Father Christopher Collins ’93, SJ, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, was interviewed by numerous media outlets regarding the passing of Pope Francis.
From The Minnesota Star Tribune article:
Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on St. Valentine’s Day. He died at 88 on Easter Monday. The symmetry and symbolism of those two dates reflect a legacy of love and faith that made him a unique, indeed singular, spiritual and even geopolitical leader.
St. Valentine, said the Rev. Christopher Collins, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, signals not just “sentimental love but is self-sacrificing; certainly, Valentine and all the martyrs indicate that. And ultimately, of course, Jesus gives witness to a deeper love than what the (holiday’s) commercial enterprises do.” ...
All this was indicative of a “primary pastoral highlight of his: a call for the world to be attentive to the needs of those who’ve been displaced for all kinds of reasons,” said Collins, who continued that early on, Francis focused on the need to “make the love of Christ known and to experience the love of Christ in the peripheries and not just the center of power.”
From the Kare 11 story:
Father Chris Collins, Vice President of Mission for the University of St. Thomas, says Pope Francis made it a priority to push the Church to the margins ... and marginalized.
“In a lot of ways, I might say, maybe his biggest impact was on those outside the Church,” Collins said.
He says the Pope’s willingness to speak up on big societal issues, including climate change, was a big reason for his broad appeal.
“He had a famous encyclical letter that he wrote, On Care for Our Common Home, Father Collins said. “But even there, it was all about how the poor are the most affected when the environment is degraded in a number of ways. It’s not just about the environment, it’s about people who suffer because of it too.”
From the WCCO Radio interview:
Host: What stands out to you, and what will be the legacy of Pope Francis?
Collins: I appreciate the opportunity to reflect a little bit. The thing that jumps to mind immediately is his focus on refugees and migrants and those who have been displaced all over the world, and more broadly, the poor and the vulnerable and the voiceless in the world. Putting front and center the people in our midst who suffer and are vulnerable, and that’s exactly what the gospel is all about. I think he’s been trying to imitate the ministry of Jesus, and Jesus is always moved by those on the margins in different ways. Really having a centrality about that is what stands out the most for me.
