SAN FRANCISCO — Today, Ignatius Press, along with fellow Catholics and others around the world, mourns the passing of Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Catholic Church and the first pope from the Americas, who died today at the age of 88.
Pope Francis’ papacy spanned over a decade. He was an admired spiritual leader for many and at times a figure of some controversy in his manner of carrying out the ministry of the successor of St Peter, the Vicar of Christ.
Ignatius Press published several books and two encyclicals by Francis, the first Jesuit pope, including the influential environmental papal encyclical Laudato si.
“Pope Francis both encouraged and challenged Catholics in various ways,” Ignatius Press President Mark Brumley observed, “especially with his emphasis on divine mercy. We pray for the repose of his soul and for the people of the Church to learn from the lessons of his papacy.”
“Pope Francis’ emphasis on ‘people on the periphery,’ especially poor people, immigrants, and others variously marginalized, is fundamental Christianity. In this way, he helped remind us of what being a follower of Jesus means,” Brumley noted.
Pope Francis encouraged priests to “smell like the sheep”—to be among people in their tragedies, joys, suffering, sin, and experiences of forgiveness. He also consistently upheld the dignity of all human life, from conception to natural death, which included a staunch opposition to abortion, which he often characterized as akin to hiring a “hitman”, while expressing solidarity with women in difficult situations. He also forcefully opposed euthanasia and other expressions of a “throw away” culture. He stressed that family is founded on marriage as the union of a man and a woman, and he strongly criticized gender ideology, while encouraging compassion for all people.
Francis famously affirmed our shared stewardship of the Earth as mankind’s common home. Other popes, notably Pope Benedict XVI, also stressed that theme, but Francis raised the discussion to a new level by issuing an encyclical and an apostolic letter on the subject. He also accentuated human fraternity while promoting the essential mission of the Church to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world.
“Pope Francis often called for greater dialogue within the Church as well as outside it,” Brumley said. “He frequently referred to parrhesia—direct, frank engagement. Catholics who disagreed with certain of his pastoral actions or decisions responded accordingly, sometimes respectfully and sometimes not. All Catholics should now unite in praying for Pope Francis, for the College of Cardinals, and for the next pope.”
For additional statements from Ignatius Press authors, please see here.
To schedule an interview with Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or
For a full list of available spokespersons, click here.
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