Why HUMANITY will dearly miss Pope Francis
By Malek Arol Dhieu, Juba, South Sudan
Friday, 26 April 2025 (PW) — Dedicated to serving humanity, the Holy Father, Pope Francis fixed a supporting pole to the then falling humanity. Humanity was being played with like a toy, but when Pope Francis ascended to the Papal’s throne in 2013, He played a pivotal role in raising humanity worldwide. “Imagine the whole Pope becoming an advocate for humanity”. What a challenge!
Wars were fought, with vulnerable people, such as children and women, being butchered like they would resurrect on the Easter Day. Poor people were being maltreated and denied their rights. Prisoners, street children, immigrants, emigrants, women, disabled persons, and all other disadvantaged persons, worldwide, were living at the edge of life, just because they belong to low class.
When Pope Francis assumed office as the Head of Catholic Church, he flattened the social barriers and kept advocating for equality and oneness; an advocacy he kept an eye on until his death. Pope Francis was a peacenik. In fact, he was a dove. He became addicted to a five-lettered word; PEACE. Even in his night dreams, he would still talk peace. I’m sure his last word was peace. Truly speaking, Pope Francis talked face-to-face to conflicts and urged them to depolarise. Conflicts that were at the peak came to the ground.
Think over the fate of Pope Francis’ visit to hostile countries, such as Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. Countries where mountains are crushed and rivers demolished, would warmongers miss shooting down the Pope’s aircraft? They would not miss it, but Pope Francis did not care about his own life and lives of those on board with him. Landed safely in DRC, Pope Francis said, “Hands off Africa”; a statement which brought together the eyebrows of the Western world and wrinkled its forehead, indicating displeasure.
“Hands off Africa” is a short phrase with a plethora of meanings. One meaning could be that, those whose hands are on Africa are the ones responsible for her ever-ending instability. Another meaning could be, those whose hands are on Africa are the ones responsible for her Third-Worldness. To my country, South Sudan, Pope Francis began putting an end to the conflict of South Sudan by inviting the warring leaders to Rome and kissed their feet. The kiss laid a strong foundation for peace.
Looking into it that kissing the feet of South Sudan’s warring leaders was not enough, Pope Francis visited South Sudan in 2023 to build up, cement and roof the Revitalised Peace Agreement. Not only has his visit cemented peace, but it also improved infrastructure and opened doors for investors to come to South Sudan. With Pope Francis’ tremendous efforts for peace, peace put conflict on bench and the rotten humanity resurrected.
With God, nothing is impossible. Lazarus spent four days in the tomb, but Jesus rose his from the dead. “Who” is humanity to refuse to resurrect? Peace prevailed and people became equal. So, you could find that humanity was presiding over inhumanity. But today, the man who fought so hard for humanity is no more. What a disaster!
No one comes to live forever. People come today and they leave tomorrow. It is true people are visitors on earth. Some people are born dead, others die young, and a very few last long. Pope Francis lived for 88 years, just only two years to become a nonagenarian. Such a great man should not be mourned for, but celebrated on. Ordinary people live once, but popes live twice. Rest well Holy Father, Pope Francis.
Thank you for reading “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”.
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