Honoring the Life and Legacy of Pope Francis

With deep reverence and profound gratitude, we join the global Catholic Church as she mourns the death of Pope Francis, who entered eternal life on April 21, 2025.

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis offered the world a powerful witness of Gospel-centered leadership, rooted in mercy, humility and justice. For our Mercy Education community, his life, ministry and words resonate deeply. From his care for our common home to his compassionate outreach to the migrant community, the marginalized, and the excluded, Pope Francis consistently modeled the values we hold dear.

As the Sisters of Mercy shared in their statement today:

“In the spirit of Encuentro, Pope Francis encouraged us to break down walls and build bridges. A cornerstone of his papacy was the care for our common home, one of the many values he shared with the Sisters of Mercy. A steadfast advocate for migrants and refugees across the world, he also welcomed members of the LGBTQ+ community to the Church and started to open more ministries to women.”

Today’s Gospel reading offers us consolation in the face of loss and a renewed call to go forth in hope:

“Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers and sisters to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:8–10)

We also remember the Pope’s final Easter blessing, just one day ago, as a message we now carry forward:

“On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God! I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible!”

In the coming days, we encourage our Mercy schools to accompany students in prayer, reflection and remembrance. Possible ways to honor Pope Francis and help students process this moment include:

• Sharing with families a reflection on Pope Francis’ legacy and impact on Mercy values.
• Holding a special assembly, classroom discussion, or a Mass to remember and pray for him.
• Encouraging student-led tributes, prayers or reflections rooted in his teachings.
• Highlighting in classroom and community spaces his messages of mercy, justice, forgiveness and welcome to all.

May Pope Francis’ life of courageous compassion continue to inspire us to be signs of hope and mercy in our world.

Art by Sister Judy Ward, RSM