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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, People the world over are mourning the loss of Pope |
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Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, |
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shortly after offering his Easter Sunday blessing to the faithful |
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gathered in the Vatican's Saint Peter's Square; and |
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WHEREAS, Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, |
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Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the son of Mario |
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and Regina Bergoglio, and he was deeply influenced by his |
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grandmother, Rosa Bergoglio, who had been active in the Catholic |
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Action movement in Italy before the family emigrated to Argentina; |
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at age 12, he entered a school run by Salesian priests, who |
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instilled in him a sense of duty to the poor, and he accepted his |
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calling at the age of 16; he was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Pope Francis was appointed to lead the Jesuit order |
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in Argentina in 1973; during the "Dirty War" that took place during |
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the rule of the country's repressive military junta, he quietly |
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worked to save the lives of many people; he went on to serve in |
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Germany and then in the Argentine city of Córdoba; in 1992, he was |
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named auxiliary bishop of the Buenos Aires diocese, and six years |
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later, he became archbishop; during his time in that role, he helped |
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relieve the suffering caused by Argentina's economic crisis, |
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organizing food kitchens, tripling the number of priests assigned |
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to the slums, and building schools and drug rehabilitation centers; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Named a cardinal in 2001, he became a leading voice |
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in the church; by the time Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013, |
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Pope Francis was preparing for retirement; instead, he was elected |
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pope, becoming the first Jesuit and the first member of the church |
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from Latin America to serve as pontiff; he was also the first to |
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choose the name Francis, and like St. Francis of Assisi, he |
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embraced a humble life of service to the most vulnerable; |
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demonstrating good humor and an avuncular charm that belied his |
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steely determination, he became a global voice for justice and |
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compassion; he took more than 40 trips abroad, many to places long |
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overlooked, in order to meet with his flock and build interfaith |
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bridges; at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he offered hope and |
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consolation via regular video livestreams; he involved Catholics |
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worldwide in a process of renewal, engaging the laity, welcoming a |
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variety of opinions, and choosing many cardinals from Latin |
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America, Asia, and Africa; even as he grew frail and battled ill |
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health, he continued to travel widely, especially striving to bring |
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peace to war-torn regions; and |
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WHEREAS, Now, with the death of this beloved pope, Cardinal |
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Kevin Farrell of the United States has become acting head of the |
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Vatican until a new pontiff is elected; born in Ireland, Cardinal |
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Farrell is a naturalized U.S. citizen and spent many years |
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ministering in the U.S., particularly as the Bishop of Dallas; he |
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now holds the position of camerlengo, temporarily overseeing the |
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day-to-day administration of the Vatican and making arrangements |
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for the upcoming conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect the next |
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pope; and |
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WHEREAS, Another adopted Texan, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who |
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was previously the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of |
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Galveston-Houston and was recently succeeded by Archbishop Joe S. |
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Vásquez, will vote in the upcoming conclave for the election of the |
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new pontiff; and |
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WHEREAS, Pope Francis was a transformative figure, and he |
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will remain a tremendous source of inspiration, not only to his |
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fellow Catholics, but to countless people who have been heartened |
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by his message of enduring mercy and love; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Pope Francis and |
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extend deepest condolences to all who mourn his passing. |