Lo hice a mi manera | Epitaph for a Roman Pontiff?

Pope Francis 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025

Rest in peace; rise in glory.

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all, and I stood tall
And did it my way

My Way

English-language version by Paul Anka of

Comme d'habitude by Jacques Revaux, Gilles Thibaut, and Claude François.

Here's to hoping that readers will appreciate the preceding excerpt as intended, a little light-hearted commentary in the midst of such a large event as the death of a pope.

Say what?!

There are professional writers who are weighing in, some with the acid of contempt, some with the syrup of niceness, and some with honest and balanced reflections. Death tends to bring out the best and, sadly, the worst in people. Some commentators are acting like judge, jury and executioner. That's risky! And there will be many who are indifferent to things Catholic.

Fellow Catholics are focusing on whether or not Francis was a good pope. Was he or was he not? Let's rephrase the question: was he a good father? A pope is a father.

pope (n.)

The Bishop of Rome as head of the Roman Catholic Church, c. 1200, from Old English papa (9c.), from Church Latin papa "bishop, pope" (in classical Latin, "tutor"), from Greek papas "patriarch, bishop," originally "father".

Applied to bishops of Asia Minor and taken as a title by the Bishop of Alexandria c. 250. In the Western Church, applied especially to the Bishop of Rome since the time of Leo the Great (440-461).

My parents had flaws, but I loved them, and I miss them very much. I recall, too, their many gifts. They were honest, hardworking people of faith. They gave me life; they held me to a high standard. They taught me to be good and true. They did the best they could with the knowledge they had. I have prayed for the repose of their souls, trusting in God's mercy. I miss them very much. I hope that I will see them again. I hope that, when the end comes, God will lead me home to be with them forever if, indeed, they are with Him and all the angels and saints. I hope, too, that people will pray for me at the hour of my death, that I may receive a merciful judgement.

Am I a good son? Am I faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ? Moments such as these offer us an opportunity to conduct an examination of conscience. This blogger is fairly confident that Pope Francis was a better pope than I'll ever be. I'm not eligible to participate in the upcoming conclave, so the question of me becoming pope is moot. My vote must be in the form of prayer. Let us  pray for a holy and wise pope to shepherd God's Church.

Some have been wounded by Pope Francis' words and deeds; some have been empowered to better embrace the Gospel. It seems fair that, when emotions are running high, we grant mourners the opportunity to express themselves in ways they—yes—may come to regret or that may help others understand how to be better Christians. Mourning tends to be accompanied by untamed feelings, and passions can run wild. The devil smiles when believers attack each other. Don't give the devil any opportunity to infest and corrupt your thinking. Go to confession if you need to. Work for truth, goodness, and beauty in Christ Jesus.

It is better for us all to simply take the time to pray for the deceased, to pray for the Church, and to pray for Francis' successor, who, need it be said, is likely shaking in his boots as the conclave approaches. By the way, try to avoid betting on who will be the next Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. Human beings, being prone to the temptation to engage in idle speculation, or even useless speculation since no one, short of a prophet, can know who'll be the next Bishop of Rome, nevertheless can and do try to justify betting on an outcome that defies precise prediction. Take consolation in the fact that the Catholic Church is not a democracy.

May God grant Pope Francis a swift and merciful judgement. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum. Et gratia tua illis succurrente, mereantur evadere iudicium ultionis. Et lucis æternae beatitudine perfrui.