Article by Eli Holm. Photo by Eli Holm.
As news of Pope Francis’s passing sinks in, many in the global Catholic community have been reflecting on what his guidance meant to them.
During his time as the Pope, Francis was known for giving a voice to the marginalized and the weak, and seeking out peoples struggles throughout the world.
Francis’s ‘love for the periphery’ is what Father Dereck Wiechmann, pastor for the Spirit and Saints Catholic Community, took most from Pope Francis’s teachings. Fr. Wiechmann reflected on this message when he heard the news of Francis’s passing, and how the Pope exemplified it until his final moments.
“Francis gave his final address from the same balcony that he gave us his name from,” Wiechmann said. “So to think that twelve years later, on the day before he dies, he blesses the pilgrims despite not being in good health, it’s clear that his love for the people was what kept him going.”
Fr. Derek Wiechmann – Image from Newman Catholic Community Center
Wiechmann was at the Church when they learned of Francis’s passing, but instead of feeling shocked by the news, he said the Church felt a different emotion.
“Gratitude. That’s been the number one thing I’ve been hearing from the faithful,” Wiechmann said.
As the priest for the Christ Church Newman Center, Wiechmann has a perspective on how the younger generation practices faith. From his position, he’s seen the world become less and less Christian, but he says this isn’t a cause for alarm in his practice, just a need to rethink how religion can fit into people’s lives. Wiechmann says Francis showed him how to do this.
“There’s just such a hunger for community in our youth,” Weichmann said. “And Pope Francis’s message that ‘we’re not alone,’ and that our focus should be more on people than on church doctrine, and so as a Priest for almost eight years, I’ve tried to lead as best I can with a people-focused approach.”
This approach is what Weichmann remembers the most in the time since Francis’s passing. He thinks that the reason catholicism has withstood the test of time is the desire in people to be a part of a community, but he knows to continue this desire, he has to continue opening the doors for all to engage.
“As a Pastor, Francis gave a beautiful model to ‘love your sheep,’” Fr. Weichmann said. “As the Vicar of Christ here on earth, he modeled how to love his people, and he would use the expression that he began to ‘smell like his sheep.’”
“Pope Francis exemplified that wide open door for all to find a home in the church,” Weichmann said.
As the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, the speculation begins for what the conclave will chose next. But Wiechmann thinks this speculation should not overshadow the roll of prayer in deciding.
“I would encourage everyone to keep praying for the Holy Spirit to intervene,” Wiechmann said. “There will be a lot of commentary, but we need to focus on who the Holy Spirit wants in that place. That’s our job now as full Christians and Catholics.”
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