Quakers pay tribute to Francis, the pope
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was pope from 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025
The Quaker-founded organisation the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR) has sent messages of solidarity and support to Catholic sister agencies following Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s death this week.
Mark Wakelin, chair of the FoR, said: ‘Today the Catholic Church lost its leader and the wider church lost a prophetic voice. Pope Francis was a beacon of hope in increasingly dark times. He dared to frequently speak God’s truth of gospel nonviolence in a world that seems addicted to war. The work and witness of Pope Francis will be long remembered as one that lifted our eyes to focus on the work of God, not one that sought to make the work of God acceptable to human eyes. His statements on war, peace and gospel nonviolence, coupled with his intentional prioritising of ecumenical relationships have ensured his legacy will continue to send ripples beyond the Catholic Church.’
The FoR sent messages of solidarity to: Pax Christi England and Wales; Pax Christi Scotland; the Catholic international development charity CAFOD; Vincent Nichols, the cardinal archbishop of Westminster; Leo Cushley, the archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh; and Jan Nowotnik, the national ecumenical officer for Catholic Bishop’s Office of England and Wales. The FoR regularly partners with Catholic-based peace and justice movements for events and education.
Mike Royal, general secretary of Churches Together in England, of which Britain Yearly Meeting is a member, described Jorge Mario Bergoglio as ‘a man who held his office with dignity, yet humility. He was a breath of fresh air. A man who seemed to be in touch with the everyday issues that affected people lives… He will be remembered for speaking up for social justice. For being willing to have conversations about social norms that are so often divisive for the church’.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was head of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 2013 until his death on 21 April, 2025. He was the 266th pope.
