Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva: ‘We’ve lost the Pope of the poor’

Jorge García Cuerva, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, has paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, describing him as “the father of all humanity” who championed the poor.

García Cuerva, 59, hosted a Mass at the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral on Monday as Argentines mourned the loss of their countryman.

As the national government declared seven days of mourning to remember the pontiff, García Cuerva reflected on Francis’ papacy, describing the late leader of the Catholic Church as the “Pope of the poor.”

“We’ve lost the father of us all, the father of all humanity, who insisted time and again that the Church must have room for everyone,” García Cuerva said at the start of the service.

“A father wants there to be room at home for everyone, especially the most vulnerable, especially the most in need, especially those most discriminated against,” the archbishop stated.

“We have lost the pope of the poor, of the marginalised, of those nobody wants, or at the very least, of those many choose to exclude.”

The Mass took place at the City cathedral where Francis – formerly known as cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio – lived and carried out much of his ministry in Argentina.

The late pontiff celebrated his last Mass at the cathedral on February 23, 2013, shortly before his unexpected appointment as pope. 

Francis, who left hospital in March after receiving treatment for double pneumonia, died early Monday, just a day after he delighted crowds at the Vatican on Easter Sunday with a surprise balcony appearance at Saint Peter's Basilica.

During the Mass, García Cuerva recalled the pontiff’s final audience, held just hours before his death, with United States Vice-President JD Vance, a controversial figure who has been a sharp critic of illegal immigration.

“Yesterday, his last audience was with the vice-president of the United States, and once again he shared his deep concern for migrants,” recalled the archbishop. 

Francis was “a man who remained true to his convictions to his very last day,” noted García Cuerva.

Mixing personal anecdotes with a wider view of his papacy, the archbishop highlighted that Francis had encouraged the Catholic faithful to live their lives with joy.

“He often reminded us that Christians mustn’t go around looking sour-faced, as he put it. That we shouldn’t be grumbling and downcast, but instead let ourselves be filled and overcome by the joy of Easter — and it’s precisely during Easter, the day we Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, that he leaves us,” he said.

García Cuerva also addressed Argentina’s current reality, acknowledging the fierce polarisation and enmity that dominates domestic politics. 

 “I believe the best homage we can pay Francis is to unite. The best tribute is to build bridges, to engage in dialogue, to stop constantly confronting one another,” said the archbishop.

“May Francis ascend to heaven with the peace of knowing that his children will try to live out that long-awaited national unity among us,” he added.

– TIMES/PERFIL