Czech bishop claims Francis did not pick a fight with anyone. Calls him his "spiritual father"

Do you even have a high school diploma?’ Pilsen Bishop Holub recalls Francis’ cheerfulness and kindness

“Pope Francis was a spiritual father to me,” describes Pilsen Bishop Tomáš Holub in a special broadcast on Radiožurnál. When he learned of his death, he cried. But he mainly remembers his kindness and gentleness, as well as personal meetings, which were often carried out in a cheerful spirit. He hopes that Francis’ successor will be able to continue his legacy.

How did you receive that morning’s message from the Vatican?

I really cried, and I don't say this as a formality, but tears came to my eyes because Pope Francis was a spiritual father to me.

Pope Francis has changed the face of the modern papacy more than any of his predecessors. Among other things, by stripping the position of much pomp and privilege, notes the Reuters obituary. Bishop, do you agree with that?

Certainly. Pope Francis, with his modesty and openness, has created the figure of a pope who is extremely close to people who may not be believers, who have only met him as a man with a kind look, I have heard this from many people around me.

Church of the 21st century

Catholic priest and theologian Tomáš Halík recalled that he was very much attacked by the conservative and even super-conservative wing of the church. In your opinion, was this a key point of Francis' pontificate? Or one of the most fundamental, that he tried to resist the pressure of that conservative wing?

I think that this is a concomitant phenomenon that Francis was truly looking for new paths. I would say that what was characteristic was not a fight against anyone, but openness in listening to everyone and readiness to think about where to go next in a time when epochs are changing, as he said.

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And that was key. Much earlier than we saw it for ourselves, he began to talk about the fact that we are truly living in a time not of epochal changes, but of a change of epochs. He said that in this situation the church must be on the path, that it must be a traveling church that walks together, in which the bishop is not someone who is in front, but who walks together with the people or even somewhere behind, because he listens to those around him who are thinking about where to go next.

In no way was it some form of demarcation, whether against conservatives or liberals, it was an invitation to a journey for the church in the 21st century.

And can we already assess how much Pope Francis has succeeded in this field?

I think he has changed the church very fundamentally. Many things that are commonplace to us today, such as the presence of women in the decision-making bodies of the church, were unthinkable 12 years ago when he took office. In many things he has really moved the church forward in a fundamental way.

Theologian: Pope Francis promoted the view that the voice of the faithful should be heard. He liked to talk to them

So how would you characterize Francis' line at the head of the Catholic Church? Where were his efforts directed?

To listening. He emphasized that we should be able to see in other people those who can enrich us, even if they have different opinions.

It seems to me that this ability of his to integrate people on the margins and call for a church that may be dirty, that sometimes goes down paths that are difficult, and even sometimes has to turn back because the path turned out to be impassable, but it is a church that walks together and walks on the path, was the fundamental thing that I think he managed to do and that he impressed on us. Especially for the 21st century.

How did Pope Francis act from a human perspective? How did you get to know him?

I had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis several times. Probably the longest meeting was during the bishops' Ad Limina journey, i.e. to visit Rome and the Holy Father, which is an annual one. We had a two-hour discussion in the circle of us Czech bishops with Francis, it was a very open, listening atmosphere of completely practical thinking about how to live the faith in the Czech Republic in the specific conditions of today.

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And Francis listened extremely attentively, reacted completely spontaneously. Then I must say that another characteristic of all those meetings with him was his cheerfulness. At my first meeting, when I was the secretary of the Czech Bishops' Conference, he looked at me and said: "Please, do you even have a high school diploma?" And he made fun of me for being too young.

During the Ad Limina meeting, when we were there with the bishops, I brought him pictures of children with cancer from our Pilsen University Hospital. I said to him: “Pope Francis, please, I would like to record a greeting on my mobile phone, if possible.”

And he says: “You know what, okay, we’ll do it.” I started filming and at that moment I suddenly got nervous because I had never filmed the Pope on a cell phone in my life, so I somehow pressed the wrong button, and when he finished his greeting, I said to him: “Holy Father, I didn’t press it.” So he looks at me and says: “Look, one more time, but please, press it already!”

These are the moments when you suddenly gain a huge sense of humanity, which is then connected to wisdom that concerns big things, that concerns decisions that are unambiguous and that really move the church towards comprehensibility and kindness.

Kindness and encouragement

“He held up a mirror to Europe, where we are a culture that is a bit introverted, accustomed to our traditions, our standard of living and all our rights.” That’s what Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner told Czech Television. Do you agree with his words?

I am convinced that he was a man of a slightly different culture. South American culture is certainly a bit different than European, but his Italian roots were clearly visible there.

He had a connection with Europe, he studied here. He was not a person who would come to Europe on foreign soil, he understood the European mentality, of course he showed that Europe, if it is to have a future perspective, must open itself to the willingness to accept life, to accept children, that it must not only look back and not rely on things that have always been that way, and have the courage to take steps that may seem very bold at first glance.

He encouraged this, persistently, he said it very clearly to us Europeans, but he said it kindly, he didn't say it with any reproaches or he didn't say it with any raised finger, he said it like a kind father who encourages those he loves. I think that's what Europe experienced from him - kindness, encouragement, who says things clearly, but with the kind hope that we will hear it.

Archbishop Graubner of Prague also reminded that Pope Francis was the head of a small state, he was not a politician, but I don't want to say he interfered in politics, but to what extent do you think he influenced politicians?

Pope Francis was a huge authority who, I think, influenced politicians more than we could imagine, precisely because of the sensitivity with which he was able to talk to them. That the world is dramatically threatened and that it needs such an encouraging authority is, I think, clear to anyone who looks around with their eyes open at least a little.

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We Christians will now pray that the successor to Pope Francis will be able to follow in his footsteps and that he will truly be a person again who is authentic, inside, with his desire for peace and with his kindness, which is not naive, but which comes from a vision of the world as a universal place that truly points towards God.

How difficult will choosing Francis' successor be?

We are all tense at this moment, we will pray. We will see. Now a huge amount of speculation will be generated by experts who will know in advance how it will turn out. I will wait and pray that, as we believe, the Lord will be there. Not just human speculation.

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