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