Last week, the world mourned the passing of Pope Francis.
The presence of world leaders at his funeral was testament to his leadership and reputation as the Peoples Pope.
In 2015, I was blessed to meet the late Pope during a visit to the Vatican.
Aside from issues of relevance to the World and the Church in modern times which we discussed briefly, he asked me to pray for him, a surprise request from a watchful Shepherd to a sheep in the Lord’s flock.
In his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, he called for peace across all the continents.
He appealed to world leaders, “not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development.”
As his health declined, Pope Francis had every excuse to step away, rest and attend to his personal needs.
However, the Holy Father worked until he could work no more, caring for the weak and the poor.
It was easy to see why Pope Francis was loved by many.
His compassion and dedication went beyond the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
The Holy Father lived his life in the Jesuit tradition, as a man for others.
May his memory inspire us always to put the needs of others before our own.
Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
Leader of HRPP