Young Filipino media voice honors Pope Francis: “He made us feel seen, heard and loved”

As the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, a young Filipino media personality reflects on her personal encounter with the beloved pontiff and how his leadership reshaped her journey in Church communications.

Cindy Gorospe, a young Filipino media personality, fondly remembers her encounter with Pope Francis during the Faith Communication in the Digital World program hosted by the Vatican Dicastery for Communications in 2023.

Though she had the rare opportunity to see him in person, speak with him, and even share a laugh at St. Peter’s Square, Cindy shares that it was the Pope’s profound warmth and deeply personal presence that touched her the most.

“What stayed with me was not just the moment itself, but the way he made people feel,” she said. “Pope Francis had a unique ability to make others feel seen, heard, and loved.”

"I never saw the pope as someone distant or unreachable. His smile made you feel that the Church was within reach," she writes in a heartfelt tribute.

Gorospe recalls how Pope Francis' inclusive leadership allowed laypeople and the youth to find their voice within the Church. “I honestly don’t think I would’ve continued with this media ministry if his leadership had been exclusive or unwelcoming,” she adds.

In a Church often perceived as rigid, Pope Francis’ openness encouraged dialogue and reflection, even on difficult issues.

“He was brave—unafraid to speak about abuses and the Church’s shortcomings,” she says. “That’s how I’ll remember him: as a father and a leader who did everything he could to make people feel seen, heard, and loved.”

As the world bids farewell to Pope Francis, Gorospe calls on the faithful to continue his mission of compassion, humility, justice, and accompaniment—especially for those on the margins.