May-June 2025

Editor's desk François-Marie Héraud

To Bear Witness

God prepared a home for His Son. Patiently, He sought, then found and chose a woman — Mary. To ask for her consent, He did not meet her Himself, instead sent Gabriel, an angel. The Evangelist Saint Luke gives us an account of this event. (1:26–56)

Who is this Mary, that God would care so deeply about her? Mary was known as a young virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.

When the time came, the angel entered her home and said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Mary was deeply troubled by this greeting. So, the angel reassured her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.” 

The angel then revealed God's plan, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name Him Jesus.” What did Mary do? She showed her authenticity by engaging in dialogue and asking a question, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” She prompted the angel to reveal even more of what God wanted to accomplish.

“Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.”
(Luke 1:28)

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be holy; He will be called Son of God.” The angel also announced to Mary that Elizabeth, her cousin, was with child despite her advanced age. And he added these powerful words, “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

That brief exchange was all Mary needed to recognize the God in whom she already placed all her trust — the God whom she loved, believed in and remained faithful to, because she knew Him to be faithful, just and merciful. And so, she responded, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Thus, Mary committed herself fully, with her “yes” to God. Without fear or hesitation, she entrusted herself to Him, just as He had first entrusted Himself to her by choosing her. Mary saw herself as a “humble servant” and recognized God’s goodness, proclaiming, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has looked with favour on the lowliness of His servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”

In her poverty and humility, Mary accepted God’s invitation and drew even closer to Him. Her response was a profound act of bearing witness, it reveals her deep relationship with God and just how precious He is to her. Mary proclaimed God, not merely with words, but through her life, through her commitment, her gift of self, her surrender in trust.

If to bear witness means expressing deep, sincere love, then Mary is our greatest model. She allowed God to dwell within her. She welcomed the poverty of God within her own poverty; she sheltered and cared for Him, the Almighty. She carried in her womb His Son, Emmanuel, the Saviour of the world. Her ‘yes’ led her to the foot of the Cross, where she became our Mother. With unwavering faith, she remained true to her promise and God remained faithful to His Word. This is her witness, a witness that helps us grow and by which hope is given to us.

May Mary teach us to bear witness in our life to the Way, the Truth and the Life!

May Mary guide and accompany us in prayer!

May Mary be our Mother!

United in prayer!

Happy Mother’s Day!

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POPE FRANCIS (1936 - 2025)

Jean-Paul Simard

The Legacy of Pope Francis for the Church

It was expected, and yet it was with surprise and dismay that we learned of the death of Pope Francis. He died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 7:35 a.m. local time, at the age of 88. He passed away from a stroke.

His real name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was elected pope on March 13, 2013, at the age of 76. As we know, he was elected following the departure of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who had decided to step down from his position.

From Francis of Assisi to Francis of Rome

What can be said about Pope Francis? I know of no better expression to describe him than the one often repeated during his life: a Jesuit Pope with a Franciscan heart. What a journey Pope Francis had! Fascinating to some, disconcerting to others—especially to those aligned with fundamentalism.

What I remember most about him is his reforming nature. Pope Francis symbolized a form of renewal at the head of the Catholic Church. From the beginning of his papacy, the question was asked: Was Pope Francis building the Church of Pope Benedict, his predecessor, often seen as a transitional pope? In my humble opinion, Pope Francis was simply rebuilding the Church of God, the very same Church of Francis of Assisi, whose spiritual legacy he embraced.

Indeed, there is a striking resemblance between the two men. Here is a telling anecdote on that subject. One morning, as Saint Francis of Assisi was walking, he entered the Church of San Damiano, a dilapidated church falling into ruins. Lovingly contemplating the image of the Saviour, he heard these mysterious words three times, “Go, Francis, and repair my house…” Francis initially thought it meant the physical building, but later understood that it referred to the larger Church. Is that not exactly what Pope Francis did?

His Mission to Rebuild the Church

How did the Pope perceive his mission to rebuild the Church? In my opinion, the Synod gives us the best insight: “For a synodal Church: communion, participation, and mission.” It reflects the pursuit of a missionary Church that is fraternal and open to all, capable of embracing its diversity in unity. The Synod expressed the Pope’s deep concern and desire to reform the Church, as reflected in the various topics addressed: the role of women and laypeople, the priesthood and diaconate, the ministry of bishops, the poor and migrants, the digital mission, ecumenism and abuses within the Church.

Another hallmark of Francis’ papacy was his openness to the ecclesiastical role of women, allowing them access to certain ministries, such as lector (ministry of the word) and acolyte (altar service). Later came shared responsibility in Church governance with figures like Anne Soupa (Vatican secretary) and Nathalie Becquart (general secretary of the Synod of Bishops). Recently, Sister Simona Brambilla was appointed head of the important dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

“Pope Francis was simply rebuilding the Church of God, the very same
Church of Francis of Assisi, whose spiritual legacy he embraced.”

Moreover, Pope Francis will be remembered as the Pope of Mercy, earning him the nickname “The Pope Who Forgives.” Who does not remember his famous words, “Who am I to judge?” Everywhere he went, he projected the image of a Shepherd rather than that of a doctrinal authority. He was also, both in his person and his work, the Pope of Joy. In this regard, he gave us two magnificent Apostolic Exhortations: The Joy of the Gospel and The Joy of Love.

Above all, Pope Francis taught us to live the values of the Gospel with courage and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. He ardently defended human rights and the cause of migrants, and he called for an end to wars (notably in Ukraine and Palestine), among other efforts.

On another note, we cannot forget his deep concern for the environment, shown through his commitment to safeguarding our ‘common home’ in his Encyclical Letter, Laudato si’ (Praise Be to You), where the Holy Father expressed his fears about climate change.

Last December, Pope Francis inaugurated the Holy Year of the Jubilee under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” That is truly who Francis was — a Pilgrim of Hope. He showed us that the future has a name, and that name is Hope. In his recent autobiography, entitled Hope, he wrote, “I am only a passing figure; the Church will continue to move forward.”

THANK YOU, Pope Francis!