A statement from Bishop John Ricard on Pope Francis and the upcoming conclave

On Saturday, April 26, we said goodbye to Pope Francis.

His funeral outside of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City was attended by hundreds of thousands. Many more watched on television and online and participated in local Masses.

The crowds celebrated the life of the “people’s pope” who cared for the poor, the homeless, prisoners, victims of war, and migrants, among others. He brought the Gospel to people—Catholic and non-Catholic alike—that he met in 68 countries as Holy Father.

Pope Francis connected with regular people because of his gift of extraordinary empathy. His prophetic voice provided persistent advocacy for the downtrodden and proclaimed the truth about the equal dignity of every human being.

Like his namesake St. Francis, he was a champion for the environment and the moral mandate to care for our earthly home.

He taught us how to create a “culture of encounter.” Through his “synod on synodality,” he showed the importance of the need to listen to everyone, including those on the margins, and the importance of patiently waiting for consensus.

The pope did all this with joy and a sense of humor.

His final gift may well be the conclave, which will start soon, as the 133 cardinals gather to select the next pope. Most of these cardinals were hand-picked by Francis. As he dotted the globe with cardinals, the pope had an eye on the future.

One last thought about Pope Francis. He was called to the chair of St. Peter when he was 76 years old. As a missionary, Pope Francis left his native country and took on an enormous responsibility when most people would be looking to retire. His sacrifice of service is inspiring.

Our Josephite priests and brothers share this missionary calling with Pope Francis. They have left behind their families to serve God. Like Francis, they are serving the church today and building bridges for tomorrow.

So, let us pray for all the missionaries—especially the Josephites—who have said “yes” to a life of Christian service to those on the margins.

Let us pray for all the cardinals who now have the burden of selecting a pope who can build on the legacy of Pope Francis.

Let us pray for Pope Francis that God will shower him abundantly in heaven.

John H. Ricard is the superior general of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. He served as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 1997 to 2011.

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