SR463 - In memory of Pope Francis.

        SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 463       In Memory   of   Pope Francis            WHEREAS, People the world over are mourning the loss of   Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88,   shortly after offering his Easter Sunday blessing to the faithful   gathered in the Vatican's Saint Peter's Square; and            WHEREAS, Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires,   Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the son of   Mario and Regina Bergoglio, and he was deeply influenced by his   grandmother, Rosa Bergoglio, who had been active in the Catholic   Action movement in Italy before the family emigrated to   Argentina; at age 12, he entered a school run by Salesian   priests, who instilled in him a sense of duty to the poor, and he   accepted his calling at the age of 16; he was ordained as a Jesuit   priest in 1969; and            WHEREAS, Pope Francis was appointed to lead the Jesuit   order in Argentina in 1973; during the "Dirty War" that took   place during the rule of the country's repressive military junta,   he quietly worked to save the lives of many people; he went on to   serve in Germany and then in the Argentine city of Córdoba; in   1992, he was named auxiliary bishop of the Buenos Aires diocese,   and six years later, he became archbishop; during his time in   that role, he helped relieve the suffering caused by Argentina's   economic crisis, organizing food kitchens, tripling the number   of priests assigned to the slums, and building schools and drug   rehabilitation centers; and            WHEREAS, Named a cardinal in 2001, he became a leading   voice in the church; by the time Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in   2013, Pope Francis was preparing for retirement; instead, he was   elected pope, becoming the first Jesuit and the first member of   the church from Latin America to serve as pontiff; he was also the   first to choose the name Francis, and like St. Francis of Assisi,   he embraced a humble life of service to the most vulnerable;   demonstrating good humor and an avuncular charm that belied his   steely determination, he became a global voice for justice and   compassion; he took more than 40 trips abroad, many to places   long overlooked, in order to meet with his flock and build   interfaith bridges; at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he   offered hope and consolation via regular video livestreams; he   involved Catholics worldwide in a process of renewal, engaging   the laity, welcoming a variety of opinions, and choosing many   cardinals from Latin America, Asia, and Africa; even as he grew   frail and battled ill health, he continued to travel widely,   especially striving to bring peace to war-torn regions; and            WHEREAS, Pope Francis was a transformative figure, and he   will remain a tremendous source of inspiration, not only to his   fellow Catholics, but to countless people who have been heartened   by his message of enduring mercy and love; now, therefore, be it            RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature   hereby pay tribute to the life of Pope Francis and extend deepest   condolences to all who mourn his passing.     Bettencourt     Alvarado Hall Middleton   Birdwell Hancock Miles   Blanco Hinojosa of Hidalgo Nichols   Campbell Hinojosa of Nueces Parker   Cook Huffman Paxton   Creighton Hughes Perry   Eckhardt Johnson Schwertner   Flores King Sparks   Gutierrez Kolkhorst West   Hagenbuch Menéndez Zaffirini     Patrick, President of the Senate             ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on April 30, 2025, by a     rising vote.             ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate             ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate