By Fr. Francis Pizzarelli

On the Monday after Easter at the age of 88, Francis, the humble servant of the Roman Catholic Church died in his sleep after 12 extraordinary years of service to the church and to the world.

Francis, a Jesuit priest committed to the poor and vulnerable among us, became an Archbishop and then a cardinal from Argentina. He spent his whole life ministering to the poor and the marginal among us. From his earliest days to his last day, he lived simply, loved exponentially and always walked with the poor.

As Pope he was a reformer; he did not amend the doctrine of the Catholic Church but found powerful pastoral ways to make the church the church of the people. His powerful pastoral example was an ongoing reminder that we must welcome those who feel unwelcome to our community.

As Pope, he constantly called us to radical inclusiveness. I will never forget that statement. He so powerfully reminded all of us that God welcomes everyone without imposing shame or guilt.

As a Roman Catholic priest, I admired the Holy Father’s constant reminder that as Catholics we must be committed to social justice and reaching out to the most vulnerable among us without judgment.

Francis was such a powerful role model for everyone, but especially for priests like myself. He constantly reminded us by his power of example of what we all must be about. His compassion and his empathy have inspired me to stay the course.

Hopefully, the conclave, which elects a new Pope, will do so in the spirit of Pope Francis, a man of compassion and empathy who will challenge us to live the gospel, even when it’s difficult. I hope this new Pope will be as committed to the poor and the marginal as Francis was.

These are crazy times that we live in. The world is paralyzed and polarized and so is our nation. Francis was a man committed to peace and social justice. He practiced what he preached his entire life. He did not just talk the talk, he walked the walk.

We have been very blessed to have had this simple Jesuit priest from Argentina as our Pope. He reminds us by the way in which he lived of the gift of hope and how we should all try to live each and every day.

In January, Pope Francis declared that this was a year dedicated to hope. On Tuesday, April 22, Hope House Ministries celebrated 45 years of ministering to the poor and most vulnerable in our midst. As its founder, I’ve spent 45 years believing in the power of hope and that people can change, be transformed and reclaim their lives.

Father Francis Pizzarelli, SMM, LCSW-R, ACSW, DCSW, is the director of Hope House Ministries in Port Jefferson.