Archbishop of York pays tribute to ‘witty, lively’ Pope Francis

Archbishop of York pays tribute to Pope FrancisChurch of England

Transcript

00:00Let us walk together, work together, pray together.

00:04These are the words Pope Francis said to me when we met in 2023

00:08and they sum up his vision for the Church,

00:11both the Roman Catholic Church but also ecumenically.

00:15Francis' whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus

00:19who comes among us not to be served but to serve.

00:23We saw that compellingly in Francis' service of the poor,

00:28his love of neighbour, especially the displaced, migrant, the asylum seeker,

00:34his deep compassion for the well-being of the earth

00:37and his desire to lead and build the Church in new ways.

00:42Francis showed us how to follow Jesus

00:44and encouraged us to go and do likewise.

00:49His encyclicals, writings and teachings

00:51were supported by his deeds and actions.

00:55In their humility and focus on those in the margins,

01:00those actions, his whole life was instantly recognisable

01:04as those of one who followed Jesus.

01:08Pope Francis was acutely aware of the divisions between our churches

01:13and how they stand in the way of seeing Jesus Christ more fully.

01:17I remember the powerful work the Pope did

01:20with the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby

01:23and the moderator of the Church of Scotland

01:25in promoting peace-building in South Sudan

01:29because he was a listening Pope

01:31whose commitment to the principle and the process of synodality

01:36will be a permanent legacy to the Roman Catholic Church

01:41and to all of us.

01:42I remember in the brief times I spent with him

01:46how this holy man of God was also very human.

01:52He was witty, lively, good to be with

01:55and the warmth of his personality

01:57and interest in others shone out from him.

02:02May he rest in peace

02:04and rise in glory.

02:06May he rest in peace