Pope Francis, who died Monday at age 88, was a trailblazer in many ways. He was the first Latin American pontiff and the first non-European to lead the Roman Catholic Church in more than 1,000 years. He was also the first Jesuit ever elected pope — a detail that’s often overlooked.
That Jesuit background is especially relevant in St. Louis, a city with deep religious and cultural ties to the Catholic Church. Moreover, St. Louis University follows Jesuit traditions.
“His papacy has meant a lot to a lot of us, so [his death] was something that was met with great sadness and also great gratitude for his service,” said the Rev. Thomas Flowers, a member of the Society of Jesus — also known as the Jesuits.
Flowers, an assistant professor of Ignatian formation at St. Louis University, explained that elements of Jesuit teachings can be identified throughout Francis’ papacy.
“Jesuits will go to the places other people don't want to go or can't go and serve needs that aren't being served. So really, a lot of Francis' priorities as pope were rooted in that sort of vision,” Flowers said.
Climate change is one example.
“He saw [climate change] is a tremendous need that's affecting the whole world, and that's affecting the poorest and most marginalized people the most,” Flowers said. “And he said: ‘We need to address this, because this is something that we're not doing a good enough job on. There's a great need here.’”
Francis’ Jesuit influence is also evident in his advocacy for migrants and LGBTQ+ people.
“Francis was always interested in the person in front of him, whether that was a reporter or a person in the [St. Peter’s] Square. He always was looking at that person and trying to listen to them and love them and respect them,” Flowers said.
Francis’ funeral is Saturday. The conclave — the secretive process that will select a new pope among dozens of cardinals — will take place next month.
To hear more about how Pope Francis exemplified Jesuit teachings during his papacy, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
