Bishop Silva: Pope Francis led by humble example

By Celia K. Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald

Gray skies and a heavy downpour greeted the faithful who arrived at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa in Honolulu April 28 — fitting conditions, perhaps, for a memorial Mass for Pope Francis, who died a week earlier, on Easter Monday.

Despite the short notice and dreary weather, the pews soon filled to capacity and dozens of priests and deacons prepared to join Bishop Larry Silva in celebrating and mourning the late pontiff.

The lights flickered ominously at one particularly torrential moment, but the rain finally eased with minutes to spare before the 6 p.m. Mass began. The Knights of Columbus led the procession of clergy, which included nearly three dozen priests and more than a dozen deacons from across the diocese.

In his homily, Bishop Silva shared stories that highlighted Pope Francis’ mission of ministering to the “peripheries of the church” as well as his down-to-earth approach to the papacy.

At the very start of his pontificate, for example, Pope Francis sought to visit Lampedusa, the Italian island that is a perilous landing point for migrants and refugees.

His staff, still settling in, offered reassurances that the trip would be arranged — until an airline representative called one day to report that Pope Francis himself had made arrangements to visit Lampedusa.

That journey — his first official papal trip — to “be with those refugees to reach out to people that others had forgotten (and) neglected … is really the hallmark of his legacy,” Bishop Silva said.

Indeed, while previous popes focused their ministry on practicing Catholics, with the hopes that they would radiate their strong faith outward, “Pope Francis was just the opposite,” Bishop Silva said.

“He started from the peripheries of the church, thinking that if I minister to the peripheries they’ll help the rest of the people in the center to get with it, to be more faithful to the mission that Jesus has given us — to be more dedicated to reaching out to those who are on the peripheries,” Bishop Silva said.

“(Pope Francis) wanted to be the first example, pastoring us (and) shepherding us so that we would do the same.”

Pope Francis’ down-to-earth personality was another major element of his papacy.

Bishop Silva recalled the three hours that he and other U.S. bishops spent with the pope during their 2020 “ad limina” visit to Rome: “We were all shocked that he would spend that much time with us, that he would dialogue with us, answering whatever questions we wanted to bring up with him.”

Pope Francis’ personality might have rankled a few people, Bishop Silva said — “we sometimes want the pope to be more ‘pope-ish’ and to act like the pope.”

“But he knew who he was,” Bishop Silva added. “He knew first of all that unworthy as he may have been, it was the Lord who gave him those keys of Peter. It was the Lord who chose him by means of that conclave that elected him to be the pastor of the universal church. It was the Lord that he served, and that was very, very clear.

“It was not Pope Benedict’s church, it was not Pope John Paul II’s church, it was not Francis’ church — it was the church of Jesus.”

Bishop Silva followed his homily by reading a letter from Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, addressed to Bishop Silva and “the Catholic community of Hawaii.”

“It is with a deep sense of solemnity and profound respect that I write to you and the more than 250,000 Catholics in Hawaii to commemorate the life and enduring legacy of His Holiness Pope Francis,” Green wrote. “His spiritual leadership has touched the hearts of people across the globe, and we in Hawaii have felt the resonance of his teachings and actions in a particularly meaningful way.”

Green reflected on the “inspiring examples” of St. Damien and St. Marianne, writing that “(in) Pope Francis, we have witnessed a shepherd who echoed that same powerful call to serve with humility and an open heart.”

“He has consistently called upon us to look beyond ourselves, to embrace compassion and to work together for the common good,” Green continued.

The letter concluded with: “As we reflect upon his life and ministry, may we continue to draw strength from his example and remain steadfast in our commitment to serving one another with the same spirit of aloha that defines our islands.”

In another special touch, acclaimed Catholic musician Sarah Hart — in Hawaii for a concert at St. John Apostle and Evangelist Church in Mililani — performed a song she composed following Pope Francis’ death.

The memorial Mass concluded with “Salve Regina,” which is traditionally sung at funerals for priests but was especially poignant in mourning Pope Francis, who had a special devotion to Mary.