*Pope Francis has died, after a period of ill-health, at the age of 88. May he rest in peace. I am not a fan of the wealthy, misogynistic institution he led, nor of Catholicism as a whole. And, we cannot close the door on or our minds to imperfect allies in the fight for justice, peace, decency, and kindness. And climate. He made incremental progress for …progress. Was it enough? Hell no. Did it matter? Yes, to those who – unlike me – give a shit about the RCC. And, let’s be real here, it’s the 2nd largest religion on the planet – therefore, it matters by virtue of sheer numbers.
a poem by Adrienne Maree Brown on his teachings:
the teachings of pope francis
donned the whole vatican
to remind us
this world is destined for the meek
he showed us a way
to speak the truth every day
such that the last words are justice
go look what he said
go look who he called
he showed us that
even when the christians forget
to not kill, especially in holy delusion
to protect the children
to show mercy
to speak truth, even as apology
to love the earth
to reject the pharaohs, the inner greed
even this old white man
steeped in sacred protocol
let his heart lead him to love
understand it was worship
the way he used each breath
the prayer is in the practice
understand it was a blessing
when he grasped the hem of a miracle through the veil thinned by ritual
and flew on home
His humility and decency were undeniable, and undeniably admirable. He advocacy for the poor, and refugees, was also admirable – as were his calls for peace in Ukraine and Gaza. And, he was an avid reader. I love me my fellow readers. Here’s Pope Francis on the importance of reading books below. May he Rest In Peace, may the church choose an even more progressive successor (a girl can dream), and may his memory be a blessing:
“Often during periods of boredom on holiday, in the heat and quiet of some deserted neighbourhood, finding a good book to read can provide an oasis that keeps us from other choices that are less wholesome. Likewise, in moments of weariness, anger, disappointment or failure, when prayer itself does not help us find inner serenity, a good book can help us weather the storm until we find peace of mind. Time spent reading may well open up new interior spaces that help us to avoid becoming trapped by a few obsessive thoughts that can stand in the way of our personal growth. Indeed, before our present unremitting exposure to social media, mobile phones and other devices, reading was a common experience, and those who went through it know what I mean. It is not something completely outdated.
Unlike audio-visual media, where the product is more self-contained and the time allowed for “enriching” the narrative or exploring its significance is usually quite restricted, a book demands greater personal engagement on the part of its reader. Readers in some sense rewrite a text, enlarging its scope through their imagination, creating a whole world by bringing into play their skills, their memory, their dreams and their personal history, with all its drama and symbolism. In this way, what emerges is a text quite different from the one the author intended to write. A literary work is thus a living and ever-fruitful text, always capable of speaking in different ways and producing an original synthesis on the part of each of its readers. In our reading, we are enriched by what we receive from the author and this allows us in turn to grow inwardly, so that each new work we read will renew and expand our worldview.”