"The Christian is a man or woman of joy": A Conversation about the Legacy of Pope Francis with Steve Millies

Welcome to Episode 17 of Season 3 with our friend Steve Millies, a Catholic political theorist and the director of the Bernardin Center at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and Professor of Public Theology. Steve has written numerous books, most recently A Consistent Ethic of Life: Navigating Catholic Engagement with U.S. Politics.

I spoke with Steve on April 25, 2025 from London, England the day before the funeral and requiem Mass of Pope Francis in Rome.  I wanted to speak with Steve about the legacy of Pope Francis, a Pope whom you will soon hear was greatly admired by both of us. I also wanted to speak with Steve as a part of the process of mourning and remembering a Pope I really felt was “my” Pope as I say in the podcast.

The legacy of Pope Francis includes his humility, his solidarity with the poor and those who are marginalized, and his focus on mercy. Here is a list of some elements of the Pope's theological and pastoral legacy as outlined by Matthew Furtado of the communications office at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vancouver:

1.      Integral Ecology: His encyclical Laudato Si’ calls for the protection of creation and an ecological conversion.

2.      Fraternity and Dialogue: Fratelli Tutti encourages peace, encounter, and solidarity between peoples and religions.

3.      Addressing Abuse: Commitment to protecting victims and establishing preventive measures.

4.      Synodality: Invitation to a more participatory Church with the Synod on Synodality.

5.      Pontifical Diplomacy: Mediation for peace and defense of the rights of migrants and refugees.

6.      Pastoral Support: Special attention to young people, families, and those distant from the Church.

7.      Importance for the Poor: Pope Francis places the marginalized and excluded at the heart of his ministry.

8.      Church Reform: He continues the transformation of the Curia and strengthens financial transparency.

9.      Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening relations with Islam, Judaism, and other spiritual traditions.

10.  Commitment to Peace: Constant calls for peaceful conflict resolution, particularly in Ukraine, the Holy Land, and elsewhere.

11.  Role of Women in the Church: Appointment of women to leadership positions in the Vatican and encouragement for greater female participation in the Church’s life.

12.  Relationship with Canada: Commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, notably through his 2022 visit and his apology for abuses in residential schools.

But Steve and I also touched on especially at the end of the podcast of the joy of the Gospel. Steve said, paraphrasing Francis, that"it’s always a shame when a Christian walks around like a sourpuss." That line emerged from a homily he gave on May 10, 2013, early in Francis's pontificate, when he said "that when Christians have more of a sourpuss than a face that communicates the joy of being loved by God, they harm the witness of the church." He went on to say that "the Christian is a man or woman of joy,” something deeper than happiness and something that ought to identity us as Christians. 

We did not discuss all of these themes or aspects of his legacy, but I hope in the next week or so to have an episode that focuses more on the meaning of Pope Francis in Canada with an eminent Canadian guest. Please stay tuned for that. There is so much more to say, but I want to end by saying I miss Francis already, a moral authority promoting peace, love, and acceptance at a time when more and more voices are focused on division, polarization, hatred, and cruelty. Pope Francis was loved by most and hated by some for his very focus on mercy and love. Let’s continue to work for mercy and love.

What Matters Most is produced by the Centre for Christian Engagement at St Mark’s College, the Catholic college at UBC. The CCE is a centre at St. Mark’s College that explores the Christian and Catholic intellectual tradition and seek to learn from others, other Christians, members of other religious traditions, and from those who do not claim any particular or formal religious affiliation. Our goal, then, is to talk to a lot of people, to learn from them, to listen to them, and to find out what motivates them, what gives them hope, what gives them peace, and what allows them to go out into the world to love their neighbors.

Some upcoming events: 

The conference is almost upon us! We will have over 40 presenters from Asia, Africa, and North America at The Promise of Christian Education: Past, Present and Future, MAY 1-3, 2025, at ST. MARK'S COLLEGE, VANCOUVER, CANADA. You can find all the information on the speakers and where you can register at the CCE website. The link is in the show notes to both the conference website and the registration page.

The cost for the whole conference is minimal and the three keynote speakers are free, but you do need to register for Dr. Margaret MacDonald, Dr. Samuel Rocha, and Reverend Dr. Stan Chu Ilo.

A few thanks are in order. To Martin Strong, to Kevin Eng, and to Fang Fang Chandra, the team who helps me bring this podcast to you, but also makes the CCE run so much more smoothly. 

I also want to thank our donors to the Centre, whose generosity enables this work to take place at all: Peter Bull, Angus Reid, and Andy Szocs. We are thankful to their commitment to the life of the academic world and of the work of the Church in the world by funding the work of the CCE. I am also thankful to the Cullen family, Mark and Barbara, for their support of the ongoing work of the CCE through financial donations that allow us to bring speakers to the local and international arenas.

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Thanks again for listening and remember what matters most.