Dr Andreas Frick, Chief Executive of the Catholic aid organisation Misereor, comments on the death of Pope Francis:
"Misereor mourns the loss of Pope Francis, whose concern for a dignified life for all people and for the ecological limits of our planet strengthened the work of Misereor and its partner organisations around the world in a special way. Right at the beginning of his pontificate, he made clear his options for a church characterised by simplicity and a special solidarity with poor and marginalised people. He was the Pope who gave special relevance to theological and political issues such as combating poverty, preserving creation and working for peace and justice.
Already on his first trip as Pope, Francis set an example for the humane treatment of refugees on Lampedusa in 2013. "Where are you, brother?" he asked with regard to those who had died while fleeing and demanded that the Mediterranean should not become a mass grave.
He repeatedly called for their fate to be recognised and for humane and empathetic policies and attitudes towards displaced persons. Under his leadership, the issue was structurally anchored in the Vatican and also represented politically to the outside world. For Pope Francis, flight and migration remained a central theme throughout his entire pontificate.
With his idea of being a church for the poor, Francis built on the church's paradigm shift, which was laid out in the Second Vatican Council and was largely implemented in the local churches of the global South, especially in Latin America. He made it clear that the plea for a church of the poor does not mean charitable and paternalistic support for those who are economically and socially poor, but that this requires a clear solidarity-based stance. Pope Francis took a clear stance against the existing economic system and its consequences, particularly in his teaching letter Evangelii Gaudium. His statements on an "economy that kills" (EG 56), which results in the exclusion and death of millions of people, clearly and drastically emphasised both the consequences of limitless capitalism for millions of people and the ecological catastrophe we are facing worldwide.
Pope Francis' position on socio-political, global issues has been a recurring theme throughout his teachings and encyclicals. His first encyclical Laudato Sí in particular, which was widely received beyond the Catholic context, set an important course. Central to this was the recognition of the indissoluble link between ecological and social issues, combined with a clear call to the Church to take up the fight against poverty, exploitation and ecological destruction. The work of Misereor, whose mission is to realise these demands, was particularly strengthened by Francis' words. Not only were church target groups supported in their commitment to social and ecological justice in a global context, but alliances were also formed with a wide variety of groups and organisations that are committed to combating climate change and ecological destruction. The cooperation of civil society and the church on common issues was a central concern of Francis.
The Amazon Synod was also a milestone of his pontificate and was strongly characterised by the participation of lay people and indigenous movements. Here, too, it became clear how important Pope Francis considered the Church's support for indigenous peoples, a holistic ecology and a renewal of pastoral care. This synod, as well as his journeys and appointments of new cardinals, fundamentally followed the logic of strengthening the so-called peripheries and recognising that the centre can be found at the margins: The centre can be found at the periphery - the centre of societies, the centre of faith.
However, his strong voice in favour of peace and reconciliation will be particularly missed. He repeatedly spoke out against war and called for more commitment to peace from Christian heads of state and government in particular. They should do everything in their power to promote negotiations in all conflicts. He also repeatedly called for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as well as Israel and Hamas and called for the courage needed to open the door for negotiations."
