In Gratitude and Sorrow: Farewell to Our Holy Father
Farewell, Holy Father. With hearts full of gratitude and a sorrow born of love, we offer our affectionate farewell to Your Holiness. Over these years, You have been far more than the Successor of Peter—you have been to us a loving father, a humble and radiant guide, and a faithful companion on the pilgrimage of faith. Through Your words and Your example, You reminded us that God is near, tender, and patient, and that the true strength of the Church shines through mercy.
This image, so simple and yet so profound—marked by laughter, fraternity, and shared joy—will remain forever etched in our hearts. It speaks of your closeness to the people, your humility that disarmed all pride, and your joy that reflected the Gospel lived fully.
Your presence among us was a grace. In a world marked by noise and division, you taught us the eloquence of tenderness. You reminded us that authority in the Church flows from service, that true power lies in vulnerability, and that holiness wears the face of compassion. You challenged us to go out to the peripheries—not just geographical, but existential—to be near the wounded and the forgotten.
We, the Clerics Regular Minor, remember with deep emotion the moment when Your Holiness encouraged our religious family, saying: "May the religious family and the entire Christian community of that nation be heralds and witnesses of goodness and fraternity despite the difficulties." These words have taken root in our hearts. In them, we heard your trust in us, your hope for us. They now become part of the legacy you leave behind—a call to remain steadfast, joyful, and courageous in proclaiming Christ.
Holy Father, as you now take a quieter path, please carry with you the prayers of your sons and daughters—those who laughed with you, learned from you, wept in your words, and saw in your life the mercy of God made flesh. You leave behind not only a papacy, but a witness—one that will continue to guide us, challenge us, and inspire us.
May the Lord reward you for the love you have sown in His Church. May you find peace in the silence you now embrace, and strength in the prayers that rise for you across the world.
Grazie, Santo Padre. We will miss you more than words can say.
