Until we meet again, Holy Father

This Easter Monday, when the sky was still singing hallelujahs and the earth smelled of resurrection, the Good Shepherd let go his staff and followed in the footsteps of the Risen One. That is why, with deep respect and serene hope, today we raise our eyes to heaven to bid farewell to a shepherd who touched the soul of humanity with his joy and humility: Pope Francis. The first American Pope, son of Buenos Aires and of the living Gospel, departed for the definitive embrace of the Father. His death does not represent a loss, but a consummate offering, the last act of one who gave himself entirely to the mission to love, to guide, to serve. Francis was more than a Pontiff: he was the voice of the voiceless, a bridge between hearts, a witness of mercy and a tireless sower of hope. In his time in the Church, he knew how to give true importance to what is essential: the joy of the Gospel, the strength of simplicity, the beauty of a faith that kneels in the face of human pain and stands up to walk with those who suffer. He taught us that love is not an abstract doctrine, but a concrete presence in our neighbor. He taught us that “going out” is not just a verb, but a vital attitude of the Christian who dares to announce, to console, to transform. To the members of the Cursillos of Christianity Movement, he reminded them that faith is dynamic, living, profoundly missionary. His life was, in itself, a permanent cursillo: a constant invitation to rediscover what is fundamental, to return to Christ, to be leaven in the midst of the world. Today, the Church is not extinguished. Today, more than ever, it burns. Because prophets do not die, they multiply. Their legacy is not left behind, it precedes us as a guiding star. Francis does not leave us orphans: he leaves us armed with the Gospel, anointed by his example, and committed to a mission that cannot stop. May his memory provoke us, lift us up, encourage us to be a Church that goes forth, daring, joyful, profoundly human. May his life remind us that the Kingdom of God is built in the small, in the everyday, in every decisive step we take out of love. Rest in peace, Holy Father. Your voice continues to resound in every heart that has been touched by your faith.