The following is a reflection from Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger.
Dear brothers and sisters,
The world is rejoicing in the election of Pope Leo XIV, and I am fully with them. However, before we allow our beloved Pope Francis to recede into memory, I would offer one final reflection on him as it pertains to a critical matter quite dear to his heart. The context is that in the days following the death of Pope Francis, much of the world found itself in mourning and remembering a host of his words, gestures, and teachings that evoked Gospel attributes of mercy, compassion, respect for life, and universal brotherhood. I truly believe Pope Francis will be remembered as a man of great Gospel hope and love. These are gentle memories for many — memories that warm the heart. However, as consoling as those memories may be, it would be tragic if we were to forget or overlook one of the greatest concerns of his final years and days, which I believe was a deep wound in his heart: the tragedy of Gaza.
It is critically important to remember the history and context of the crisis. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal attack in Israel, killing 1,200 innocent Israeli citizens and taking 251 Israeli hostages into Gaza. My concern for those who are mourning their dead is profound, along with my prayers and concern for the hostages and their loved ones who still must live daily in terror and fear. On the anniversary of the attack last year, while still serving as Bishop of Tucson, Arizona, I was invited to participate in an event of remembrance and prayer at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, where I stood in solidarity with those who mourn their dead, call for the release of hostages, and pray for an end to the hostilities. Pope Francis also prayed for the dead, condemned their killings, and spoke of the Israeli hostages on multiple occasions. But as the deaths of innocent civilians in Gaza exploded at a terrifying rate, he set the example of how we must stand in solidarity with all victims everywhere.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza has now taken 52,000 Palestinian lives, the vast majority being innocent civilians, including many children. On March 18 of this year, Israel ended its two-month ceasefire and resumed attacks on Gaza. From that time the Israeli military has greatly altered the map of the Gaza enclave, declaring approximately 70 percent of it either a military red zone or under evacuation orders, requiring hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into ever-smaller pockets. Israel has also initiated a blockade of humanitarian assistance — most notably of food — which has resulted in a global outcry. The Gaza Strip’s 2.3 million population now depends on aid supplies that have collapsed rapidly since the blockade began. And as of May 4, Israel has been calling up thousands of reservists to expand the war in Gaza, which many anticipate will involve seizing and occupying more territory in Gaza if not the entire state. It is also anticipated by many that the Israeli Prime Minister’s security cabinet may ratify a plan to take control of — and sharply reduce — the distribution of lifesaving aid inside Gaza. While Pope Francis did not live to see these actions, I find it deeply moving that in response to the ongoing situation, one of his final charitable acts was to have a popemobile converted into a mobile health clinic to assist Gaza’s sick and wounded children.
Pope Francis insisted that the world must not to look away from the suffering of Gaza’s inhabitants. He consistently directed our attention to Gaza and took the prophetic stance of calling the pastor of the lone Catholic Church in Gaza nightly to hear how he and many (Christians and non-Christians alike) were coping with the crisis while huddling together for safety in the church’s compound. I visited that Church myself almost 12 years ago and was humbled and troubled even then by what I observed. But this was by no means the beginning of his statements and actions. Several of the Holy Father’s more substantial remarks on Gaza were included in a book authorized by Pope Francis and released ahead of the current Jubilee Year of Hope (2025), in which he also took the remarkable step of calling for an investigation into whether the actions of the Israeli Government constitute genocide — a position maintained by many around the world. I believe the Holy Father was moved by what was reported to him as well as his own viewing of photos of razed buildings, dead bodies, and starving children. For those who would criticize the Holy Father for advocating on behalf of the Gaza victims, I would argue that he consistently stood on the side of all those being victimized, regardless of their nationality, religion, or political affiliation. His advocacy flowed from his recognition that all of humanity is one family, all human beings have an undeniable dignity, and each life is sacred.
I believe that some who want us to look away from Gaza and ignore the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding there may struggle to cast this situation as somehow antisemitic on the part of Pope Francis. Too, they may portray him as taking sides in a political matter that does not involve religion. Such efforts collapse upon themselves. The Holy Father had only the greatest of respect and appreciation for Judaism and its faithful, as noted in his lifelong friendship with Abraham Skorka, Chief Rabbi of Argentina. His multiple calls to free the Israeli hostages, his condemnation of all antisemitism, and his express hope for Israeli citizens to live in peace and security are further proofs of his desire for only the wellbeing of Israeli citizens and the Jewish faithful throughout the world. But none of this would stop him from speaking out just as strongly for those who are now being slaughtered, starved, or forced from their home and communities into squalid and unsafe encampments.
I think the lesson for us is two-fold. First, it is good for us to remember the gentle and kind ways that Pope Francis made visible the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But in addition to being a man of kindness, compassion, mercy, and loving sacrifice, he was also a man with an iron backbone. He would not be cowed into silence. In calling for an end to the ongoing destruction of Gaza and the slaughter of its citizens, Pope Francis was speaking a profound and prophetic truth. We would be less than faithful to his legacy if we were to be selective and overlook what was a deep wound in his heart — a wound to which he called our attention often. And second, I believe we need to amplify his call to end the violence in Gaza and to release the Israeli hostages. We cannot be silent. We too must speak up as the world witnesses the slaughter of the Palestinian people. Our call to the Israeli government as well as our own is one that flows from Sacred Scripture. It is a call to an end of violence and an embrace of peace and justice.
The election of Pope Leo XIV has been met with great joy here in his native country, as well as around the world. As we all look to the future with great hope, a future that will be marked by our new pope’s leadership and priorities, it is critical that we not redirect our attention from where Pope Francis so frequently directed us: the call to justice, peace, and dignity for Gaza. Along with mercy, kindness, hope, and understanding, it remains a crucial part of both his legacy and our future.
Most Reverend Edward J. Weisenburger
Archbishop of Detroit
