The first message I received was from a friend in Europe: The Pope passed away.

Initially, I thought it was in error. After all, just the day before – Easter Sunday – I saw pictures of his greeting the joyous crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

A sadness rolled over me and I took to my knees to pray for his soul and to pray for the Church, now unnervingly without a Shepherd.

The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, the head of His Church. His death felt personal to me, despite my never having met him.

And the pain of his loss continues to linger personally.

Pope Francis championed divine mercy and human compassion. When coupled together as Christ teaches, we encounter the Risen Lord Jesus Who makes all things new.

How I have been inspired by the integrity that marked the leadership of Pope Francis. All bishops – he was the Bishop of Rome – similarly encourage kindness for the poor and downtrodden. He dared to lead from the front, demonstrating with actions his tireless resolve to love the most vulnerable and afflicted members, the ones ignored, scorned and pushed to the peripheries to be out of sight and unable to be heard.

I recall my deeply emotional reaction when celebrating his first Holy Thursday as Pope, he washed and kissed the feet of 12 young people at a youth prison. Among them were two women and two Muslims. It seemed he was speaking directly to me when he urged priests to go out into the world: “It is not in soul-searching that we encounter the Lord. We need to go out into the world where there is suffering, bloodshed, blindness that longs for sight and prisoners in thrall to many evil masters.”

His bold witness to make present Christ’s Love everywhere, especially to those in most need of mercy and forgiveness, stirred me to venture into places in service of people that I previously wanted to meet but was fearful of encountering on their terms including prisons, homeless shelters and recovery communities.

Pope Francis stretched me to become a better Christian man and priest.

Reflecting further upon his continuing influence in my life, Pope Francis was refreshingly pragmatic. For him, Christian faith must be lived in the world so that lives can be changed, hope renewed, empathy expanded, and joy celebrated. Genuine faith is active, seen and shared – and it always is impactful.

A non-Catholic friend shared his appreciation for Pope Francis in this manner: “He was a really decent man despite our indecent times.”

Mercy. Compassion. Empathy. Integrity. Joy. Hallmarks of intentional disciples, true friends of Jesus committed to living in the heart of His Church.

Eternal Rest grant unto Pope Francis, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon Him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through Divine Mercy, rest in peace.