Death of Holy Father Pope Francis

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A Message from Father Joe Whalen on the Papal Conclave

Dear Friends:

Please join me and others throughout the world in praying as the papal election begins today. We ask that God grant wisdom and discernment to the Cardinal-electors who gather in the Vatican to begin the papal election process. With them, we bear witness to a historic moment, as the Church will enter a new era with a new Pope. We pray for a universal pastor who can inspire the hearts and consciences of people throughout the world, Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

It is also a historic moment because the Church proudly practices the oldest continuous form of democratic process in the world. The current method of electing popes began nearly 1,000 years ago. This is not a process that is democratic in the sense of a modern parliament. The papal election process begins and ends with prayer. It depends on the full participation of the entire body of cardinal-electors, including faithful dialogue and spiritual discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The sacred rituals that accompany the consideration of candidates; carried out by a body that is broadly representative of the diverse cultures, languages, histories, and nations throughout the world; set this form of democratic participation apart from the more familiar political processes. Perhaps one day the Church will establish a way for women will participate in conclaves as well. Until then, the conclave is a sign of the universality of the Church, gathered in prayer to elect one of its own Bishop of Rome.

Of course, there are political considerations in this process as well. But such considerations cannot be dominant or preemptive of the broader commitment to discover a pastor who can guide the Church through the current moment, by making new the perennial proclamation that Christ crucified is risen and present to the whole world in all its needs. We truly await the news of great joy, soon to be announced: habemus papam, we have a Pope.

Here is a beautiful prayer I recently came across. I invite you to join me in praying this prayer for the cardinals in these next few days of their discernment. May they be inspired to find for the world a servant-leader who will offer hope and renewal for one and for all.

Fr. Joe
A Message from Father Joe Whalen on Pope Francis' life and legacy (April 30, 2025)

Dear Friends:

These days of mourning for Pope Francis mark a transitional time between the end of one pontificate and the beginning of the conclave to elect a new Pope. It is also a time for us to reflect on what Pope Francis’ life has meant for our faith development. What did Pope Francis’ life and ministry mean to you? I share here my reflections on his life and his influence on my faith life.

Two words occurred to me in looking back at his time as Pope: simplicity and wisdom.

Simplicity summarized so much of his spirituality and priestly ministry. Pope Francis was dedicated to simplicity of lifestyle and ministry, purposefully reducing the regal pageantry associated with papal lifestyle, rituals, and practices.

I will never forget the stunning image of the newly elected Pope standing before the people of Rome on the night of his election, asking for their prayers for him before he offered the traditional papal blessing of the people. That simple, dignified gesture set the stage for what followed throughout the course of his ministry. He created a greater sense of accessibility between the people and the Pope, modeling the Pope as a universal pastor.

Pope Francis was not above and beyond the people he served, he stood with and for the people he served. The symbolic power of his actions established an intimacy between Pope and people that will hopefully become a model going forward, and even if not that, at the very least a great inspiration for the future life and ministry in the Church.

Wisdom was evident in Pope Francis’ way of approaching critical questions of interpreting and making accessible the richness of our faith traditions. He sought to deepen people’s personal integration of the Church’s traditions and teachings. This approach was widely viewed as reformist. He endured criticisms from some that he did not reform church life thoroughly or quickly enough, and he endured criticism by others as being a heterodox, radically minded iconoclast intent on changing fundamental church teachings. It seemed to me that he simply wanted people to seriously engage with the foundations of Church tradition, to plumb the depths of the wisdom of tradition, and so to experience transformation through God’s mercy and grace.

Pope Francis didn’t respond to the needs of God’s people by parroting catechetical summations of doctrine. For him, the eternal truths of our faith tradition are developed and applied for the benefit of God’s people. This requires a serious attentiveness and understanding of the tradition that resists temptations to simply impose rigid declarations, whether such declarations be considered “reformist” or “orthodox.” For Pope Francis, tradition complements the authentic development of faith, and as such cannot be used as rhetorical weapons to establish false divisions. It is an approach that stirred up apprehension for many people.

The simplicity and wisdom of the Pope’s ministry allowed that everyone could grow, learn, and find inspiration within the depth and richness of Catholic faith. Resultingly, he placed great importance on the Church coming together as a whole body to support one another in our shared faith journey, under the inspiration of the Spirit and in unity of mind and spirit with the Church’s living witness to faith. The ongoing universal synod is a result of his vision and leadership.

Pope Francis’ witness to simplicity and his prophetic vision for a mature and communal discernment in unfolding the infinite wisdom within the Church’s teaching tradition will have a lasting impact for years to come. Whatever the future holds, what will not soon be lost is the deep love and respect people within and outside of the Church felt for a man of integrity, who - by word and especially by deed - expressed his deep love for God as well as for those he served. May he rest in peace.

Father Joe

Access reflections by Church of St. Timothy parishioners on Pope Francis' life and legacy on St. Timothy's online journal, click here. To add your reflections, click on the plus hand in the lower right corner, write your message, and then click on "publish."
a Message from Father Joe Whalen on the Death of Pope Francis (April 21, 2025)

Dear Friends,

The passing of Pope Francis is a moment of great sadness in the life of the Church. His simplicity of lifestyle and consistent commitment to the poor and suffering of the world inspired not only Catholics but countless other people throughout the world. That he was called from this world as the Church celebrates the Octave of Easter is a powerful testament to the core of his message.

The Pope’s final public words were shared Easter Sunday afternoon, communicated to the pilgrims gathered at the Vatican to celebrate the traditional papal Easter message to the city of Rome and to the world. The Pope called for peace and prayers for those areas of the world devastated by war and political violence. He went on the say: “The light of Easter impels us to break down the barriers that create division and are fraught with grave political and economic consequences. It impels us to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.”

To the end of his life, Pope Francis advocated for peacemaking, forgiveness, mercy, and solidarity across differences with the hope the world will reject the ways of divisiveness and violence. We pray the message may one day take root in the hearts of leaders and people everywhere.

We will have parish memorial Mass for Pope Francis on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. In the meantime, please join me in offering prayers in gratitude for the service Pope Francis offered to the church, and for the repose of his soul: that me may rest in peace with all our faithful departed.

Father Joe Whalen