I Love Pope Leo, But I Miss Pope Francis — And That's Okay
On St. Ignatius’s Feast, I share three overlooked moments that reveal the Jesuit soul of Pope Francis.
Dear friends,
Happy Wednesday and Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola to all my fellow Jesuit-educated readers out there.
Everyone — regardless of their religion and politics — is welcome here.
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The fourth installment — chronicling his 20-year friendship with Pope Francis — was published on Sunday.
The fifth installment — looking at his closest cardinal friend, Luis Antonio Tagle — was published last night.
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Today is the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus — the religious order of Pope Francis.
And on this day, I find myself holding two honest emotions: deep gratitude for Pope Leo and a quiet ache for Pope Francis.
Let’s be clear — missing Francis doesn’t mean rejecting Leo. It’s possible, and even sacred, to love the one who leads us now while still grieving the one who formed us.
That duality is deeply Ignatian. St. Ignatius taught his Jesuit order to hold tensions — to embrace complexity without rushing to resolution. And today, that feels especially fitting.
In honor of this feast day, I want to share three relatively unknown stories about Francis — each revealing a different thread of his Jesuit identity.
These are small stories, but they’ve stayed with me. They remind us that Francis wasn’t just a pope who came from the Jesuits. He lived as one.
1. “God looks at us with love.”
During his 2022 pilgrimage of penance to Canada, Pope Francis met a baby named Everly Tshakapesh at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Everly was born with 3M syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes skeletal abnormalities and dwarfism.
As the pope approached her, he paused. Then, slowly and with immense tenderness, he kissed her.
Everly died six months later.
It was a quiet moment — but those who witnessed it called it “a moment of grace.”
Jesuit spirituality begins with the daily prayer known as the Examen, and the first step is this: remember how God looks upon you — with love. Not judgment. Not indifference. Love.
Francis did that with Everly. He saw her fully. Not defined by her diagnosis. Not reduced to pity. Seen as beloved.
That kiss wasn’t just pastoral but dare I say, theological. It reminded me of Pope Francis’s 2013 claim: “I have a dogmatic certainty — God is in every person’s life.”
2. “Why do children suffer?”
In 2016, Francis published Dear Pope Francis, a book of letters from children around the world. One came from William, age 7:
"If you could do one miracle, what would it be?"
Francis answered:
"I would heal children. I have never been able to understand why children suffer. It’s a mystery. I pray about this a lot. The only answer I can offer is silence — or tears."
This is the Jesuit charism of discernment in action. To hold the question instead of rushing to answer. To let the mystery of suffering deepen our humanity instead of shortcutting it with pious clichés.
Francis’s answer — and his vulnerability — was its own form of leadership.
3. “Learn to listen.”
After his death, a video Pope Francis recorded on January 8 was released. In it, Francis speaks directly to young people:
"One of life’s greatest skills is to listen. Don’t interrupt. Let others speak. Listen, even to your grandparents."
Even posthumously, Francis was inviting us into the Ignatian way of accompaniment — being present, being quiet, and listening deeply for the voice of God in the voices of others.
Listening is a core Jesuit value, rooted in the Spiritual Exercises, where we are taught to listen attentively to God, to others, and to our own hearts.
These three moments remind me why Francis mattered. They also show why Leo matters now.
Francis taught us to look with love, to sit with pain, and to listen with our whole hearts. Leo teaches us how to lead with courage and clarity.
Loving Leo and missing Francis? That’s not a contradiction. That’s very Christian of you. That’s what it means to be faithful.
As Ignatius taught, love is shown more in deeds than in words. These stories aren’t just memories — they’re invitations.
Let’s carry both men forward today.
Thank you for reading! Letters from Leo exist solely because of your generosity. If you find value in my work, please become a paid subscriber today.
Subscriptions start at just $6.67 per month and unlock full access to my ongoing series on Faith and the Democratic Party, as well as the multi-part deep dive into Pope Leo’s life and formation.
The fourth installment — chronicling his 20-year friendship with Pope Francis — was published on Sunday.
The fifth installment — looking at his closest cardinal friend Luis Tagle — was published last night.
Do you prefer a one-time gift? Donate here instead of subscribing.
I miss Pope Francis also. Been invited to go to mass by a friend. So I will go. The Catholic Church is installing a new priest here in Coffeyville, Kansas.
I miss Pope Francis too. At the same time I feel that his love is continuing through Pope Leo.