2 weeks Ago By Anjali Jhangiani
1 2 3 Pune: The Catholic community in the city is mourning the loss of Pope Francis , who passed away on Monday morning. Known for his humility, inclusivity and unwavering commitment to social justice, the pontiff left a profound impact on believers around the world — including many in Pune. Among those deeply moved by his legacy is Bishop Malcolm Sequeira of Amravati, who had a rare and personal encounter with Pope Francis in Rome last year.
"It was Sept 16, 2024. Pope Francis had invited 100 bishops from all over the world to gather for a meeting with him. The session lasted over two hours, and incredibly, he took the time to meet each one of us individually," Sequeira recalled to TOI.
The Bishop remembered presenting the Pope with a shawl from India. "I placed it on his shoulders and told him, ‘This is all the warmth and love I've brought from India.' And he loved it.
His eyes lit up," he said. Sequeira added, "We were all thinking that he will give us a lecture, but to our surprise, he said that he wasn't going to give a long talk. Instead, he opened the floor to those present to ask him anything we wanted.
He said he wanted a dialogue between us. At the end of the programme, he gave us two pieces of advice. The first one was that in our lives, we must never lose our sense of humour.
‘Come what may, keep a smile on your face as that smile might help save someone's life,' he said. The second piece of advice was to have patience with the various situations life may present, with the people we deal with, and with our own selves as we strive to be our best." Catholic churches across the city, including prominent ones like St Patrick's Cathedral, have put up solemn messages on their social media handles, expressing grief and inviting prayers for the departed.
While no special service or mass was announced on Monday, priests and parishioners alike lit candles and offered prayers in his memory. "Pope Francis walked the talk. He was the first one to include women in the Maundy Thursday ritual of washing of the feet.
He has said many times that when women are involved, things get done," said Nisha Pereira, a resident of Pimpri. "We prayed for his departed soul and lit candles. It is a sad day and a great loss to the world.
He was a revolutionary and brought in progressive views. He will be deeply missed," said Sheryl D'Souza from NIBM Road..
