VATICAN: Jesuits Eulogize Fellow Confrère Pope Francis as Prayerful, Ever a Jesuit
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In the wake of Pope Francis’ passing on Easter Monday, April 21, members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) have paid heartfelt tribute to the first Jesuit pope, remembering him as a man deeply rooted in prayer and unwaveringly loyal to the Order. Tributes poured in from Jesuit communities around the world, with many highlighting how, even as pontiff, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never ceased to embody the spirit and mission of the Jesuit order.
“He led with discernment, served with humility, and always sought to find God in all things,” Fr. Arturo Sosa, the Superior General of the Jesuits, said in a statement shared after the death of the Holy Father.
According to the Superior General, Pope Francis was not just a leader of the Church, but a spiritual brother who remained close to his Jesuit identity in thought, word, and deed. Known for his examination of conscience and deep devotion to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Francis’ papacy reflected his formative years as a Jesuit, marked by simplicity, discernment, and a preferential option for the poor. His confrères say the Holy Father’s legacy will endure as a powerful testament to the enduring values of Ignatian spirituality.
“We remember with grateful hearts the discreet and constant attention of Pope Francis to the Society of Jesus, to our life and our apostolate,” reads part of Fr. Sosa’s letter to the Jesuits across the globe as he continues, “Many of you were able to meet him in various countries of the world because he always had time for frank and fraternal sharing with the Jesuits who lived and worked in the places he visited.”
Fr. Sosa shares a message that the late Pope Francis wrote to calling on members of the Jesuits to continually seek consolation and allow themselves to be moved by the suffering Christ, to better serve a world marked by its crucifixions.
“We need only recall what he wrote me in his letter of 6 February 2019, communicating his approval and confirmation of the Universal Apostolic Preferences. The first preference to show the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment is crucial because it presupposes, as a basic condition, the Jesuit’s relationship with the Lord, in a personal and communal life of prayer and discernment. I recommend that, in your service as Superior General, you insist on this,” he disclosed, adding that “Without this prayerful attitude, the other preferences will not bear fruit.”
Focusing on the late Pope Francis’ prayer life, the Superior General who is based in Rome emphasized that right from the time of the Pope’s appointment in 2013, when greeting the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate his election, “we already find two key dimensions of his ministry: the importance of walking together, Bishop and people, on a path of fraternity, love, trust and hope; and the centrality of prayer, especially that of intercession.”
He noted that Pope Francis’ strong emphasis on the Synod of Bishops and his promotion of synodality as a core aspect of Church life powerfully illustrate his vision of a Church that “walks together.” Far from weakening the Primacy of Peter or the responsibilities of bishops, this approach enriches the Church by fostering active and conscious participation among all the baptized, and it reflects a deep recognition of the Holy Spirit’s presence and guidance within the life of the entire ecclesial community.
On his part, the Jesuits Eastern Africa Provincial Fr. Kizito Kiyimba pointed out that the death of Pope Francis has deeply moved the Society of Jesus, who remember him as a compassionate shepherd, a tireless reformer, and a steadfast Jesuit to the end.
His passing on Easter Monday, he says in a letter dated April 21, is seen by his confrères as a powerful witness to the Resurrection he so often preached.
According to Fr. Kiyimba, Pope Francis championed the marginalized, confronted abuse and corruption, and called the Church back to its core mission as a “field hospital,” the mission he fulfilled, making him be revered for his simplicity, moral clarity, and courageous leadership.
In Eastern Africa, he is remembered not only for his visits and powerful pleas for peace, the Jesuit Provincial said, but also for his warmth, humility, and unwavering commitment to dialogue and reconciliation.
His papacy, marked by ground-breaking encyclicals and inclusive pastoral outreach, left a lasting impact on the Church and the world. Jesuits now pray for his peaceful repose and for a worthy successor to carry forward his spirit of service, justice, and joy.
