To the editor: It was with great sadness that I learned the passage of Pope Francis (“Pope Francis, loved for his compassion and his desire to shake the scandal church, dies at 88 years”, “ April 21). He was different from those who preceded him. Francis will remain memories as one of the most consecutive leaders of our time.
For decades, he served the most vulnerable in Argentina, and his mission to serve the poor has never stopped. As a pope, he was a loving pastor and a difficult teacher who held out to different confessions. He ordered us to fight for peace and protect our planet from a climate crisis. He pleaded for the speechless and helpless. He felt all welcome and seen by the church. He promoted equity and the end of poverty and suffering around the world.
And above all, he was a pope for everyone. He was the pope of the people – a light of faith, hope and love.
Paul Bacon, Hallandale Beach, Florida.
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To the editor: Pope Francis will be sorely missed by millions around the world. It was a moral voice that has never stopped raising awareness of climate change, loss of biodiversity, global disparities, environmental degradation and food insecurity. In his last Easter sermon, one day before his sad disappearance, he remembered the miserable people of Gaza. He deplored an insane and cruel war which inflicted serious injuries to women and children who continue to endure a disproportionate burden. He prayed that peoples and leaders resolutely continue the path of peace and relieved suffering. Hopefully its tireless tenacity, its consistency and its unwavering determination will serve as a model for humanity.
Munjed Farid al Quotob, London
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To the publisher: After a battle of several months with a double pneumonia, it is almost as if Francis joined forces with the sole purpose of presideing Easter Mass. And how surrealist for vice-president JD Vance, who met the pope a few hours before his death and will undoubtedly cher the visit of the rest of his life. After having devoted all his life to the Lord and the Church, Francis can rest in peace knowing that he not only made a difference for the Catholic Church, but that his influence is in the world.
Joann Lee Frank, Clearwater, Florida.
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