“So Humble, So Holy”: Bishop of Bridgetown remembers Pope Francis I

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he Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown has joined Catholics and people worldwide in mourning the death of Pope Francis I, who died on Monday morning at the age of 88 after a period of illness.

Bishop of Bridgetown, Reverend Neil Scantlebury, reflected on the life and legacy of the late pontiff, who served as head of the Roman Catholic Church since 2013.

“He was the first Pope I ever met face-to-face and I remember his firm handshake, his warm smile, his simplicity. He was so humble, so real, so jovial, so holy,” Bishop Scantlebury said.

Recalling key moments of Pope Francis’s papacy, he noted the humility and compassion that defined his leadership.

“One of my enduring memories of Pope Francis is when he came out onto the balcony of the papal apartment after he was elected in 2013 and he stood before a packed St Peter’s Square and asked the people to pray for him—and a profound silence fell over the entire space as the people prayed for him,” he said.

“Fast forward to March 27, 2020, when he who stood alone, in silence, in that same Square and prayed for all of us during the height of the COVID pandemic—when he made his statio orbis. And then, just yesterday, Easter Sunday, he is wheeled out onto the same balcony where he began his pontificate, and gives us—the Church and the world—his final blessing. He was a true shepherd. May he rest in peace.”

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first Jesuit and first Latin American Pope. He was widely recognized for his emphasis on mercy, inclusiveness, and environmental stewardship.

Bishop Scantlebury also praised the profound teachings and insights Pope Francis left behind in several of his most influential writings.

“Pope Francis was so full of mercy in his perspective, from the very start when he likened the Church to a ‘field hospital’, to his championing the care of the Earth, to the hailstorm of criticism he received for saying ‘Who am I to judge?’. He was big-hearted, he was courageous, and his call for us to unflinchingly minister to the ‘fringes of humanity’ still resounds.”

The Diocese of Bridgetown announced that a Requiem Mass will be held in memory of Pope Francis, with details to be confirmed in the coming days. Bishop Scanetlebury said special prayers for the election of a new Pope will also begin soon.

How the new pope will be chosen

• Within 15 to 20 days of a pope’s death, the cardinals meet in the Sistine Chapel to vote by secret ballot. Only cardinals under age 80 are eligible to vote. Out of the 252 current cardinals, most appointed by Francis, 138 are cardinal electors, as those allowed to vote are known.
• All cardinal electors must swear an oath of secrecy. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect a new pope, and politicking is part of the process.
• Cardinals are not allowed to leave the conclave except in rare cases. The word conclave — from the Latin “with key” — refers to the isolation imposed on them, which is meant keep the electoral process from dragging on.
• During the conclave, the cardinals live in Casa Santa Marta, which was built on John Paul II’s orders to replace the improvised rooming arrangements in the papal palace that had previously housed them.
• After every vote, smoke is released through a chimney that can be seen from St Peter’s Square, where crowds typically form to watch and wait. If a vote ends without a two-thirds majority, the smoke is coloured black.
• When a decision is reached, the smoke is white.
• Inside the Vatican, the dean of the college asks the chosen successor whether he accepts the job. After getting the presumed yes, the dean asks him the name he wishes to be called as pope.
• In the sacristy of the chapel, the new pontiff is dressed in a white cassock and red cape. After greeting the cardinals, he proceeds to a balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, where a senior cardinal proclaims, in Latin, “Habemus papam.” (We have a pope.) Thus he introduces the world to the church’s new leader. (Source: New York Times)