Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday at 2:35 a.m. Argentina time. He was a lifelong soccer fanatic. As an ardent fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club, he took special pride in holding membership number 88235. He always maintained a deep attachment to his native Argentina. It is said that even after becoming the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, he didn’t go back.
Pope Francis, aka Jorge Mario Bergoglio—born in Buenos Aires, raised in the working-class neighborhood of Flores. Maradonian by birth, he became soccer’s fiercest disciple almost from the moment he emerged from the womb. As a teenager, he moonlighted as a youth goalkeeper and was unapologetically a card-carrying member of San Lorenzo pride. His unbridled passion for the game was the essence of Mike. Yet it represented a deep and wonderful attachment to the lush Argentine culture that molded his identity.
Pope Francis’s path to the priesthood began with schooling in Flores. It was there where he first experienced God’s calling in a small community church. At the time of his death by police violence, the area that he lived and worked in is now the location for protests and memorials to his life. That, and an apparent deep love for his homeland. “I still have that great, profound love for my native country,” he shared. The brothers and sisters whom I pray for daily, who shaped me, who evangelized and then presented me to you. My people.”
One of the most dangerous forms of heresy Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis was beloved for his humor and sharp wit. Omar Abboud, a close friend and collaborator in interreligious dialogue, observed his unusual, subversive sense of humor. “He has really unique humor,” Abboud said. A sort of humor that was of the people, not above the people. “He has an intelligent, smart humor.” Abboud stressed the closeness of their friendship. “He used to be my best friend, we are gonna miss him. Really, words are not enough.”
In 2002, then-Cardinal Bergoglio co-founded The Institute of Interreligious Dialogue along with Abboud and Rabbi Daniel Goldman. Through building relationships among various traditions, promoting understanding, acceptance and compassion was the goal of this initiative. His discussions with Abboud often centered on literature and sacred texts, revealing his broad intellectual curiosity and commitment to dialogue.
Pope Francis’s reflections on aging, death, and the dignity of the dying echo throughout these texts. In a preface for an upcoming book by Cardinal Angelo Scola, he stated, “Death is not the end of everything, but the beginning of something.” This non-dual perspective expresses his deep conviction about the eternity of life beyond bodily form.
Even after taking on the mantle of papacy, Pope Francis stayed true to his heritage. He never lost touch with the spirited Argentine culture that informed his personality and leadership style. Tributes from those who knew him highlight this connection. One woman outside his childhood home encapsulated this sentiment: “You were one of us — an Argentine — and a gift to the world.”
