Pope Francis returned to the Father's House

Pope Francis has died. He passed away at 7:35 a.m. European Time. He was 88 years old. Francis developed his original pastoral theology, in which teaching and daily life were not isolated but were closely linked and interpreted in the light of the Gospel. He expressed it perfectly when he was a 35-year-old provincial of the Jesuits: "When you want to know what the Church teaches, you turn to the Magisterium, but when you want to know how the Church teaches, you turn to the faithful People. The Magisterium can teach you who Mary is, but the faithful People will teach you how to love Mary."

Francis was not an academic theologian, but rather someone who understood his episcopal office primarily as a pastoral ministry close to contemporary people and their problems. Some said that Francis was practicing "simple theology," which signified the quality of Francis's life-like theology, which is understandable for everyone and not a dry, theoretical lecture.

Pope Bergoglio opposed the abstract nature of "doctrine" by contrasting it with a "reality" to which everyone must conform. He consistently upheld the principle that reality is more important than ideas and that one cannot be liberated from it. In the tension between reality and ideas, he always prioritized the immediate social reality, focusing on encounters with individuals, especially the poor, simple, faithful, holy People of God.

The spiritual profile of Francis demonstrates that he was undoubtedly a prophet for our times, for whom every act of injustice, business cheating, or exploitation of the poor is not a trifle but a crime.

He was loved for his humility among the celebrities of the world, a sinner in the realm of self-justification, a leper kisser in a society obsessed with carnal attraction, and one of the few spiritual authorities who turned to the poor when people were killing each other for riches. Moreover, every morning, he prayed the breviary, psalms, and rosary, celebrated the Holy Mass, and in the evening, between seven and eight, he adored the Blessed Sacrament for an hour.

Every day, let us express our gratitude to God for our Holy Father Francis, who, in my view, was the most remarkable miracle of St. John Paul II. May sorrow surround every Catholic household, for our family's father has passed away. And You, Good Pope and Father, please pray for us.