Students and staff were shocked to learn on Monday that the Pope had died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 88. Earlier in the day, he was doing Easter celebrations and even met with Vice President JD Vance, which is why his death was unexpected.
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, or Pope Francis, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. Coming from an Italian family, he had a very religious childhood. In his early years, he bounced around different jobs, working in the food section of a local laboratory, and even worked as a bouncer. In 1958, he started his path to becoming the Pope, he joined the Jesuit novitiate, which is a 2 year study to join the “Society of Jesus.” In 1958, he was ordained as a Priest, and in 1969, he became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, eventually becoming the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church in 2013. He had a strong emphasis on helping the poor and was also controversially very progressive about his views on LGBTQ and wanting women to have a greater role in the Church. He donated his entire salary to charity, and his possessions included an old leather watch and a pair of black boots made many years ago in Buenos Aires.
Students and staff had mixed reactions to his death; some were surprised.
“I was surprised to learn of Pope Francis’ death. He had been an important figure to my school during my elementary and middle school years because I went to a private school in Wauwatosa,” senior Aaron Reeve said. “He was not a figure I necessarily liked as a person because of controversy with his past and the actions that he took while he held his position, but I knew that his death would mark an important timestamp in current history.”
Some were not surprised due to his past health conditions.
“I was not surprised because the past few months he’s been very sick, and in and out of the hospital, it seems like he was just holding out until Easter,” junior Martin Henning said.
Some staff were surprised due to his being energetic the day before.
“I was watching the news the day before, and he was doing ceremonies and celebrating Easter publicly, so when I got the notification, I was very surprised,” social studies teacher Nicole Mobley said
The Pope did many things in his reign, and it is debated if he made himself a long-standing legacy.
“I think his legacy will be remembered for the decisions and reforms he’s suggested to modern-day Catholicism. I think it is a weak attempt to integrate the church into modern-day society, and that his liberal changes to the Church have convinced individuals to leave,” Reeve said. “However, they have also attracted some individuals. This, combined with the fact that he has been the pope with the longest reign in the 21st century, does give his legacy a platform to remain for a long time.”
In conclusion, the Pope’s death has had an astounding effect, uniting thousands of people to attend his funeral, including the leaders of many countries. He will be remembered for the good things he’s done.
