From my earliest memories of kneeling in the polished pews of St. Teresa’s Cathedral on Sunday mornings—donned in a crisp school uniform and clutching a missal—to the solemn strikes of the Angelus bell at noon, Catholicism has shaped every aspect of my life.
Born in 1980, I was raised to observe the Sunday Mass obligation as codified in Canon 1246 of the Code of Canon Law, which requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharist and refrain from work on holy days of obligation USCCB.
My mother’s gentle insistence that we mark every feast—Ash Wednesday’s ashes, Easter’s alleluia, Christmas’s midnight vigil—immersed me in the rhythms of the liturgical calendar, a cycle of renewal and remembrance celebrated by over 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide USCCB. Recently, on April 21, 2025, the Church experienced a profound transition with the death of Pope Francis, ushering in the ancient sede vacante and setting the stage for a new chapter in the papacy Reuters.
This article traces my personal journey alongside the historic succession from Pope Benedict XVI to Francis, highlights Francis’s transformative achievements—from Laudato si’ to Amoris Laetitia—and offers an insider’s look at the solemn rites that guide the Church through loss toward hopeful renewal.
Growing Up Catholic: A Personal Testament of Faith
Sunday Obligation and Sacred Feasts
From my first communion in 1987 to my confirmation in the early 1990s, attending Sunday Mass was not optional but a joyful duty ingrained in me by family and Church law USCCB. Each liturgical season brought its own treasures: the penitential silence of Lent, the radiant alleluias of Easter, and the quiet anticipation of Advent USCCB. My mother taught me the Gospel, the Creed, and the seven sacraments with patient devotion, ensuring I understood faith as both personal encounter and communal celebration.
Festivals, Prayers, and Community Life
Beyond Mass, we lived the faith through May crownings, the Rogation Days’ processions, and the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday USCCB. Parish picnics after Corpus Christi, midnight vigils at Easter, and the solemnity of All Souls’ Day impressed upon me the tapestry of Catholic tradition—and the ways it binds families and parishes in shared devotion.
The Succession: From Benedict XVI to Francis
A Rare Resignation
On February 11, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI stunned Catholics worldwide by announcing his resignation effective February 28— the first papal renunciation since Gregory XII in 1415 Reuters. At 85, citing deteriorating health, he embraced humility over pride, setting a precedent for a modern, servant‐leader pontificate.
The 2013 Conclave and White Smoke
From March 12–13, 2013, 117 cardinal electors assembled in the Sistine Chapel under the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis, casting ballots in secrecy Reuters. On the fifth vote, white smoke poured from the chimney above St. Peter’s Square, and Jean‐Louis Tauran proclaimed: “Habemus Papam!”—we have a pope Reuters. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, choosing the name Francis in homage to Saint Francis of Assisi, became the 266th pope, the first Jesuit, the first Latin American, and the first non‐European in over 1,200 years Reuters.
A Pontificate of Mercy and Reform
Embracing Humility and Solidarity
Pope Francis immediately signaled a “poor Church for the poor.” He eschewed the papal limousine for modest vehicles, washed prisoners’ feet on Holy Thursday—including women and Muslims—and chose simple vestments over gilded robes Reuters. His episcopal motto, miserando atque eligendo (“by having mercy, by choosing him”), underscored a ministry rooted in compassion and personal encounter USCCB.
Defending the Family and Embracing Diversity
In Amoris Laetitia (2016), Francis called for a merciful, pastoral approach to families facing hunger, migration, or marital strain, emphasizing accompaniment over exclusion Reuters. He extended civil blessings to same‐sex couples—without altering doctrine—and repeatedly advocated for the abolition of the death penalty, prompting some bishops to declare executions “inadmissible” under Church teaching Reuters.
Caring for Creation
On May 24, 2015, Francis published Laudato si’, a landmark encyclical linking ecological care with social justice, decrying a “throwaway culture” that scapegoats the poor and depletes natural resources Wikipedia. He launched the Laudato Si’ Action Platform in 2020, guiding dioceses and religious orders to achieve integral ecology goals by 2030 Catholic News Agency. His 2023 apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum reaffirmed the urgent moral imperative to curb climate change Reuters.
Welcoming Interfaith Dialogue
Francis forged unprecedented ties with Muslim, Jewish, and Orthodox leaders—signing the Document on Human Fraternity in Abu Dhabi (2019) and visiting Iraq (2021) to honor Christian minorities Reuters. He apologized for the Church’s role in Canada’s residential schools, framing reconciliation as an act of justice and mercy Reuters.
When a Pope Dies: The Rites of Transition
- Official Confirmation: On April 21, 2025, at 07:35 CEST, Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell confirmed Pope Francis’s death at Casa Santa Marta, sealing papal apartments and destroying the Fisherman’s Ring to prevent misuse Reuters.
- Funeral and Novemdiales: As per Francis’s wishes for simplicity, a solemn Mass occurred on April 25, followed by nine days (novemdiales) of memorial liturgies across dioceses Reuters.
- Sede Vacante: During the vacancy, the Vatican’s governance shifts to day‑to‑day administration under the Camerlengo, with critical decisions postponed until a new pope is elected Reuters.
- General Congregations: Cardinals under age 80 gather for daily congregations at the Domus Santa Marta to discuss the Church’s needs and finalize conclave logistics Reuters.
- Conclave: Fifteen to 20 days after the pope’s death, electors enter the Sistine Chapel for secret ballots. Black smoke signals indecision; white smoke announces “Habemus Papam!” Reuters.
Conclusion
As I reflect on kneeling in that childhood pew—smelling incense, singing hymns—I’m reminded that every papal transition is both an ending and a beginning. Pope Francis’s life embodied the dynamic interplay of faith, tradition, and renewal. His legacy—from lifting the marginalized to safeguarding creation—invites each of us to carry forward a spirit of mercy and hope until a new successor takes the Chair of Peter.
Further Reading & Resources
- Vatican.va: Laudato si’ Wikipedia
- USCCB: Sunday Mass Obligation (Canon 1246) USCCB
- Wikipedia: History of the Papacy Wikipedia
- Reuters: Pope Francis Dies After Stroke Reuters
- Reuters: What Happens After a Pope Dies Reuters
- Catholic News Agency: Second Environmental Document After Laudato Si’ Catholic News Agency
- Reuters: Pope Francis’s Pontificate in Numbers Reuters
- Reuters: The Life and Times of Pope Francis Reuters
