“He was a real spiritual Father”: Cardinal in Mauritius Reflects on Pope Francis’ Legacy of Humility, Unity

One of the most touching aspects of the late Pope Francis’ farewell ceremony, Cardinal Piat recalled, was the "powerful presence of interfaith representatives – Muslims, Hindus, and other Christians – all gathered to honour a man whose message of universal fraternity resonated far beyond the Catholic Church."

“It was not diplomacy. It was fraternity. He built bridges, not walls,” the Mauritian Catholic Church leader, who the late Pope Francis created Cardinal during the November 2016 Consistory said.

The late Pope Francis’ legacy is more than symbolic, Cardinal Piat said, and explained, “When we see how his words and gestures resonate across all cultures and ages, it shows there’s a treasure he shared; a path through the poorest, through simplicity and compassion.”

Reflecting on the striking image of global political figures, including U.S. President Trump and his Ukraine counterpart President Zelensky conversing in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Spiritan Cardinal said it was a sign of Pope Francis’ wide-reaching influence. 

“He didn’t just pass by; he inspired a style,” the Cardinal said referring to the global impact of the late Pope Francis.

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Cardinal Piat said he was especially moved by the sight of the poor, who gathered at the steps of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis.

“He resonated deeply with the poor. He welcomed them as brothers. He believed they carry a hidden treasure essential for the world,” Cardinal Piat said.

He also underscored the importance of continuing the synodal journey that the late Pope Francis initiated in the Synod on Synodality, the multi-year XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which the late Pontiff officially inaugurated in 2021 and later extended to 2024.

The Synod on Synodality, he said, was “a way to discern together where God wants to lead His Church. All Christians are called to participate.”

The Cardinal, who retired as Local Ordinary of Port-Louis Catholic Diocese in Mauritius in May 2023 expressed his hope that the Church will remain faithful to the late Pope Francis’ priorities.

He prayed that the Church “continues to give privileged attention to the poor, the marginalized, and the excluded – not just as a moral duty, but because there is something profoundly spiritual in that mission.”

Turning to the youth, the Cardinal lauded the late Pope Francis’ outreach to young people, particularly at World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon.

The late Pope Francis, Cardinal Piat recalled, “opened many doors for young people. A Church that wants to be relevant for the future must allow them to express themselves.”

The late Pope Francis, who passed on aged 88 was laid to rest on April 26 in his “beloved” Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major as he explained in his testament. He had suffered a stroke that was followed by a coma and an irreversible cardiovascular collapse. The late Pontiff had been struggling with double pneumonia and a respiratory infection.

As the Church enters the final preparatory phase for choosing her 267th Pope, the College of Cardinals announced on Monday, April 28 that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on May 7.

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In the April 27 address to journalists in Rome, 83-year-old Cardinal Piat, who is not among the 18 Cardinal electors from Africa, said that the Conclave is “not an electoral campaign” but rather “a moment to discern the path the Church must follow in this fractured and dynamic world.”

“I will stay to welcome the new Pope. But I also pray that we remain faithful to the path Pope Francis has shown us; a Church close to the people, close to the poor, and open to the world,” the Spiritan Cardinal said.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.