Pope Francis' Push Toward the Peripheries (The Inner Life with Patrick Conley)

Patrick Conley and Fr. James Kubicki, SJ, a fellow Jesuit and spiritual director, pay tribute to the life and mission of Pope Francis, who has recently passed into eternal life.    You can hear the full hour of tribute to Pope Francis here.      🙏 Jesus at the Center: Pope Francis’ “Why”   According to Fr. Kubicki, the fuel in Pope Francis’ spiritual tank was simple and profound:   He was a man madly in love with Jesus.   Formed by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, Pope Francis didn’t just admire Christ; he imitated Him. His life was about entering into the mind and heart of Jesus and seeing the world through Christ’s compassionate eyes. That’s why his first words as Pope weren’t about policy; they were about prayer, mercy, and mission.     🌍 From the Vatican to the Peripheries: A Pope Who Went Out   Pope Francis believed the Church wasn’t supposed to stay comfortable in her marble halls. He saw his role not as an administrator of power but as a missionary disciple. His call to the Church: 🚪 “Go to the peripheries.” That meant going to where people were hurting: refugees, the poor, the sick, the lonely. His first trip as pope was to Lampedusa, an Italian island flooded with migrants fleeing war and poverty. There, he denounced the “globalization of indifference.”      St. Francis of Assisi, Not Xavier   Surprise! Despite being a Jesuit, Pope Francis didn’t name himself after St. Francis Xavier... but after St. Francis of Assisi, the saint of radical poverty. Why? Because one cardinal told him:   “Don’t forget the poor.” And he never did. He created the World Day of the Poor, empowered the Papal Almoner to do real boots-on-the-ground charity, and lived simply... even refusing the papal palace, choosing a guesthouse instead. 🏠🚌     🛏️ Love in the Details: Concrete Compassion   This was a lifestyle:   -Showers and beds for the homeless in Vatican City 🚿🛏️   -Ambulances sent to Ukraine via the Pope’s envoy 🚑   -Daily decisions grounded in humility and service   Even as a cardinal in Buenos Aires, people knew where to find him:   “Catch him on the No. 7 bus if you wanna talk.”     📞 Callers Reflect: Real People, Real Impact   💬 Perth, a convert from Protestantism, admitted he once believed negative things about Pope Francis, but his humility and gentle strength shattered the lies. 💬 Mary Lou remembered stories of the Pope riding public transportation and refusing to be served by chefs and chauffeurs:   “The ego is not your friend,” she said, summing up Francis’ mission perfectly.   Fr. Kubicki added that Francis warned the Church not to become worldly: living for its own glory, but instead to serve the world for Christ. ✝️🌎     Final Thoughts: A Legacy of Humble Boldness   Pope Francis reminded the Church who she’s supposed to be.    🕯️ "Thank you, Papa Francis." You reminded us that holiness smells like sheep, walks to the outskirts, and sometimes rides the bus. 🐑🚌     The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.