The Spirit That Would Not Stop: In Honour of Pope Francis

Even after a long hospital stay, even with a body weary from the demands of life and leadership, Pope Francis did not stop loving.

He visited the imprisoned.
He spoke to world leaders.
He kept reaching for the least, the last, and the lost—even when he no longer had the strength to fully carry out the gestures he loved most.

"This time I couldn't do it," he said, with regret—not because of pride, but because of deep, personal sorrow at not being able to serve in the way he always had: by bending low, by washing feet, by living the Gospel not in words, but in action.

Even in his frailty, his spirit was stronger than ever.
Even when he couldn't kneel, his heart knelt for the forgotten.

Pope Francis reminds us that our love is never measured by our ability to perform acts of service perfectly—but by the fact that we still desire to serve even when it costs us everything.

His final regret was not about his comfort.
It was about service.
It was about love.

And in that, he lived—and died—as a true servant of Christ.