In the spring of 2025, the global Christian community experienced a moment of deep emotion with the passing of Pope Francis. As we now look to the future under Pope León XIV's guidance, we can contemplate with gratitude the spiritual legacy the Argentine pontiff left to the Italian Church. His ministry, spanning over twelve years, profoundly touched ecclesial life in Italy, offering words that still resonate today as an invitation to active hope.
Francis taught us that faith isn't a refuge from the world, but a force that pushes us toward others. As the apostle Paul writes: "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8). This verse illuminates the heart of the message the Pope brought to Italy: a Church that doesn't close itself within its structures, but goes out to meet humanity's wounds.
His pastoral approach, characterized by tangible closeness to people, reshaped the relationship between the ecclesial community and Italian society. In years marked by complex challenges - from migration to social tensions, from the pandemic to environmental issues - his words offered a spiritual compass for navigating uncertain times.
The courage to dream of an outgoing Church
One of the most precious gifts Francis left the Italian Church was the courage to imagine new paths. During the 2015 Florence Ecclesial Convention, the Pope used a particularly significant image: that of the Church's "motherly face." This metaphor, which gives title to the collection of his addresses, evokes a welcoming community capable of tenderness and patience.
Francis's dream for Italy wasn't utopian, but deeply rooted in the Gospel. He invited us to overcome what he called "the globalization of indifference" to instead embrace a culture of encounter. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us: "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19).
This vision materialized in numerous gestures and words that touched Italian social fabric: visits to existential peripheries, attention to the poor, dialogue with institutions, listening to local communities. Every meeting with Italian bishops, every address to CEI assemblies, was a piece of this mosaic of hope.
The art of listening as spiritual practice
Francis taught us that before speaking we must listen. This principle, simple in formulation but revolutionary in practice, characterized his relationship with the Italian Church. Sincere listening isn't a communication technique, but a spiritual attitude that recognizes Christ's face in the other.
The Pope often reminded us that the Church isn't a besieged fortress, but a field hospital. This image, so dear to Francis, invites us to leave our comfort zones to encounter the world's wounds. As the evangelist Matthew writes: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Christian memory: not nostalgia but responsibility
Today, as we affectionately remember Pope Francis under Pope León XIV's pontificate, we understand that Christian memory is never sterile nostalgia. True ecclesial memory is always projected toward the future - it's active discernment, responsible choice. Francis's words collected in his addresses to the Italian Church aren't archival documents, but seeds planted for tomorrow.
This dynamic conception of memory finds resonance in Scripture: "Remember those earlier days" urges the author of Hebrews, but immediately adds: "So do not throw away your confidence" (Hebrews 10:32-35). Memory that builds up is what pushes us forward, not what ties us to the past.
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