{"id":11611,"date":"2025-05-05T19:15:42","date_gmt":"2025-05-05T19:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesouthtexan.com\/?p=11611"},"modified":"2025-05-05T19:15:46","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T19:15:46","slug":"heaven-in-hollywood-remembering-pope-francis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesouthtexan.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/05\/heaven-in-hollywood-remembering-pope-francis\/","title":{"rendered":"Heaven in Hollywood: Remembering Pope Francis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Patron Saint of Celebrity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pope Francis died on April 21, Easter Monday, following a long illness and a five-week stay in a hospital in Rome. He leaves behind a legacy of humility, earning the title of the \u201cPeople\u2019s Pope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elected in 2013, Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, and the world immediately took notice\u2014a change had occurred. From the start, he broke from tradition, opting for simpler attire void of the traditional red Prada loafers and pageantry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking the name Francis\u2014the first to do so\u2014after St. Francis of Assisi, a saint known for his vow of poverty and humility, the newly elected pope made it clear he would be the first in many regards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barely a year had passed, and Pope Francis would appear on the cover of Rolling Stone<\/em> magazine \u2013 the first Pope to do so- signaling a modern and more relatable approach to the papacy. His choice to collaborate with Rolling Stone<\/em> was a bold move, meeting the people where they were, right at the center of pop culture. Fame found Francis, and it would help cement him as one of the most memorable figures ever to sit in the seat of St. Peter, wielding celebrity power for his mission of world peace and human love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you met him, you could feel that energy, and you could feel that decency and goodness, and I think the way to honor him is to try to be that,\u201d said actress Eva Longoria, Texas A&M University-Kingsville alumnus, in an interview with Access Hollywood<\/em> following the passing of the late pontiff. \u201cThank you for being an ally to many of us and speaking up for the marginalized,\u201d Longoria further stated on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrity tributes began to roll in as news broke around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had the honor of sitting down with Pope Francis for a conversation on the urgent need to address climate change. That experience was enlightening, deeply moving and thought-provoking,\u201d actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio said in a statement on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his humble nature and non-materialistic way of living, Pope Francis, oddly enough, understood the power of celebrity-a celebrity that, as pope, he now found himself to embody. Francis shook up the Vatican and its hierarchy not only by embracing fame but also by opening the doors of the Church to many who had long felt oppressed by it, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, migrants and poor communities. He opted to live in Casa Santa Marta instead of the lavish papal apartment in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, where he welcomed these communities, providing them with housing and medical care\u2014all largely out of the spotlight that had zeroed in on his relationship with Hollywood. However, it was through that same spotlight that he directed attention to the global causes he championed most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humor was never too far from Pope Francis. Last year, to make the world laugh, Pope Francis hosted a gathering of over 100 comedians and entertainers from around the world, now dubbed the \u201cconclave of comedy,\u201d illustrating his belief in the power of laughter and human connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Pope came out, sat down and just wanted to thank comedians for making people laugh and putting a smile on people\u2019s faces during dark times. And it was the nicest thing,\u201d Jimmy Fallon told NBC News. \u201cIt was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer,\u201d Fallon wrote on Instagram after hearing news of the pontiff\u2019s passing. \u201cI\u2019m glad I made you laugh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement to Variety<\/em> magazine, Hollywood director Martin Scorsese said of Pope Francis, \u201cHe acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So, he never stopped learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout his 12-year reign, he frequently met with stars from all genres and backgrounds\u2014from non-Catholics to non-believers\u2014demonstrating his commitment to outreach beyond traditional religious boundaries and helping to champion causes amplified by those in the spotlight, accomplishing what many popes before him had merely attempted: bridging the sacred and the secular. The stage is currently being set to name the successor of Pope Francis, with the papal conclave scheduled to begin on May 7. However, the Holy See now asks who could fill Francis’s humble shoes. Considering the global response to his passing, it seems Francis was a once-in-a-lifetime beacon of hope, acceptance and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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