At this profound moment in the life of the Church, our hearts are filled with gratitude and prayer for the life and legacy of the Holy Father, Pope Francis. His witness of faith, humility, and service has been a source of inspiration not only for believers, but also for all of us who walk in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul.
Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has reminded us time and again that the poor are at the heart of Christian life. He has called us to be a Church that goes forth, that embraces the peripheries, that serves without reservation, and is transformed through encounters with those most in need.
Some years ago, the Superior General of the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret shared with me that, during a visit of Pope Francis to their Motherhouse, he told her: “My heart is Vincentian.”
As members of the Congregation of the Mission and the Vincentian Family, we recognize in his ministry a deep resonance with our charism: a passion for evangelizing and serving the most vulnerable. His call to be a Church that is “bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets” (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 49) will continue to guide us in our mission.
Today, more than ever, I invite you to unite in prayer—giving thanks to God for the life of the Holy Father and praying for our Church during this time of transition. May his legacy inspire us to continue serving with love, faith, and hope.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank each one of you for your commitment to keeping the missionary spirit alive and for being true witnesses of the Gospel in the world.
I also invite you to begin praying now for the next successor of Peter, so that, guided by the Holy Spirit, he may enlighten the Church with wisdom, humility, and love for those most in need. May the Lord sustain him in his mission and strengthen him as he faithfully shepherds God’s people according to the Gospel.
With a fraternal embrace in Christ,
Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, C.M.
Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission
and the Company of the Daughters of Charity
President of the Executive Committee of the International Vincentian Family
Message from the Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission after the death of Pope Francis
