Thy Kingdom come!
April 21, 2025
Dear members of Regnum Christi:
With deep sorrow, but also with Christian hope in eternal life, we join the whole Church in giving thanks to God for the life and ministry of Pope Francis, who today has gone to the Father's House.
For more than a decade, Pope Francis guided the Church with the wisdom of the shepherd who knows his sheep, with the prophetic power of the Gospel and with a tenderness that constantly reminded us of the merciful face of God. His voice was a beacon in times of confusion; his example, a constant invitation to live with authenticity, humility and joy the following of Jesus Christ.
As a spiritual family, we wish to express in a special way our gratitude for the accompaniment that Pope Francis has given to our journey during these years of renewal and the search for fidelity to the charism we have received. Through his words, gestures of closeness on the part of the Church and the concrete support of so many pastors, we have experienced his fatherly love and his confidence in the action of the Spirit.
Today in union with all the members of Regnum Christi scattered throughout the world, we raise our prayer for the eternal rest of his soul, and we ask the Lord to receive him in his Kingdom as a faithful servant who gave his life to the end.
In this time of mourning and hope for Easter, we renew our filial adherence to the Pope and his Magisterium, as an expression of our communion with the Church. May the example of Pope Francis continue to impel us to live our charism authentically, to build bridges and to reveal the love of the Heart of Christ.
United in prayer,
The General Board of Trustees and the laymen who assist it
About Pope Francis
Early life and training
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936 in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the eldest of five children born to Mario José Bergoglio, an accountant of Italian origin, and Regina María Sívori, a housewife. He grew up in a deeply Catholic family whose values cemented his faith from an early age.
During his childhood he developed a special sensitivity towards the most needy, a fact that would mark his priestly and papal life. He studied at a technical school, where he graduated as a chemical technician before following his vocation to the priesthood.
Vocation and priestly formation
He entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in March 1958, beginning his religious formation. He studied humanities in Chile before returning to Buenos Aires to complete his philosophical formation at the Colegio Máximo de San José and completed his theological studies at the Faculty of Theology of San Miguel.
He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969 by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano. Subsequently, he continued his formation in Spain and Germany, which gave him an international ecclesial experience.
Bishop and Cardinal
On May 20, 1992, St. John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, and he was ordained on June 27 of the same year. In 1998, he was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires. His pastoral mission as bishop stood out for his dedication to social justice, interreligious dialogue and attention to the marginalized.
In 2001, during the consistory of February 21, he was created a cardinal by St. John Paul II. As a cardinal, he participated in important ecclesial events, such as the Synod of Bishops and the meetings leading up to the conclave that would elect Pope Benedict XVI in 2005.
Election as Pope
On March 13, 2013, following the resignation of Benedict XVI, Card. Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, taking the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. He was the first Latin American Pope, the first Jesuit in the papacy and the first pontiff to choose the name Francis.
Pope Francis was characterized by a renewing pastoral work centered on mercy, simplicity and closeness to people. Among his most outstanding documents are:
Encyclicals: Lumen Fidei (2013). Laudato Si’ (2015). Fratelli Tutti (2020). Dilexit us (2024)
Apostolic exhortations: Evangelii Gaudium (2013). Amoris Laetitia (2016). Gaudete et Exsultate (2018). Christus Vivit (2019). Dear Amazonia (2020). Laudate Deum (2023)
You can find all the encyclicals of the Pope here and the Apostolic Exhortations, in this link.
Famous phrases
Pope Francis coined several expressions that marked his papacy and among the most outstanding are: «Mercy»Inspired by its emphasis on mercy as the central virtue of the Christian. «Church on the way out»The call to Catholics to get out of their comfort zone and reach out to the existential and social peripheries. «The throwaway culture».»A critique of materialism and indifference to the marginalized. «Make a mess»Addressed to young people at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, it was an invitation to come out of indifference and to transform the world to build a more just and united society. «The shepherd must smell like sheep.»At the 2013 Chrism Mass, Francis stressed that priests and bishops should be close to their community, sharing its life and needs, rather than distancing themselves in positions of power or privilege.
Accompanying Regnum Christi
Pope Francis accompanied the renewal process of Regnum Christi by expressing his closeness and guidance on several occasions. In February 2020, Pope Francis addressed a message to the participants of the General Chapter of the Legionaries of Christ and the General Assemblies of the Consecrated and Consecrated Laity of Regnum Christi. The Holy Father acknowledged the arduous journey undertaken and highlighted the importance of the new Constitutions and Statutes, noting that they reflect a renewed vision consistent with the Second Vatican Council.
Subsequently, in April 2024, during the first General Convention of Regnum Christi, the Pope sent a letter in which he exhorted the participants to remain faithful to the evangelizing mission of Regnum Christi and to discern its role today under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Some members of Regnum Christi with Pope Francis
