The Most Venerable Order of St John offers sincere condolences on the death of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Archbishop Emeritus Sir David Moxon, our incoming Prelate, has reflected on his own relationship with the Pope during his time as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See:
“From knowing him in Rome over four and a half years, I believe that Pope Francis was a Pope for his time; a shepherd for our time. He centred himself in the gospel of Jesus as St Francis of Assisi did, taking his name. This meant the highly relevant priorities of St Francis came through his papacy in many creative ways. He had a reverence for life itself as God’s sacred gift, he saw God’s creation as a place where all the living could see themselves as family. He had a special solidarity for people in poverty, distress and suffering. He reached across the Christian Muslim divide with courage and conviction. He found a way into homelessness, prisons, hunger and despair, offering his prayerful compassion and action where he could.
We have not lost this crucial influence with the death of the Pope. In this Easter tide we can give thanks for Pope Francis life and love as it is taken into the nearer presence of God: to learn from this Pope’s example. He will now become a Pope for all seasons.“
Our Lord Prior, Professor Mark Compton, has shared a message on behalf of the Order with our friends, The Sovereign Military Order of Jerusalem, Rhodes, and of Malta:
“His lessons of love and caring for all peoples, especially the less fortunate and his spirit of inclusiveness will stay with us all as his legacy. The Holy Father’s passing will be met with both grief and thankfulness for his time with us on earth. We join in the prayers for the repose of his soul and for eternal light to shine upon him. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.”
