Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez on the humanity and hope of Pope Francis

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Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and of the Vatican City State, died at 88 on Monday.

The pontiff was known for his humble approach and focus on encountering Christ and people.

Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez spoke with Jennifer Lynn, host of WHYY’s “Morning Edition,” to reflect on the pope’s legacy, recalling his deep sense of humanity, his outreach to marginalized communities and his enduring connection to Philadelphia — a city that warmly embraced him during his 2015 visit.

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Jennifer Lynn: This is WHYY’s “Morning Edition.” Good morning. I’m Jennifer Lynn. Pope Francis, one of the most important spiritual leaders in the world, has died at the age of 88, not long after his appearance on Easter Sunday. He had been in poor health for quite some time but seemed to be turning a corner. This morning, we’re joined by Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia to talk about the pope’s humble approach as pontiff and his connection to the Philadelphia region. Good morning, your grace.

Archbishop Nelson Pérez: Thank you. Thank you, Jennifer.

JL: How are you taking the news today?

ABP NP: Well, it’s sad. It’s certainly sad. You know, he’s been ill for the last couple of months, and, you know, he was an 88-year-old, vibrant guy — but also fragile, as we all are. But when I got the news early this morning at 5 o’clock, it was — it was shocking. It was shocking.

JL: Yes, to many of us. And what are your feelings and your thoughts right now about Pope Francis’s papacy, its essence?

ABP NP: First, I have a feeling of really profound and wonderful gratitude, because he was a wonderful pope for this moment in the history of the church. And he focused his papacy on words that were really powerful for him: encounter — the encounter with Christ and our encounter with people.

He spoke about the church and its bishops and priests needing to have the smell of the sheep, and he was around people so much, even to the last moment. Yesterday, he was at St. Peter’s Square — actually rode around in his little popemobile. On Thursday, he visited a prison. And this is a man who was in recovery from a great medical ordeal. That was really important to him, too. He certainly had the smell of the sheep as our Holy Father.

He spoke about love, about God’s love for us and the love that we have for each other and are to grow every day. And he spoke about hope. This year, he designated this year as the Jubilee Year of Hope. And what a moment to refocus our hearts and minds once again on what we celebrated just this past weekend on Easter, which is the essence of hope — which is the dying and the rising of Christ, in which Pope Francis is now completely caught up in.

JL: Yes. And the pope was relatable to many people, including immigrants, some people in the LGBTQ community. He was making phone calls to those who were struggling in Gaza. Does this remain important within the Catholic Church, to be relatable to the folks I’ve just described?

ABP NP: Absolutely. Pope Francis said that the church is like a field hospital, right? And that we constantly have to reach out to people on the margins. And he was so diligent in calling the Catholic pastor in Gaza every day — even while he was in the hospital, you know? So he certainly gives us an incredible example of what it means to be present and available to the world, which is the essence of church, too — right?

JL: Yes, yes. And he spoke in Spanish. And the language must have said to some Catholics and others, “Look, I feel heard. I speak the tongue of the pope.” Help us understand the value of that kind of communication.

ABP NP:  He has been the first Latin American pope, and that, for the Latin American people like myself — my parents are from Cuba — was really a great source of joy and pride, in the best of all senses.

And to hear the pope speaking Spanish was amazing. I spoke Spanish with him every time I was with him. That’s the language we spoke in. And it was — it was so heartwarming to see that, and feel that, and hear that.

JL: Pope Francis appointed you bishop of the Diocese in Cleveland and appointed you Archbishop of Philadelphia. What special relationship with the pope did you have because of this?

ABP NP: Well, I got to see him rather often in Rome, in different settings, and always enjoyed chats with him. He was always very warm and very approachable, but would look at you straight in the eyes when he spoke to you. He didn’t seem rushed or like he was getting ready to speak to the next person. It was just really beautiful, the way he related to you. It’s almost as if you were the only person in the world at that moment when you’re with him.

I took a group of youth a couple of years ago, and we were at the papal audience, and at the end, I’m greeting the Holy Father. And I asked the Holy Father, “Can I take a selfie?”— which I think got some of his Vatican people there a little upset — but he said, “Absolutely.” And we took a selfie. That was him. That was Pope Francis.

JL: What kind of leader was he for Philadelphians? He endeared himself with many people here during his visit to Philly in 2015.

APB NP: What a beautiful moment that was. I was a bishop in New York at the time and came down to Philly. I had just been with him in New York and Washington, and then in Philly — and Philly shined for the Holy Father. And the Holy Father shined for Philly. It was a wonderful moment—a healing moment, a powerful moment, something that the local church of Philadelphia will just never forget.

JL: Yes, Philadelphians and beyond — people are mourning. How do you advise those who are so sad?

APB NP: Well, to pray — to pray to the Lord, to the good Lord. And first, in gratitude for this great man of faith and the legacy of faith and his encounter with Christ that was so much at the center of his life — to pray that that will be our truth and our reality and experience as well.

Today, I’ll be celebrating Mass at the cathedral here in Philadelphia at 12 o’clock for the Holy Father — in thanksgiving for him and for the repose of his soul. This is a time to have a grateful heart, to also mourn, because we love Pope Francis. And when we lose somebody that we love, you know, tears do come through our eyes.

JL: Yeah. And his words —“Who am I to judge?” What do you feel about those words?

APB NP: Well, that was the pope, right? We all have our story, and we all have our ups and our downs. But he always spoke about God’s mercy and God’s forgiveness. That is beyond what we could understand.

So those are wonderful words. He always spoke about how, yes, the gospel calls us to repentance, to live life, you know, in the best way possible — in a God-like way — and knowing that we do fall. At the end, when we get up and our hearts are repentant and sorrowful, God receives us with open arms.

JL:  Do you have any insights as to what comes next, most immediately, in the process of — we will have to choose a new pope. I will not have to choose a new pope — the conclave will have to do that.

APB NP: Right. Well, right now, the church goes into nine days of mourning, I’m sure. Right now, officials at the Holy See are preparing for his funeral. But we are now in a spirit of spiritual mourning for the next nine days, and the cardinals of the Church will be traveling to Rome and eventually gather for the conclave to elect the new pontiff. But right now, the Church is in mourning — but also with a spirit of gratitude.

JL: Well, thank you very much.

APB NP: Thank you so much, Jennifer.

JL: Following the death of Pope Francis, Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia, on “Morning Edition.” It’s WHYY.