By Rebecca Ekpe
Christians believe that the world is full of difficulties; however, faith helps the people of God remain strong and navigate adversities. Through the power of faith, Pope Francis impacted lives, breaking barriers and building bridges to promote a safer and more secure world. Many have touted Pope Francis as a transformative figure in the Catholic Church and globally, emphasizing joy, compassion, and spiritual growth. But how much impact did Pope Francis have on Christianity?
Rebecca Ekpe finds out more.
Peaceful, inclusive, humane, compassionate—these are some of the descriptions synonymous with Pope Francis. The Pope will be remembered for his tenets of joy and compassion. Pope Francis stresses that joy is fundamental to Christianity. He epitomized tenderness, closeness, and compassion in relationships.
On Vocation and Discipleship, the Pope encouraged people to reflect on their calling and relationship with God, highlighting the importance of listening to God’s call and living a life of service.
Pope Francis initiated several reforms within the Catholic Church, promoting a more inclusive and merciful approach to faith.
As the 266th Pontiff of the Catholic Church, he contributed to the promotion of interfaith dialogue, fostering greater understanding and cooperation between different religious communities. Clearly, Pope Francis had a profound impact on the world. No wonder his death united people of different races and languages across the world, including politicians heavily divided by ideologies.
Father Elvis did not mince words about the Pope. For him, Pope Francis set the bar very high when it comes to service and reaching out to people.
“About Pope Francis, I think he has lived it to the call, and this has really caught the attention of the whole world, the kind of leadership he has lived is a challenge to humanity that leadership is not about being there but going there to serve the people,” Father Elvis espoused.
Social cohesion was a priority for Pope Francis. He spoke against capitalism, highlighting pressing social issues such as poverty, inequality, and climate change, and emphasizing the need for collective action and responsibility.
For his part, Father Prince from the Archdiocese of Accra spoke about how he was personally impacted by Pope Francis.
”I remember his simplicity and the fact that he always emphasize the need to be there for the poor so many times you realise that he was visiting prisons, which underscores the gospel we reflect on daily, like Jesus said in Matthew 25 that, visit those in prison, be there for the needy so I think the Pope lived out the gospel message more pragmatic way that we all can learn from it and we are here to celebrate his resurrection, which we believe as Christians and if you live a good life, people would remember you,” according to Father Prince.
Pope Francis inspired spiritual renewal through his teachings and by example, prompting many to deepen their faith and live a more authentic Christian life.
Father Genus January from Ghana, who was part of a media team deployed to St. Peter’s Square during Pope Francis’s funeral Mass, spoke highly of the Pontiff. He explained how he had been greatly impacted by the gathering of people at the funeral, and most importantly, wished the Pope a safe journey to his Maker.
“We wish the Pope a very safe and beautiful journey to heaven. And when the Pope gets to heaven, we want him to remember us in prayers,” he said in an interview at the Vatican.
Father Joseph, who has been in the Vatican for 20 years, described Pope Francis as one of a kind, whose humility and humanity were unparalleled.
“For me, I fell in love with the pope when he called on the Church to go out onto the street and to minister to the poor and the weak. This is the message Christ left us that we should think about the vulnerable and for me I have kept this in my heart in whatever I do, especially in my ministry. Like Jesus said, those who took care of the poor, those who were hungry, those who were thirsty, those who were sick, those who were in prison would not be abandoned on the last day.”
Such was the testimony of those who converged from far and near on St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, to bid Pope Francis farewell.
In their prayers for Pope Francis at the Vatican, Ghanaians expressed hope that Cardinal Peter Kwadwo Appiah Turkson would be called by God at the conclave to succeed Pope Francis.
Come what may, Pope Francis—born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, and passing away on April 21, 2025—will be remembered for generations as one who valued peace over conflict and exemplified simplicity and humility.
Indeed, a shining beacon of faith!
