Monsignor Don Fischer reflects on Pope Francis: A leader who awakened divinity and embraced humanity
Monsignor Don Fischer says he had been waiting for a leader like Pope Francis since he studied at the Vatican in the late 1950s.
"The heart of the work of the church is to awaken you to divinity, and it's everywhere, it's all over the place, and Francis lived that way," Fischer said.
Courage on controversial issues
He said the late Pope lived up to his high expectations with his courage to take on hard issues. He died on Monday.
"Somebody asked him a question: Could a priest be gay? That's a hot issue to say the least. He said, 'Well, who am I to judge?' That made the front page of almost every newspaper around the country, around the world," Fischer said.
Pope Francis's final acts
Fischer also praised Francis's dedication to serving the people up until his very last days.
"He goes to the prison, he doesn't even have the strength to wash feet anymore like he's traditionally done in prisons, so he kisses the feet of each of the prisoners, just four days before his death," Fischer said. "He used every ounce of energy to do the work he wanted to do, that was moving to me."
A legacy of teaching
But maybe most of all, Fischer will remember Francis as a teacher.
"Look up to God and he lives inside of our hearts, and that's what Francis taught me," he said.
