge Mario Bergoglio: December 17, 1936-April 21, 2025

To hope is to savour the wonder of being loved, sought, desired by a God who has not shut Himself away in His impenetrable heavens, but has made Himself flesh and blood, history and days, to share our lot. – Pope Francis 

Pope Francis has returned home to Christ at 88 years old. After months of illness, his death came on Easter Monday, April 21st, 2025, less than a day after greeting the faithful at St. Peter’s Square for Easter. The 266th pontiff was a first in many ways: the first pope from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name Francis, and the first to wash the feet of female inmates, just to name a few. His above statement on the visceral, present nature of a God who wants to share in our lot is reflected in his papacy, which emphasized the need for a Church of tangible, open-armed mercy and service. A statement from Ignatius Press reminds us that the Holy Father movingly encouraged priests to “‘smell like the sheep’—to be among people in their tragedies, joys, suffering, sin, and experiences of forgiveness.” He tempered his statements with compassion and made for a deeply human leader for Catholics around the world. Bishop Robert Barron remarked that Pope Francis had a “keen awareness of the destructiveness of sin”—he was an undeniable shepherd to many, corralling us to the well of Christ’s mercy as it might be daily experienced. 

Christ is risen! These words capture the whole meaning of our existence, for we were not made for death but for life. – Pope Francis

This Easter Monday of the Jubilee Year of Hope invites further reflection on Francis’ reign as the “People’s Pope” whose teachings of love, compassion, charity, and justice echo the victory of Easter. He kept Christ’s boundless mercy at the forefront of his papacy and was known for his humility, his bold heart, and his commitment to the poorest and most disenfranchised among us. During this season of Easter, our mourning period offers a timely opportunity to celebrate Pope Francis’ most Christlike qualities and to fortify those qualities within ourselves. 

Today at Paloma & Fig, we reflect on the Holy Father personally and in conversation, including practical tips for honoring his legacy now and in the future. 

Tangible Mercy: A Personal Reflection
Marge Hynes, Paloma & Fig Writer

When I reflect on the papacy of Pope Francis, one image immediately comes to mind: the November 2013 photo of him in St. Peter’s Square, sweetly and tenderly embracing Vinicio Riva—a man suffering from neurofibromatosis, a rare genetic disorder that causes painful tumors to form all over the body. Francis didn’t flinch. He simply placed his hand on Vinicio’s head and held him close, like a father embracing his suffering child.

I was 14 then, just starting high school. I was still figuring out who I was, where I belonged, and how to hold onto my Catholic faith in a world that often felt so disconnected from it. When I saw that image online, I immediately thought of the Beatitudes and became emotional.

It was that same kind of tangible mercy that eventually drew me—and so many others my age—back into the heart of the Catholic Church. Over the years, I’ve come to see how Pope Francis encouraged that mercy: to the poor, the wounded, the forgotten, and especially to the youth. I think of all the images of him washing and kissing feet. I think of his words in a Vatican interview: “The thing the Church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity.” His papacy was one of proximity.

“Dear young people . . . make a ruckus!” he wrote in Christus Vivit. At World Youth Day in Kraków in 2016, he told us that “the times we live in do not call for young ‘couch potatoes,’ but for young people with shoes, or better, boots laced. The times we live in require only active players on the field, and there is no room for those who sit on the bench.”

He called today’s youth to mission, to messiness, to mercy—to find Jesus in the everyday.

As I graduated from college and stepped into the uncertainty of adult life, I carried his words with me. Pope Francis asked people my age to come out of our comfort zones, to go to the margins, to be “courageous missionaries.” He called young people “the living hope of the Church on the move.” He insisted the Church should be urgently present to its young people. It should be like a field hospital. Young adults—so often overlooked—can be world-changers, saints in the making, and radical disruptors of apathy.

Let us give thanks for the seeds he planted in my generation, and for the enduring reminder that the Gospel is, above all, good news. 

A Pope of the People
Listen to our latest episode of A Resounding Yes! ft. Author, Podcaster, & Radio Host Katie Prejean McGrady 

Our latest podcast episode is all about Pope Francis, his legacy, and his defining characteristics.  Katie Prejean McGrady calls the Holy Father a pope who always had “boots on the ground” as she reflects on three distinct moments of his papacy that played out in St. Peter’s Square: his entrance after his election, his greeting of the world during the COVID-time Easter of 2020, and his final goodbye this past Easter Sunday. Katie eloquently elaborates on how all of these moments, individually and as a whole, illustrate a pope who moved with grace, benevolence, and inspiration through a rapidly changing technological and cultural landscape over the course of his twelve years. Katie and Christina Sabo–founder of Paloma and Fig–discuss what we can expect from this mourning period, the subsequent conclave, and the nature of the Church’s needs. Their conversation is as informative as it is heartfelt, including some extraordinarily moving information about the Holy Father’s burial plans. The episode is well deserving of a listen wherever you find your podcasts. 

7 Ways to Honor the Holy Father Every Day This Week
Ideas from Franci Eckensberger & Marge Hynes

1. Go to a local chapel or Adoration chapel
   Spend time in silence with the Lord. Pray for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul, for the Catholic Church, and for your role in sharing the Word of Christ.
2. Revisit his encyclical letters, writings, and speeches
   Pick a quote to meditate on or share with a person in your life who’s searching for encouragement. These are perfect for a Bible study, retreat, or personal reflection.
3. Spend more time outdoors
   Consider Pope Francis’ environmental teachings and express gratitude to God for creation by getting a little closer to nature.
4. Practice mercy
   Extend a warm embrace. Call someone you’ve been avoiding. Visit a homeless shelter. Hold space for someone’s pain without trying to fix it. Give where you can, without strings. Let love be your apologetics.
5. Give to those in need
   It doesn’t have to be monetary. Each family member can contribute a toy, some clothing, a book, non-perishables, or school supplies to an organization serving those who Pope Francis calls “the poorest of the poor.”
6. Notice, nurture, and spread moments of joy
   The Holy Father says that we are to be “missionaries of hope.” By embracing joy, especially during Easter, we allow hope to occupy a prominent space in our lives. We can model a hopeful attitude for those around us.
7. Create space for encounter
   Start a small prayer group. Host a gathering. Invite young adults into intimate friendship with Jesus, just as Pope Francis has done.

Holiness doesn’t mean doing extraordinary things but doing ordinary things with love and faith. – Pope Francis

Eternal rest grant unto Pope Francis, O Lord!

The Paloma & Fig Team

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Writer and editor Franci Revel Eckensberger holds a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from Cornell University. With years of experience as a copyeditor for academics, fellow writers, and various small businesses, she takes pride in maintaining clarity, consistency, and beauty in each client’s voice. 

Franci finds grace and insight in the Catholic Church’s rich relationship to language and invites that relationship to influence both her literary and editorial work. Saint Cecilia and Catherine of Siena continue to play a vital role in her journey to the faith as an artist. She lives in coastal Delaware with her husband. 

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With over eight years of experience and a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing, Marge Hynes is a dynamic writer whose portfolio spans SEO-driven copywriting, journalism, and marketing—a versatile skill set that allows her to craft compelling content for Paloma & Fig’s projects.

Marge’s Catholic faith serves as the cornerstone of her work. She approaches storytelling with thoughtfulness and a deep appreciation for the Lord’s own creative power. Her love of the written word shines through in every project, helping clients articulate their message with clarity, heart, and purpose.
When she’s not writing, Marge can be found leading praise and worship, diving into theological books, or exploring the great outdoors with her loyal dog, Augustine (Auggie for short).