Artist: Angel Valdez
As we write, Pope Francis is very ill in the hospital with double pneumonia. The world is praying for him.
We recall that on March 13, 2013, when the white smoke emerged to show that the first Latin American pope had been elected, the Catholic Workers at Casa Juan Diego were gathered for our luncheon meeting for clarification of thought, watching the television for news on the papal election. We all heard him speak as he emerged from the conclave and asked everyone to pray for him.
Mark Zwick wrote at the time: “The very first thing the new Pope did was to choose the name Francis. This is brand new. No Pope has ever been named Francis before. He said it is for Francis of Assisi. If he had not done anything else, just claiming the name of Francis would have had a tremendous impact.”
With the name Francis comes all of the meaning of a saint who lived the spirit of poverty and the reality of voluntary poverty. He was a man for the poor, but also a man of peace, against war, a man who loved creation and all its creatures.”
“How I Would Like a Church Which Is Poor and For the Poor”
In his press conference a few days after his election, to the thousands of reporters gathered in Rome, Pope Francis explained how he chose the name:
“During the election, I was seated next to the Archbishop Emeritus of São Paolo and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes [OFM]: a good friend, a good friend! When things were looking dangerous, he encouraged me. And when the votes reached two thirds, there was the usual applause, because the Pope had been elected. And he gave me a hug and a kiss, and said: “Don’t forget the poor!” And those words came to me: the poor, the poor. Then, right away, thinking of the poor, I thought of Francis of Assisi. Then I thought of all the wars, as the votes were still being counted, till the end. Francis is also the man of peace. That is how the name came into my heart: Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation; these days we do not have a very good relationship with creation, do we? He is the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man … How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor!”
Pope Francis did so much more than choose his name. In his years as pope he has lived simply, he has been close to the poor, to migrants and refugees. He has insisted that the Gospel is not only for middle-class and wealthier Catholics but includes a preferential option for the poor. He put forth his best efforts toward peacemaking and followed St. Francis of Assisi in his concern for protecting creation.
We recommend reading again his great Catholic writings listed here. All are available at vatican.va.
Apostolic Exhortations
Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel
Gaudium et Exsultate: On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World
Encyclicals
Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home
Fratelli Tutti: On Fraternity and Social Friendship
Dliexit Nos ; On the Human and Divine Love of the Heart of Jesus Christ
Houston Catholic Worker, April-June, 2025,Vol. XLV, No. 2
