Editor’s note: Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the editors of Where Peter Is received many tributes to his life and reflections on his influence from past and current contributors, as well as podcast guests and friends of the site from all over the world. We will publish a few of these reflections every day leading up to the conclave. —ML
The pope wanted me to pray for him
By Fr. Alex Roche, Diocese of Scranton
I was privileged to be standing in St. Peter’s Square on March 13, 2013, as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and as moments later he emerged from the balcony of St. Peter’s wearing a simple white cassock and stole. In one of his first acts, Francis asked us to pray for him—and so we did, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be in Italian for our new pope.
After a dozen-year-long papacy with countless grace-filled actions and contributions, it is still that moment from the beginning of his papacy that stands out to me the most. The pope wanted me to pray for him. The Christ-like simplicity, humility, and courage of that request has profoundly impacted my relationship with God, with my Church, and hopefully my ministry. His papacy reminded us that we are not merely members of an institution who adhere to a legal code, we are pilgrims trying our best to follow the path of Jesus Christ, to become his Body in the world, to imperfectly participate in his work as he ushers in a New Creation. Francis taught me from the beginning that the most profound thing we can do on this journey together as a Church is to simply pray–together and for one another. Francis, when your pontificate began twelve years ago, I prayed for you, please pray for me now.
Pope Francis inspired me to love
By Ariane Sroubek
Pope Francis inspired me to love: to love God and to love my neighbor. His writings, teachings and actions made me want to love more perfectly and to extend that love towards those I had previously loved poorly. At a time when the hostilities of the world (and even of the Church) so often boil over, his papacy was a testament to the God who is love. He was the pope we needed at the time we needed him, evidence of God’s providence. I will miss receiving new teachings from him – I was looking forward to his Apostolic Exhortation on children – but I will not stop learning from him. As I write, my desk is littered with his writing and my shelves have filled with his books. I know that, for the rest of my days, his words will continue to convict me with gentleness and dare me to dream of just how wide, how long, how high and how deep God’s love is.
Then we got Pope Francis
By Clement Wee
When I was a teenager, I used to wish I hadn’t missed the papacy of Saint John XXIII.
Then we got Pope Francis. The first surprise was the Papal name he chose; even before I learned that he was from Latin America. It was a name that popped up from nowhere. I certainly knew and respected Saint Francis of Assisi, but it didn’t fit into my concept of a “Papal Name.”
That was the first of an entire papacy of surprises. I know many different media outlets have nicknames for him, but I think “Pope of Surprises” is the best. Certainly, many people disliked his surprises, but for me his papacy was very fresh.
One thing that was always surprising was how humble he was. A friend of mine who was part of the team taking care of Francis last year when he visited my country, Singapore, shared that he was impressed that the only indulgence Pope Francis allowed for himself in his entire stay was a fridge with a few scoops of chocolate ice-cream. I found that just incredible.
I felt sad whenever anyone attacked him. And these attacks continued even after his death. This must be the first time I have ever seen posts from self-described Catholics praying for the Pope to repent before he drops into Hell. This, to the Pope who explicitly wrote an encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, to teach about how we need to avoid polarization.
In the future, the direction that he has set for the Church will persist. The seeds he has sown will bear fruit long into the future.
If you would like to add your own reflection to this series, please send it via email by clicking on the “Article Submissions” tab above, with the subject line “Reflection.” The recommended length is 200-300 words. Longer submissions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to editing. We may not be able to publish all submissions.
Fr. Alex Roche is the pastor of St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Laflin, Pennsylvania and serves as the director of vocations for the Diocese of Scranton. Ordained in 2012, he has a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Lateran University. He went to college with a girl who went to high school with the niece of the guy who played Al in Quantum Leap.
You can listen to his podcast at www.wadicherith.com.
Ariane Sroubek is a writer, school psychologist and mother to two children here on earth. Prior to converting to Catholicism, she completed undergraduate studies in Bible and Theology at Gordon College in Wenham, MA. She then went on to obtain her doctorate in School and Child Clinical Psychology. Ariane’s writing is inspired by her faith, daily life experiences and education. She is currently writing a women's fiction novel and a middle-grade mystery series. Her non-fiction book, Raising Sunshine: A Guide to Parenting Through the Aftermath of Infant Death is available on Amazon. More of her work can be found at https://mysustaininggrace.com.
Clement is a passionate Catholic from Singapore who is long-time reader of Where Peter Is. While he was studying in the UK, he helped to found the Northern Universities' Prolife Students' Union. Upon return to Singapore, he was a member of the Catholic Theology Network (Singapore) for a while. Off work-hours as a software developer, Clement pursues interests of video games, theology and philosophy. He is currently trying to resurrect his Facebook Group Catholics in Asia - Truth and Charity.
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