Papa Francisco – A lesson of love

It’s been many days, but the longing remains. I would really say, seems to increase as time goes on. We remain consolation, making faith in the testimony of those who accompanied him in the last moments, of his departure to have been «Fast and without suffering». And that gesture of the goodbye with which he said goodbye, says well of what was our dear Pope Francis. ‘Rich man in poverty’, simple as he had never seen himself, focused on the poor and disadvantaged, fighting for peace and freedom, messenger of hope, throwing seeds of love on this earth. In the exercise of his pontificate, many saw him as an innovator, others someone far ahead of his time, but for some, perhaps a little too advanced. One thing is certain: it has never excluded anyone. On the contrary. He welcomed everyone, all who wanted to approach God by opening their doors of the Church regardless of their situation or sexual orientation. With him no one has ever felt different or more and the strength of his voice was to many the comfort and support they needed in his walk on this earth. A little for all this, Pope Francis is today remembered with believers and not believers, adults and young people, people of all political quarters, and even by other religious confessions, fully penetrating in the hearts of men to whom he gave a true lesson of love.

From a medical point of view, your case was quite complex. There were several hospitalizations some of which with surgical interventions associated with their personal background let it foresee a little encouraging prognosis. His last spell at the Gemelli Clinic in which he had medical and nursing follow-up at the highest level, was as a sign for the world that the high pontiff was about to leave us. The news that came to us were preparing for what no one wanted to believe in. I was eyes in the medical class procedure in which I have become a health professional. A doctor can only be in the service of human life and his mission is to accompany the sick in good and bad times fighting without ceasing to pay him all kinds of care he needs. He was high very weakened, with the suffering he carried with him in that wheelchair. Did you disobey the medical advice that you recommended a longer convalescence? Everything seems to indicate that yes and its early appearance in the S. Pedro Square on Easter Sunday is the evident proof of the decision I wanted to make. Was that what precipitated the final outcome? We don’t know it. However, if they did not do so, given the severity of the disease, sooner or later, the result would be the same. As a Catholic I question his presence at that place on Easter Sunday, by the way, the most important day for us. Knowing now that hours later he left for his father, it was no coincidence that this happened. His intention was to say goodbye to us.

Pope Francis went to me the personality worldwide that I admired most. I was very pleased to have known him in person. I believed this would be possible, even because he was more than once in Portugal, but I never had such privilege. I talked about him twice in this space, the first in 2017 and the second most recently on the occasion of the world’s Youth Days. I wrote a poem to which I named Francisco that would give rise to the hymn in his honor with the same name music by Father António Cartageno and lyrics of my own. This anthem was sung by a group of children when the Holy Father landed at Monte Real airport which moved me a lot.

I do not hide for this to anyone the deep esteem and admiration that had this odd figure that the world has just lost.

God help your successor so that all the work developed so far does not risk falling into oblivion

‘In the father’s house there are many addresses.’ He already intended his own. Pope Francis: Before one day, we finally find ourselves, I ask you to look at us and this world to the drift and without values ​​where we were poorer and most alone. We lost a reference, a true brother, a faithful friend, but we won a light in heaven to illuminate our lives. And this light will never go out.

(Pope Francis’ memory)

Doctor