The former president of the United States, Barack Obama, bid farewell to Pope Francis on Monday with an emotional message that highlights the spiritual and human impact of the first Latin American pontiff. Through his official account on the social network X (formerly Twitter), Obama defined him as “one of those rare leaders who made us want to be better people”.
Francis, 88, died early Monday morning in his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, after a prolonged respiratory complication that kept him hospitalized for 38 days in Rome. The death was confirmed by the Holy See press office at 07:35 local time (05:35 GMT).
He will be remembered for his words
Barack Obama recalled Pope Francis’ closeness to the most vulnerable and his strong call for social conscience.
“It brought us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all subject to moral obligations to God and to each other,” the former president wrote.
Barack Obama added that Pope Francis will be remembered as much for his words as for “his gestures, simple and profound at the same time”.
Among those gestures, Obama highlighted the pontiff’s embraces of the sick, his visits to the homeless and his foot washing of incarcerated youth.
Pope Francis was one of those rare leaders who made us want to be better people
Barack Obama
Actions that, in his opinion, transcended the symbolic and became ethical lessons for the world.
Michelle Obama also joined the farewell message and both expressed their solidarity with millions of people around the world.
They were inspired by the pope’s legacy, regardless of their faith.
“May we continue to hear his call to ‘never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope,'” the message concluded.
Relevance to Hispanics
Buzzy
The figure of Pope Francis has been especially significant for the Hispanic community in the United States.
His identity as a Latin American, his clear language and his constant calls for social justice resonated deeply with millions of Catholic migrants.
They struggle every day to integrate without losing their roots.
He was a spiritual leader who not only understood the realities of the global south, but also offered hope, dignity and closeness to those living between two cultures.
In addition, many U.S. Hispanics saw Pope Francis as a reflection of their own migrant history:
Someone who, despite reaching the top of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, never lost his sensitivity towards the most forgotten.
His commitment to issues such as the defense of immigrant rights, economic equity, environmental care and social inclusion made him a respected voice not only within the Church.
But also in political and community spaces where Latino causes seek visibility.
For millions, his life was a reminder that faith can and must dialogue with justice, and that it is possible to be faithful to one’s roots without giving up one’s dreams.
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