Pope Francis: A compassionate and courageous shepherd,” says Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão
“We have lost a compassionate and courageous shepherd,” said Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, paying tribute to the late Pope Francis during a solemn gathering at Shanti Sadan, the CCBI Secretariat Extension in Benaulim, Goa.
Cardinal Ferrão, the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, who also serves as the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), remembered Pope Francis as a leader who touched lives across the world.
Reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis, the cardinal said, “Pope Francis dreamed of a Church that listens, walks together, and welcomes all. He showed deep compassion for the poor and the marginalized, especially migrants. His efforts for peace and dialogue among nations will never be forgotten.”
The ceremony of tribute to the departed pope brought together the rectors of the 29 basilicas in India, along with Dr. Stephen Alathara, Jesuit Dr. Joe Xavier, Fr. Dr. Christopher Vimalraj, Fr. Vignan Das, Fr. Duming Gonsalves, and Fr. Arulraj, who joined in remembering the beloved pontiff.
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. His funeral will be held at the Vatican on Saturday, April 26.
Cardinal Ferrão is already in Rome to attend the funeral and take part in the conclave to elect the next pope. - Stephen Alathara
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
