21st April 2025
The Bristol and West of England Multi Faith Forum paid tributes to the memories of His Holiness Pope Francis, who served as the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of St Peter- the Prince of Apostles, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff of the world wide Catholic Church and and the Sovereign of the State of Vatican City from 2013 to 2025.
Mayor Em Cllr Tom Aditya, Chairman and the Board of Trustees in their tributes explained “We are deeply sad to hear the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. His demise is a great loss to humanity. In this time of mourning and grief, we join the 1.42 billion Catholics across the world and many other millions who perceive Pope Francis as a model of charity and love. We pay our homage to his gracious soul”
The tributes note continued, “Pope Francis was a pastoral pope for all, however he had given much preference to the underprivileged, the disadvantaged, and the forgotten sections of the community. He was a great man of deep commitment, dedication, charisma, tolerance, humility, convictions, and compassion. He was a powerful voice for peace and human dignity through education, science and culture as well as a leading figure in interreligious dialogue. He was the beacon ambassador of community cohesion, harmony and social justice. He was deeply committed to the protection of nature and to the ethics of emerging technologies. He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting communities around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost the faith-fuelled hope of a better world. That hope was the heart of his papacy. Pope Francis elevated climate change to a moral issue, denounced unfettered capitalism and increased financial transparency within the Vatican. His determination to visibly live out his faith inspired people across the world to see afresh the church’s teachings of mercy and charity.
“Pope Francis’s whole life and ministry was centred on Jesus who comes among us not to be served, but to serve. We saw that compellingly in Pope Francis’s service for the poor, his love of neighbour especially the displaced, migrant, the asylum seeker, his deep compassion for the well-being of the earth and his desire to lead and build the church in new ways. Pope Francis pastored his church with care and humility, and showed the world how to follow Jesus and encouraged us to go and do likewise. He taught the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised. He was able to find God and to hope to meet God in every circumstance and in every person. He strived for an inclusive society”.
“With Pope Francis’ demise, we are reminded once more of Pope’s call to care for one another across different faiths, backgrounds, nations and beliefs. His encyclicals, writings and teachings, were supported by his deeds and actions. In their humility and focus on those in the margins, those actions, his whole life, was instantly recognisable as those of one who followed Jesus Christ. Pope Francis used to consider himself as a pilgrim on this earth. Today, his pilgrimage on this earth completed and he joined the abode of His Heavenly Father.
“Bristol Multi Faith Forum express our deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and all those who loved Pope Francis. May His Holiness rest in eternal peace and may his legacy continue to illuminate the path of faith and love”.
Bristol Multi-Faith Forum (BMFF) is an organisation instituted by the Bristol City Council in 2004, to lead, support and enhance the inter-faith community cohesion activities and inter-cultural social harmony programmes in the city of Bristol and the West of England region; and to promote community well-being and social justice.
