Debate contribution: Pope Francis

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 28 April 2025.

MLA

Mr Matthew O'Toole

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

28 April 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Assembly Business

Heading

Pope Francis

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4913222

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Speaker, for facilitating today's session. I offer my and my party's most sincere condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, who was a great man and a great leader but, more importantly, a humble man and a humble leader. He was deeply loved, and he will be missed across Ireland and the world by, first and foremost, members of the Catholic Church but also, as is evident today, by members of other faiths and, indeed, those of no faith. Those of us who are religious and those who are not saw in him someone who embodied, even if they are not Christian, the true nature of Christ. In a world where our culture has grown harsher and more hostile, Francis was a man who represented decency, humanity and gentleness. He was a voice for the voiceless at a time when voices of anger and exclusion have grown louder and louder. The first and most important example that Francis set was one of simplicity and humility. From the moment that he first stepped on to the balcony overlooking St Peter's Basilica, we saw something different from what we were used to seeing from Popes. There were fewer embroidered vestments and fewer crucifixes of gold and silver. There was a white garment, a plain cross and a humble wave to the crowd that he served. Foregoing many of the trappings of papacy, he remained a pastor at heart. His disdain for pomp and grandeur and anything that separated him from ordinary people, whether they were Catholics, Christians, those of other faiths or no faith, was plain to see. He travelled more than any Pope in history. He seemed to take real energy from meeting, engaging, laughing and connecting with people around the world. It has already been mentioned that Pope Francis made a particular effort to reach out to communities who had previously been excluded from the Church, most notably, perhaps, the LGBT community. His words early in his papacy about gay people, when he said, "Who am I to judge?", set a new tone for the relationship between LGBT people and the Catholic Church. While it is fair to say that there is still a road to travel with those relations, his words were remarkably healing. He was the first Pope to allow priests to grant blessings to gay couples. He denounced discrimination against gay people, and he clarified that transgender men and women could stand as godparents during baptism. The name that the media gave him upon his election as Pope was "The first Pope of the New World", and that role came to be more significant. It has already been mentioned that he was the first Pope from the southern hemisphere. He turned the Church's eyes away from simply the cathedrals of Europe and North America towards poorer communities in Central America, Africa and Asia. That influence can be seen in the coming conclave to select his successor. That commitment to the Global South, not just in a theological and ecclesiastical sense but in a policy sense, underwrote his commitment to tackling global poverty and climate change. Just as it was those who had been most distant from the Church to whom Francis offered the warmest welcome, it was those of wealth and power for whom he reserved often the sharpest criticism. In his 'Evangelii Gaudium', which was an encyclical written in the first year of his papacy, he outlined what he saw as the commitments and the Church's responsibility in relation to social injustice. He told the faithful that, just as the commandments say, "Thou shalt not kill", Christians must also say, "Thou shalt not" to greed, inequality and exploitation. He practised what he preached. He rooted out inappropriate and immoral investments in the Vatican Bank, and he re-devoted the Church's attention to causes of charity, conservation and economic and social justice around the world. He was also not afraid to confront the rise of political extremism, even when those expressing that extremism draped themselves in the banner of Christianity. Francis was himself from an immigrant background, coming from an Italian family who had emigrated to Argentina, and he denounced the hypocrisy of those who claim to be Christian but turn away those fleeing war and persecution. In his final years, Francis devoted himself more and more to the cause of peace, and it has been well said already that Francis spoke movingly about peace in Ireland. In his final days, as his health was failing and even as visiting dignitaries were able to get only a few minutes, Pope Francis had a video call with children in Gaza to offer what must have been hope and comfort to those facing the most extreme suffering. His legacy is one of humility, service and the most profound service to Catholics and to people of all faiths and no faith around the world. May his soul rest in peace.

822 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:25 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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