The Salvation Army extends condolences to the Roman Catholic Church and Roman Catholics worldwide following the death of Pope Francis on Monday 21 April 2025, aged 88 years.
The first Jesuit priest and the first Latin American to ascend to the Papacy, Pope Francis will be well remembered for his exemplary and faithful service to God, the Church and the world.
‘From humble beginnings,’ said The Salvation Army’s international leader General Lyndon Buckingham, ‘his focus on God’s mercy, dedication to environmental stewardship, and deep concern for the poor and vulnerable have made a great and lasting legacy.
‘The Salvation Army is also appreciative of Pope Francis’s unwavering commitment to interfaith discourse and is grateful for the ecumenical dialogue fostered under his papacy.’
The Salvation Army’s involvement with the work of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, our ongoing dialogue on shared matters of priority and concern, and our worldwide partnership in caring for the poor have been hallmarks of The Salvation Army’s relationship with Pope Francis and we are thankful for his long-standing support.
In a 2019 meeting at the Vatican, Pope Francis shared the first lesson he ever received in Christian service when, at four years old, he met several members of The Salvation Army while with his grandmother. In remembering his encounter with Salvationists, he said that the Army’s ‘example of humble service to the least of our brothers and sisters spoke louder than any words’.
In particular, the Pope thanked Salvationists for caring for the homeless and marginalised, and for their efforts in fighting human trafficking. Pope Francis pointed out that ‘in a world where selfishness and divisions abound, the noble fragrance of genuine self-giving love can offer a much-needed antidote’. The Salvation Army is indebted to Pope Francis for his encouragement and blessing.
The Salvation Army honours the memory of Pope Francis and joins the world in saluting his service to the Kingdom of God.
Photo by Ashwin Vaswani on Unsplash