In November 2024, Victoria Delgado-Palma ’23 visited His Holiness Pope Francis at a global symposium on service learning in Catholic higher education. / Copyright Vatican Media
The entire St. Catherine University community joins the world in mourning the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis.
His papacy will be remembered not only for its humility and grace, but for a powerful re-centering of the Church’s mission—toward the poor, the marginalized, the environment, and those often left unseen. As the , “he taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love.”
Those words call to mind the charism of our founding order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, “moving always toward the profound love of God, and love of neighbor without distinction.” Pope Francis was a spiritual giant whose heart beat with profound compassion for the world’s most vulnerable.
We are fortunate to have interacted with Pope Francis at both the beginning and end of his papacy: in 2014, our on a pilgrimage and see His Holiness in St. Peter’s Square. And in 2024, more of our students got to meet His Holiness in an audience where they presented findings on their “Welcoming the Dear Neighbor” community work.
We join the in praying for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.