THE PONTIFICAL University paid tribute to Pope Francis with a “message of sorrow and hope,” where it described the Supreme Pontiff’s 12-year leadership as one marked by “mercy, humility, and inclusivity.”
In a Facebook post, UST remembered Pope Francis’s legacy as a pastor to the disadvantaged at the peripheries of society.
“He continued the Church’s long-standing advocacy for social justice and made prominent the missionary nature of the Church. In the latter part of his pontificate, he made a clear emphasis on the need to walk and journey together, as pilgrims of hope, and led the institutionalization of synodality,” the post read.
UST recalled Pope Francis’s 2015 visit to the campus, remembering it as a “historic moment” that showed how the pontiff “went beyond governance to minister to Asia’s pioneer university.”
Pope Francis visited UST on Jan. 18, 2015 as part of his five-day apostolic journey to the Philippines, primarily to console the victims of typhoon “Yolanda.” He met with 10 religious leaders from various denominations and addressed thousands of youth gathered at the UST Open Field.
The late pope also signed the UST guestbook, where he wrote the dedication: “For all those who work for a culture of encounter.”
“May the soul of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, our Lolo Kiko, rest in the peace of Christ, whom he faithfully served. Let us continue to uphold his legacy of faith, hope and love in our lives and mission as Thomasians,” the University said.
In a separate social media post, UST said Pope Francis “maintained a memorable connection to Thomasians.”
“In mercy and compassion, he led the Church with a heart like Christ’s. We mourn the passing of Pope Francis, whose life was a testament to love, humility, and grace,” the post read.
The day after Pope Francis’s death, the UST Office of the Secretary General released a list of activities in honor of the deceased pontiff:
- University Mass on April 22 at 5:15 p.m. at the UST Chapel
- University Mass on April 25 at 5:15 p.m. at the UST Chapel
- University Rosary from April 23 to 25 at 4:30 p.m. at the UST Chapel
- Lighting of University landmarks in violet (Main Building, Arch of the Centuries, and Carillion Bells) from April 22 to 26, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Memorabilia exhibit at UST Museum beginning April 23, featuring the items the pope used during his visit to the campus
- Laudato Si’-inspired (second encyclical of the pope focusing on care for the environment) activities in partnership with UST Simbahayan Development
- Social media engagements using #PopeFrancisUST #USTlovesLoloKiko
- Interviews with select Thomasians on their reflection from personal encounters with the pope
UST and student organizations switched their profile images to black-and-white versions of their logos or seals as a sign of mourning on social media.
Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, in the days following a five-week hospital confinement for double pneumonia. The cause of death was a stroke and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse. He was 88.
As the 266th pope, he sought a more welcoming image for the Catholic Church compared with the more traditional and conservative approach of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.
The funeral will be held on April 26, according to the Vatican.
Nine days of Masses, or the Novendiales, will foreshadow the conclave that will elect the next pope.
