“for many catholics, pope Francis represented a wellspring of hope and love for a much larger catholic church 
. A church that included all God’s children” 
- Trinity
we are crushed by his passing. He will be forever in our thoughts
Pope Francis[b] (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio;[c] 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death in 2025. He was the first pope from the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order), the first of Latin American identity, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first born or raised outside of Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.
Francis’ burial will also be a simple affair, reflecting the down-to-earth nature of his papacy. He asked to be buried “in the earth,” in a tomb that will only bear the name “Franciscus.” He also wants his “last earthly journey” to end at the St. Mary Major shrine in Rome, a place he has visited at the end of every apostolic trip he took during his papacy, as well as after his multiple stays in the hospital. It’s one of four Roman basilicas that have special papal status.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio was inspired to join the Jesuits in 1958 after recovering from severe illness. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and from 1973 to 1979 he was the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina. He became the archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was created a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.
Following the the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi. Throughout his public life, Francis was noted for his humility, emphasis on God’s mercy, international visibility as pope, concern for the poor, and commitment to interreligious dialogue.
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He was known for having a less formal approach to the papacy than his predecessors by, for instance, choosing to reside in the Domus Sanctae Marthae (House of St. Martha) guest house rather than in the papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace used by previous popes.[2] Francis made women full members of dicasteries in the Roman Curia.[3][4] He maintained that the Catholic Church should be more sympathetic towards LGBTQ people, and stated that although blessings of same-sex unions are not permitted, the LGBTQ individuals can be blessed as long as blessings are not given in a liturgical context.[5] Francis was a critic of trickle-down economics, consumerism, and overdevelopment;[6] he made action on climate change a leading focus of his papacy.[7] He was widely interpreted as denouncing the death penalty as intrinsically evil,[8] stating that the Catholic Church is committed to its abolition.[9]
In international diplomacy, Francis criticized the rise of right-wing populism, called for the decriminalization of homosexuality,[10] helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, negotiated a deal with the People’s Republic of China to define Communist Party influence in appointing Chinese bishops, and supported the cause of refugees.
Fiesta Oyster Bake
Date: April 26, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Fiesta Oyster Bake, an official Fiesta San Antonio event sponsored by the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association, is a food and entertainment festival which utilizes 7,000 plus volunteers and attracts more than 60,000 patrons to raise money for St. Mary’s University student scholarships and University and alumni programs.
For more information, visit oysterbake.com.
