Since the death of Pope Francis on 21^st April, I’ve been very moved by the tributes paid to him around the world. Not only world leaders but folk on the street have been calling him ‘The People’s Pope’, and speaking so warmly about him. He’s touched the hearts of not only the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, but all kinds of people of good will.

Thinking about how we at Catholic Care might pay tribute to the late Holy Father, it struck me that he embodied all of our Charity’s six values:

Care: From the moment of his election as Bishop of Rome in 2013, Pope Francis put the disadvantaged, vulnerable, and marginalised at the heart of his ministry, regardless of their faith. He highlighted the plight of refugees, opened up a service for the homeless in the Vatican, and said that care for the poor must also extend to care for our fragile planet.

Community: Instead of living in the papal apartments of his predecessors, Pope Francis chose to live in the Casa Santa Marta, a residence for clergy and others visiting Rome. He did this so that he would be in regular contact with ‘ordinary people’, and enjoying a simpler lifestyle more in keeping with Jesus. Francis loved being with people, and it’s typical of him that his last public act was to bless the crowds gathered in Rome on Easter Sunday.

Compassion: So many of the photos of Pope Francis show that when it came to compassion, he walked the walk as well as talking the talk. He embraced people with disabilities. He kissed the feet of prisoners, the sick, and migrants. He hugged those who were mourning. He called on governments and societies to put people first, not profit or power. He emphasised mercy, and the need for reconciliation and forgiveness. During the Covid pandemic, alone in St. Peter’s Square he prayed for the whole world, and praised those who cared for the sick and dying.

Dignity: Everyone who met Francis in person speaks of how he paid attention to them, really wanting to hear what mattered to them. His care for the poor and marginalised showed that dignity is something all human beings have, simply by virtue of being human, not because of their status. He stressed that all people should live as brothers, sisters, siblings, regardless of religion or race. He said that divorced and remarried people should be cared for pastorally, not excluded from the Church.

Equality: Pope Francis began breaking down barriers within the Church. He said that LGBT+ people should be respected and protected, not judged, and approved same sex blessings. He promoted women to lead Vatican departments for the first time. He revived the ‘synodal’ process within the Church, in which everyone has a voice and people can come together to discuss important issues without fear of criticism or reprisal. He said that the world’s resources belong to everybody, not just the super-rich. He appointed cardinals from countries that had never had such recognition before.

Justice: In reforming the Holy See (the bureaucracy of the Vatican), Francis wanted more transparency and honest working practices. He put in place new systems to address the abuse crisis within the Church, giving a voice to victims. He called on world leaders to promote justice in matters such as trade, migration, and care for the environment. He denounced war as always a failure.

No one is perfect, and Pope Francis himself recognised his failings and limits, but he believed in a God who always forgives, and who always loves. Francis showed that love, as much by the way he was with people as by what he wrote and said. I sincerely miss him, but thank him for inspiring people to live the values of the Gospel. May Pope Francis rest in peace, and rise in glory.

Stephanie says: “Hi! I’m a 4^th-year Masters student in Food Science at the University of Leeds. As part of the University Catholic Society, I am thrilled to soon be running my first Half-Marathon to raise money for Catholic Care. It’s a great charity that provides support to everyone in the local community. It caters to families and the youth, in addition to providing everything from food and shelter to physical and mental healthcare. I am so grateful for this opportunity as part of my university’s Chaplaincy, and this year we will also hold other events such as a Bake Sale and Promise Auction to raise money for Catholic Care. Thank you for your time and all your support!”

Can you support Stephanie and help Catholic Care by sponsoring her? You can donate via Stephanie’s JustGiving page.

This date was chosen as it’s the feast day of Saint Josephine Bakhita (1869-1947). She was born in Darfur (now in western Sudan) and lived in a loving family until, aged 7 or 8, she was seized by slave traders. Over the coming years she was sold multiple times, eventually ending up in Italy. There she encountered the Canossian religious sisters, became a Christian, and joined the Canossians. She was much loved by those who encountered her, and in 2000 she was canonized a saint. Today she is the patron saint of victims of human trafficking.

Inspired by St. Josephine Bakhita’s canonization, Catholic religious sisters and bishops started working with police forces and other groups to eradicate human trafficking and modern-day slavery. A group from the UK convened an international meeting of police chiefs and Church leaders at the Vatican in 2014. They stayed at the Vatican residence called Santa Marta, and the alliance that developed adopted the name The Santa Marta Group. The Group’s President is Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster.

To mark the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita and the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, the Santa Marta Group has prepared resources for dissemination in parishes and schools. Posters, bookmarks, parish newsletter inserts, and a bidding prayer encourage people to remember the 130,000 victims of human trafficking in the UK, and the 50 million victims worldwide. Pope Francis has denounced modern-day slavery as “a crime against humanity”. We are all called to combat this evil trade. Santa Marta Group seeks to equip people with the tools to do this, through online resources and rolling out awareness-raising sessions across the dioceses. Further information and resources and can be found at: https://santamartagroup.org/st-bakhita-day

Carol was able to raise important issues with Members of Parliament and the House of Lords. She raised the increase in National Insurance with each MP she spoke to, and also the increase in poverty and the impact this has on families in our Yorkshire communities.

The parliamentary reception was a great opportunity to showcase the great work undertaken by members of the Caritas Social Action Network which represents:

• 51 members (Catholic charities and organisations in England and Wales)
• 4,700 staff employed by member charities
• 14,300 volunteers
• £484 million total expenditure by CSAN members

Carol commented: “It is important that political leaders are aware of our work. Many MPs, civil servants and policymakers are unaware of the scale and impact of Catholic social action. Events such as today encourage a greater awareness.”

Every constituency is affected by poverty, housing insecurity, and social exclusion. Church charities in England and Wales are actively responding to these challenges across the country through frontline services and personal support which reaches hundreds of thousands of people.

Photos © Mazur/cbcew.org.uk

ITV’s Lorraine in partnership with The Baby Bank Alliance and Morrisons supermarket is encouraging people to provide essential items for families experiencing hardship this winter.

From now until 5th December, Morrisons in Kirkstall has a trolley at the front of the store ready to collect baby items for us.

Thank you for your support!