7 Reasons We’re Thankful for Pope Francis

A compilation of photos from Catholic News Service: Left, top and middle by EPA via L'Osservatore Romano. Left, bottom by Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA. Main image by Paul Haring.
A compilation of photos from Catholic News Service: Left, top and middle by EPA via L’Osservatore Romano. Left, bottom by Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA. Main image by Paul Haring.
In this season of giving, I have been reflecting on how thankful I am for the inspiration that Pope Francis has given me, especially in the past few months. While this space could be filled with dozens of examples, I whittled my list down to these grace-filled moments.

  1. Emphasizing mercy

    Francis continues to be “The Pope of Mercy.” In October, during a meeting with representatives of the International Association of Penal Law, Pope Francis said: “It is impossible to imagine that states today cannot make use of another means than capital punishment to defend peoples’ lives from an unjust aggressor.”

    Then he went one step further: “Life imprisonment is a hidden death penalty.”

    The pope is calling for a restoration of prisoners’ dignity and a focus on rehabilitation. Francis keeps us mindful that a person is more than the worst thing that they have ever done. In light of this, I’ve turned in prayer toward my own sins and am reminded that I have been forgiven by God and others for the bad things that I have done. Should we not extend the same mercy to others?

  2. Getting along at work

    Pope Francis’ call to “speak freely” at the recent Synod of Bishops allowed the free exchange of ideas without people thinking that they would be rebuffed for it. Despite his detractors trying to regain the news cycle with their rollback of some issues that were discussed, the big takeaway for me is that the pope was willing to listen to all sides and to call church leaders to do the same.

  3. Keeping science cool

    Recently, Pope Francis got a lot of press for an address that included the phrase: “God is not a magician.” While this isn’t exactly breaking news (the Church has never taught that the Theory of Evolution is at odds with the Catholic Faith), it is worth repeating for people who confuse Catholicism with Christian fundamentalism. What the Church finds problematic are scientists who claim that God has no role in the evolutionary process. Francis attempted to clear up the confusion, which is something he can’t do enough.

  4. Caring for the poor 

    Pope Francis is doing some remodeling in St. Peter’s Square, building showers for the homeless in the public restrooms there. The construction was prompted by a colleague’s story about a homeless man who declined an invitation to a birthday celebration because of his odor. Moved by the story, Pope Francis is going to work on restoring the dignity of the homeless in his community.

    Pope Francis also sent a letter to G20 leaders meeting in Australia last weekend, calling on them to pay closer attention to those mired in poverty:

    A mindset in which individuals are ultimately discarded will never achieve peace or justice. Responsibility for the poor and the marginalized must therefore be an essential element of any political decision, whether on the national or the international level.

  5. Smiling more

    During the last papal election, Vineet, one of my students from India, was asked in a television interview what he wanted to see in the next pope. He replied, “This might sound strange, but I want a pope who smiles more!”

    I think he got his wish. It does seem that Pope Francis is very centered on joy and bringing the joy that he finds in seeing “God in all things” to others.

  6. Embracing everyone 

    From his early days changing the Church’s tone toward gays and lesbians, to his embrace of Vinicio Riva whose body is covered with growths, to his playful exchange with a little boy who rushed the stage to hug him, this pope has become a true leader in the sense that the little things he does are not so little; they carry great meaning. And they are things that we all can do. These acts inspire and convert people’s hearts and help build up the Kingdom of God on earth.

  7. Waging a Holy War against capitalism 

    While a man of peace, Pope Francis has no tolerance for poverty. Recently he wrote: “Inequality is the root of social ills … as long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world’s problems or, for that matter, to any problems.”

    And perhaps that is what I am most grateful for, a pope who stands up for the voiceless. Pope Francis has no vested interest in keeping the poor’s needs at the forefront of his message, but he does so anyway, without fanfare and with no way for the poor to repay him except with their prayers.

Maybe that is the message of gratitude. Can we seek not to simply improve our reputation, but rather to improve our character? Perhaps this Thanksgiving, we can be mindful of giving back a bit more to those who have less and allow ourselves to show grace to the “least of these” among us.

Deacon Mike Hayes was ordained for the diocese of Cleveland in 2024 and is assigned to St. Christopher’s Parish in Rocky River, OH. He serves the diocese as both Director of Young Adult Ministry and the Bishop’s Delegate for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations. He’s also the host of 5 Questions with the Paulists and the podcast Question of Faith. Deacon Mike is one of the founders of Busted Halo and has worked with young adults his entire ministry career in retreat, spiritual direction, and campus Ministry. He’s the author of "Googling God" (Paulist, 2007) and "Loving Work" (Orbis, 2012). Deacon Mike and his wife Marion live in Lakewood, OH with their dog, Vito.