Cardinal Hollerich: Pope Francis was a father, a living example

By Francesca Merlo

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich had just concluded the celebration of Mass in a prison chapel in Luxembourg, where phones are not allowed, when he received the news of the death of Pope Francis. .

“Tears were coming,” Cardinal Hollerich recalls, “for me, it is like losing a father.”

Speaking to Vatican News’ Olivier Bonnel, Cardinal Hollerich, described Pope Francis, who always found time for the poor and marginalised, as “behaving like Christ, open to everybody, speaking about his Father, speaking about mercy.”

 “He really gave testimony to Jesus Christ", continued the Cardinal Archbishop of Luxembourg, he “showed how, in our time, to people of our time, we can proclaim the Gospel”.

When asked about the lasting legacy of Pope Francis’ pontificate, Cardinal Hollerich noted that there are many. The Pope’s urgent plea for ecological conversion, especially for the sake of those most vulnerable; and his tireless devotion to the poor and synodality.

 I think especially of the Synod, the Cardinal noted. “Because Cardinal Grech and I, during the preparation… we always got so much encouragement from him.”

Even from his hospital bed, Pope Francis remained faithful to this journey. “He signed the document for the actualisation of the Synod for the post-synodal period we have entered,” said Cardinal Hollerich. “For me, that is like a testament, a legacy.”

Cardinal Hollerich concluded noting that Pope Francis has left us with a call: “to care of synodality, in order that our Church can be full of life, can be trustful to Christ and can be a missionary Church in this period of change of times”.