Dear SCU Community,

Today we mourn the loss of Pope Francis, a figure of monumental importance to Catholics and many, many people around the world. Since that first moment he appeared on the loggia at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, he has invited us all to a reflective, prayerful interior life and to take up committed action for the welfare of those who are most vulnerable.

We have felt a special connection to Pope Francis here at Santa Clara. As the first Jesuit pope, he often spoke about and embodied our “Jesuit language” of cura personalis, showing special care, love, and mercy for each person in their unique God-given dignity and seeking to address the crucial world issues of our times with hope, courage, and compassion. He was a loving pastor and a compelling teacher who advocated for the voiceless and powerless, taught respect and understanding among those of different faiths, and ardently fought for peace in our world.

As I reflect on his many lasting impacts for us, two stand out. First, his constant invitation to create a “culture of encounter” and, more recently, to journey together as a community embracing the path of synodality, has inspired us to be a community of welcome, discernment, dialogue, and engagement. We celebrate the perspectives and voices that make up our world, and we grow and flourish when we find unity in our differences.

And second, Pope Francis became a worldwide voice for the importance of caring for our common home, this beautiful planet that we share with all humanity and all living things. His encyclical Laudato Si’ has been the inspiration for our Sustainability Action Plan, as we have drawn on our strengths in the sciences, engineering, and ethics to become a recognized leader among Jesuit universities on these issues.

Finally, on a personal level, I will never forget my private encounter with Pope Francis in 2024. He shared a copy of his 2018 apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate, On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World, which contained a prayer we discussed about the importance of seeking joy and humor in our lives and sharing it with others. He also shared how our Jesuit education is in essence about helping our students find harmony between their heads, their hearts, and their hands, and he stressed “harmony.” Our Santa Clara education is truly at its best when it does this, with our full intellect and imagination; our applied action in the world; and the transformation of our hearts and spirits so that we appreciate more fully and with humor and joy the wonder of our lives, community, and our world. I came away feeling so uplifted and inspired by Pope Francis and how the Holy Spirit so powerfully radiated from this humble, gentle, and joyful extraordinary human.

In the coming days, we will have a number of opportunities to prayerfully remember Pope Francis. Today, the 12:05pm Mass in the Mission Church will be offered for him, and all our Sunday Masses this week (10am, 5pm, and 8pm) also will be offered for him. I invite all to participate as you are so moved.

With gratitude for his life, we commend Pope Francis into God’s care. May he rest in peace.

With shared sadness and gratitude, 

 
Julie Sullivan
President