On April 21, 2025, Easter Monday, people around the world awoke to the news that Pope Francis had passed away at the age of 88. For listeners of Off the Page, it will be no surprise that a pope who took the name “Francis” would come up often in the Franciscan conversations featured on this podcast. This episode is a compilation of both published and unpublished interviews where guests talk about the life, legacy, and papacy of Pope Francis. Included here is Fr. Murray Bodo, OFM, talking about Pope Francis’ heart for the poor; Dr. Daniel P. Horan discussing how God’s love and mercy was a cornerstone to Pope Francis’ pontificate; Sr. Margaret Carney, OSF, talking about Pope Francis' unique ability to, like St. Francis of Assisi, speak the language of the people and make the Catholic faith accessible; Br. Keith Warner, OFM, dissecting the Franciscan undertones in Pope Francis' encyclicals; and the poet Dr. Angela Alaimo O’Donnell discussing the pope’s love for art and literature. This episode also begins with a recording from 2021 with Sr. Margaret Carney, where she frames Pope Francis’ papacy as one that is uniquely Franciscan. And this episode concludes with some of Pope Francis’ own words about divine mercy, translated and recorded on audiobook in the Franciscan Media title "Believe in Love."

Click here to read this episode's show notes.

(00:00:01) Introduction

(00:05:01) Franciscan Legacy (Sr. Margaret Carney)

(00:07:57) Transition

(00:08:16) Heart for the Poor (Fr. Murray Bodo)

(00:13:36) Transition

(00:14:45) Mission of Mercy (Dr. Dan Horan)

(00:19:09) Transition

(00:20:01) A Relatable Communicator (Sr. Margaret Carney)

(00:21:14) Transition

(00:22:04) The Most Franciscan Encyclical Ever (Br. Keith Warner)

(00:34:11) Transition

(00:35:52) Deep Love for Art and Literature (Dr. Angela Alaimo O'Donnell)

(00:46:55) Conclusion

(00:47:49) Be An Architect of Mercy (Pope Francis)

Darleen Pryds, PhD, is the academic director of the Master of Theological Studies-Franciscan Theology online degree at the Franciscan School of Theology (FST) in San Diego, California. She has taught at FST since 2001 and has a special interest in lay Franciscan spirituality and leadership. She is a historian, scholar, and author of Women of the Streets, Enduring Presence, and The King Embodies the Word.

Please consider donating to help us create more content like this. With an 800-year legacy steeped in the values of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, your Franciscan Media community embraces its mission of spreading the message of love, compassion, and understanding through books, St. Anthony Messenger magazine, Franciscan Media’s website, online events, videos, and daily emails like Saint of the Day.

(00:00:01) Introduction

(00:02:43) How the Background of the Canticle Leads to Deeper Appreciation

(00:12:30) Collision of Suffering and Beauty

(00:19:47) A Spirituality of Letting Go

(00:28:03) Learning to Let Go

(00:34:13) St. Francis, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Plum Village Buddhism

(00:43:35) Interbeing, Relationality, and Integration

(00:50:35) Encounter and Spaciousness

(00:57:38) Invitation: Live Into the Depth of Your Experience

(01:03:24) Honoring Stillness

(01:09:25) Benediction

(01:11:14) Conclusion

Show Notes

• Read Darleen Pryds' April 2025 cover story in the St. Anthony Messenger titled "Living 'The Canticle of the Creatures'"
• Enjoy more writings by Darleen Pryds
• View the photograph discussed in the episode.
• Subscribe here to the St. Anthony Messenger.

Sister Rosemary Stets, OSF, is a Bernardine Franciscan Sister and author of the book Franciscan Field Guide: People, Places, Practices, and Prayers. She has served on the congregational leadership team since 2011. Previously, Sister Rosemary served as Vice-President for Mission at Alvernia University in Reading, PA, and earlier was a member of the faculty in the Department of English and Communications.

Reflections in this episode are provided by Darleen Pryds, PhD, Franciscan Media's acquisitions editor. She is also a professor at the Franciscan School of Theology, a scholar and historian on lay Franciscans, and author of Women of the Streets: Early Franciscan Women and their Mendicant Vocation.

Please consider donating to help us create more content like this. With an 800-year legacy steeped in the values of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi, your Franciscan Media community embraces its mission of spreading the message of love, compassion, and understanding through books, St. Anthony Messenger magazine, Franciscan Media’s website, online events, videos, and daily emails like Saint of the Day.

(00:00:01) Introduction

(00:01:24) Background

(00:06:26) Franciscan Field Guide

(00:11:17) Rediscovering God with Francis as a Guide

(00:16:40) Reflection (by Darleen Pryds): Presence and Curiosity

(00:25:18) Gazing on Ordinary Human Life

(00:30:10) Rebuilding the Church: Enraptured in Love

(00:35:24) Reflection (by Darleen Pryds): Our Ever-Deepening Conversion

(00:39:21) Poverty of Being

(00:47:29) Scotus and the Incarnation

(00:51:04) Reflection (by Darleen Pryds): Contemplating the Incarnation

(00:53:32) Relationality in a Love-Saturated Universe

(00:58:50) Mission: Learn, Love, and Serve

(01:03:13) Podcasting and Media as Mission

(01:05:21) Benediction

(01:08:01) Conclusion

Show notes:

• Read this blog post from Sr. Rosemary Stets, titled “Francis and Clare: Where the Tradition Begins”
• Order Sister Rosemary's book in print or e-book:
• Enjoy more writings by Sister Rosemary