Card Gracias: For Francis, synodality meant listening to the Lord together
The archbishop emeritus of Bombay talks about the pontiff who picked him to be the face of Asia in the Council of Cardinals. He participated in all the meetings, inviting the cardinals “to discuss, to differ and to argue.” He was a person of “deep faith” who “preached the Gospel undiluted.” “He would say 'why be afraid of death?' 'The Lord needs me here, the Lord wants me here and the moment the Lord does not want me he will take me away’.”
Delhi (AsiaNews) – A person "of deep faith, of prayer” is how Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop emeritus of Bombay, describes Pope Francis to AsiaNews as he remembers the bond and work he shared with the pontiff who passed away yesterday morning.
The collaboration was especially evident in the meetings of the Council of Cardinals (C9), the working group Pope Francis set up in September 2013 a few months after his election to the throne of Peter, of which the Indian prelate was a member until last December.
“We must have had at least fifty meetings with him of three days each where we had intense meetings discussing an agenda which he had prepared,” the cardinal remembers. The pope urged “us, to discuss, to differ and to argue.” Yet, ultimately, he would make “the decision which he saw in prayer.”
Card Oswald Gracias, archbishop emeritus of Bombay and former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), sent AsiaNews his reminiscences about Pope Francis, which follow.
The human side of Pope Francis,
I felt that Pope Francis was a person of deep faith, of prayer. The Holy Spirit sends us the leader that we need at different times. When Pope Francis began the Papacy all of us did not know what to expect as he was not much known outside of Rome; not even in Rome with the Curia. But as I look back at these last twelve years – what an impact he has made on the Church and on the world.
He has been fearless and courageous. When you look at the world scene, I think he has maintained the integrity of the Gospel. He preached the Gospel undiluted. He has been faithful to what he sees in prayer. He was not a respector of popular opinion. It was just what the Church has got to do. I think he took all his decisions in prayer. For me, as I look back again, I see more and more that it has been a great learning experience to be working with him. To see a person who is so committed and fearless and true to the Gospel.
He listened to all of us during our frequent meetings of the Council of Cardinals. We must have had at least fifty meetings with him of three days each where we had intense meetings discussing an agenda which he had prepared. He would say that he wants to be present with us, to discuss, to differ and to argue. But in the end, he would decide and he would be in the driving seat. He knew what needed to be done. I think we felt so close to each other and knew that ultimately it would be his decision which he saw in prayer.
He was aware of the many dangers to his life with threats, etc. He would say, ‘Why be afraid of death?’ ‘The Lord needs me here, the Lord wants me here and the moment the Lord does not want me he will take me away’, that was his attitude. He had a compassionate heart to those in need. He did not want the Church to be a castle protecting itself but always reaching out to those in need.
He consistently tried to see what our Lord would have wanted of the Church today. When in one of our discussions I asked him about synodality and what exactly was his vision, he turned to me and said, ‘Cardinal, I think Jesus wants the Church to be synodal today. This is what our Lord wants, His mandate and therefore we must work towards it’. This has been his consistent attitude. I know there's criticism and I often said what are the reasons why some people don't agree with this. He would smile. I sometimes think there is no reason but just different personalities and different perceptions.
* cardinal, archbishop emeritus of Bombay.
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