John MacDonald: What surprises me most after the Pope's passing

There’s only been one pope’s death that has really shocked me – and I don’t think it was because I was only 10 years old at the time.  

It was September 1978 and I remember the shock vividly. John Paul I died just 33 days after becoming the Pope.  

We were a Catholic family so it was all everyone seemed to be talking about. Not just because he had died, but because he died so soon after his inauguration.  

So last night when the news that Pope Francis had died came through, I wasn’t shocked or surprised. And I think most people will be like that.  

Especially when he’s been so unwell. Pretty much for most of this year.  

Nevertheless, his passing is significant. And, of course, first thing I did was get on the phone to mum. Because even though I haven’t been what they call a practising Catholic for quite some time, it stays with you. It’s a sense of belonging that never really leaves you.  

It won’t be the same for everyone who grows up a Catholic, but that’s me.  

So he was the first Pope from South America. He was 76 when he was elected.  

As all Popes do, he chose a name. And he chose Francis in honour of St Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century Italian friar who got rid of all his  wealth to become a man of peace and poverty.   

Which brings me to what I’ve been surprised by the most. It's not the fact that the Pope has passed away, it’s what’s being said about his achievements during his time as Pope.  

I’ve seen headlines quoting all manner of people and they've been saying things about how he was a pope for the poor. That he’d had a lifelong commitment to the poor.  

He was anti-capitalism. He was big on the environment. He promoted tolerance. In fact, one of the last things he did was wash the feet of young people locked up in prison.  

This was just before Easter.  

But I didn’t know that. Which is why, when I consider whether the pope (whoever it is), is a leader for all of us —Catholics, non-Catholics, everyone— I would have to say that the role of the pope doesn’t have the same global leadership or impact that it once did.  

That’s how I see it.  

Which, in a way is surprising. Because it is so much easier to get the message out to the world these days.  

And I think that the church is going to have to do more to promote the values and work of the next pope. Because if it doesn’t, there will be no shortage of people making noise about what they’re up to and the pope’s global influence will diminish.    

Maybe my ignorance of the work and achievements of Pope Francis reflects the fact that I’m not engaged with the church.  

Maybe practising Catholics will be right up with the play. And maybe practising Catholics are quite happy not to see the pope popping up on Instagram and TikTok all the time.  

Two years after becoming pope, Pope Francis issued what’s called an encyclical letter —this was in 2015— and he said then that poverty and ecological destruction were two things the world needed to confront.  

Linking the two together, of course, because coming from South America, he was acutely aware of the link between ecological destruction and poverty.  

And, according to a German Catholic relief organisation, one the Pope's major achievements was the attention he helped to focus on the environment.  

Which is news to me, and it raises the question: is the Pope's global influence what it used to be? 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood of Morning's podcast from
News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be wasn't shocked or surprised, and I think most
people will be like that, especially when he's been so unwell.
He was eighty eight. He's been very unwell pretty much
for most of this year, hasn't he. Nevertheless, his passing
is significant. And of course, what was the first thing

(00:30):
I did. I got on the blower to mum, because
even though I haven't been what they call a practicing
Catholic for quite some time, it stays with you, doesn't it.
The sense of I suppose in a way, it's a
sense of belonging that never really leaves.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
You.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Won't be the same for everyone who grows who grew
up a Catholic, but that's me. So he was the
first pipe from South America. He was seventy six when
he was elected. As all pipes do, they choose a name,
and he chose Francis, in honor of Saint Francis of
a set see the thirteenth century Italian friar who got

(01:10):
rid of all his wealth to become a man of
peace and a man of poverty, which is what pipe
Francis was about. And this brings me to what I've
been surprised surprised by the most. So I haven't been
surprised at all by the fact that he's passed away,
but what's being said about his achievements during his time

(01:31):
as pope. Now, I've seen TV headlines quoting all manner
of people, and they've been saying things about how he
was a pope for the poor, that he'd had a
lifelong commitment to the poor, and that he promised to
be quote there for the poor. I was reading this morning,
that he was anti capitalism, he was big on the environment,

(01:52):
he promoted tolerance. In fact, one of the last things
he did was to wash the feet of young people
locked up in prison. That was just before Ester so
a few days ago. But I didn't know that I
know any of that. I mean, did you know that
that's what he was all about? Which is why when

(02:13):
I consider whether the pope, whoever it is, whether they
are a leader for all of us, of all of
us Catholics, non Catholics, everybody, I would have to say
that the role of the Pope doesn't have the same
global leadership or impact that it once did. That's how
I see it, which in a way is surprising because

(02:34):
it is so much easier to get the message out
to the world these days, isn't it. And I reckon
that the Church is going to have to do more
to promote the values and work of the next pope,
because if it doesn't, there will be no shortage of
people making noise, taking up the space about what they're
up to and in the pope's the pope's global influence
will diminish, and I think that would be a sad thing. Now.

(02:59):
Maybe maybe my ignorance of the work and the achievements
of Pope Francis reflect the fact that I'm not engaged
with the church. Maybe practicing Catholics will be right up
with the play. I'll know that he was all about
the environment, all about poverty, and maybe practicing Catholics, you
might be one of them, may be practicing Catholics quite
happy not to see the Pope popping up on Instagram

(03:20):
and TikTok that I'm learning now that he's no longer
with us, learning more about him now that he's no
longer with us than I knew about him during his
twelve years as pope. Two years after becoming pope, he
issued what's called an incyclical letter. Encyclical letter this is
in twenty fifteen, so ten years ago, and he said

(03:42):
then that poverty and ecological destruction were two things the
world needed to confront and get on top of. Linking
the two together. Of course, because coming from South America,
he was Archbachbishop of Buenos Aires before becoming pope, so
he was acutely aware of the link between ecological destruction
and poverty. And according to a German Catholic relief organization,

(04:05):
one of the pope major achievements was the attention he
helped to focus on the environment. As I say, news
to me, and if it's news to me, chances are
it's news to you as well. And if it is,
what does it tell us about the role of the
pope And whether the Pope is indeed a leader for

(04:26):
all people or is he seen as a leader of
just the people who consider themselves a part of the
Catholic Church. Will tell me what you think, What does
the pope mean to you? And have we seen the
passing of a truly global leader or is the Pope's
influence not what it used to be?

Speaker 1 (04:46):
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