The Compassionate Pontiff: Pope Francis Dies at 88, Leaving a Mixed Legacy of Hope and Unfinished Reckoning

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

The world stands at a moral crossroads with the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88, a man widely revered for his humility, humanity, and efforts to reshape the Catholic Church into a vessel of compassion, social justice, and mercy. Yet, even in his death, the shadows of unresolved trauma, rooted in decades of clerical abuse; cling to his papacy, threatening to tarnish a legacy that otherwise radiates light.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, Pope Francis was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to ascend the papal throne. His election in 2013 was itself a turning point, a signal that the Church was ready for introspection and reform after decades of bureaucratic rigidity and moral decline. But while Pope Francis redefined the global perception of what a pontiff could be, his inability to decisively eradicate the rot of clerical abuse and Vatican secrecy leaves a bitter footnote to an otherwise progressive era.

A Pope of the People

Francis was, above all, a pastor of the people. He lived in a guesthouse rather than the Apostolic Palace, carried his own bag, and rejected the papal limousine for a modest Ford Focus. His simple lifestyle sent a message louder than a thousand encyclicals, that humility was not merely a virtue to be preached, but one to be lived.

He tackled issues that many in the Vatican’s hierarchy feared to touch. From calling for action on climate change in his landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, to opening doors for the divorced and remarried, and asking “Who am I to judge?” in reference to gay Catholics, Francis sought to shift the Church from a rule-bound institution to a more merciful community of believers.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once said of Francis: “His voice carries moral authority because it is not political. It is prophetic.” Indeed, Francis saw the world through the eyes of the poor, the refugee, the marginalized. He called the global economic system “an economy that kills” and urged nations to remember “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”

In his 2020 book Let Us Dream, Francis wrote, “This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities… and to choose what matters.” That dream was not just theological, it was social, economic, environmental, and deeply human.

An Incomplete Reckoning

Yet even prophets stumble. While Pope Francis acknowledged the evils of sexual abuse within the Church, his actions often fell short of his rhetoric. He initially defended Chilean Bishop Juan Barros despite widespread allegations of covering up abuse, only to backtrack after international outrage. Though he later defrocked hundreds of priests and convened global bishops for a summit on abuse in 2019, the fundamental structures of secrecy and institutional protection remained largely intact.

Renowned historian Garry Wills once said, “The Catholic Church is the longest-standing authoritarian institution in the Western world.” Despite Francis’ reformist zeal, that institution remained resistant to full transparency.

“There is no greater tyranny,” wrote Montesquieu, “than that which is perpetrated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.” This tyranny lived in the silence of countless victims whose testimonies were long ignored, buried under ecclesiastical bureaucracy.

Even Francis’ own commissions on abuse faltered. Several prominent abuse survivors resigned, citing lack of progress and frustration at the Vatican’s unwillingness to hold bishops accountable. It is a tragic irony that a pope so committed to the poor and oppressed struggled to fully deliver justice to the most grievously wounded among his own flock.

Philosophical and Political Legacy

Despite these failings, Pope Francis reasserted the moral relevance of the Church in an era of rising authoritarianism and nihilism. He condemned populist nationalism, warned against “savage capitalism,” and confronted world leaders on their failure to uphold human dignity.

Barack Obama once called him “a living example of Jesus’ teachings,” and indeed, Francis preached with the urgency of a man who saw the world on fire.

He often quoted Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov: “The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” For Francis, that “something” was the dignity of the human person. He reasserted the Church’s opposition to the death penalty, called for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and emphasized that migration is not a crime but a human right.

His encyclical Fratelli Tutti called for a new kind of politics: “A love capable of transcending borders is the basis of what we call social friendship.” In a world fractured by xenophobia and greed, Francis’ voice was often the lone trumpet of compassion echoing across closed borders and barbed wire fences.

Criticism from Within

Not all welcomed this new direction. Traditionalist Catholics saw him as a threat to orthodoxy. Some cardinals openly resisted his reforms, and conservative theologians accused him of creating doctrinal confusion. But Francis seemed unfazed. “Tradition is not the worship of ashes,” he once said, quoting Gustav Mahler, “but the preservation of fire.”

Perhaps it is this fire that will define his legacy. A fire for justice, mercy, and a Church more in tune with the suffering of the world than with the politics of Rome.

The Final Chapter

As news of his death spreads, reactions are flooding in. UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised him as “a tireless advocate for the poor, the vulnerable, and the planet.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described him as “a moral compass in a turbulent world.” In the slums of Manila, the plains of Kenya, and the refugee camps of Lebanon, candles are being lit for a pope who saw them not as burdens, but as brothers.

Yet, for the victims of clerical abuse, the candle burns differently, more like a flicker of hope never fully realized.

Francis once said, “Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life.” But mercy without justice, as philosopher Cornel West reminds us, is sentimentality. And justice without truth is cruelty.

The Church now faces a difficult road ahead. Will it choose a successor who deepens the reforms Francis began, or one who retreats to the safety of orthodoxy? Will it finally confront its sins not with apologies alone, but with sweeping structural change?

Pope Francis leaves behind a Church more open, more self-aware, but still grappling with its darkest sins. He was the right man for a world gasping for empathy, but not quite the hammer needed to demolish the structures of secrecy that protected predators for decades.

Still, in an era of cynicism, his belief in the power of mercy, inclusion, and human dignity stands tall.

As the philosopher Immanuel Kant once said, “Two things fill the mind with ever increasing awe: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.” Pope Francis reminded a watching world that amid scandal and sorrow, there remains a moral law—and it must always side with the least of these.

He has departed this world, not with the might of a monarch, but with the footprints of a shepherd. Let the next chapter of the Catholic Church be written not just with prayers, but with courage. For that is what Francis hoped for most, not sainthood, but a Church worthy of its founder.

…….IT IS WORLD DR CHRIS OKAFOR’S DAY: EIGHT BIRTHDAY NOTES TO THE GENERATIONAL PROPHET:

PLEASE TRY AND READ TO THE END:

HELP ME SAY A WORD OF PRAYERS TO HIM:

1. Happy Birthday to the man who is completely different from everything his enemies told you about him. My relationship with you made me know that, you can become a bad person relating with the person people think is good for you, you can also become a good person relating with the person people think is not good for you. I found God relating with you.

2. Happy birthday to the man whose financial gift to me, in two separate cheques, cleared the first year school fees of my both daughters in private university. The both school fees is about four point three million naira. You made me not to feel the pain of paying the first year for both of them. Apart from you and Pastor David ibiyeomie, No mentor or Senoir man has ever done anything for me.

3. Happy birthday to the man who taught me how to be a father and a friend with my assistant pastors. I came for training with your pastors, and I saw how you bonded with them as a friend and a brother to them, yet they honour and respect you as a father. Only few men can combine these two aspects with a balance. I saw them respect your authority and still confess their secret battles to you for you to help them overcome. Where I came from, you don’t tell anyone your secret battles as a pastor, you will become a public ridicule.

4. Happy birthday to the man who I followed a few weeks ago to see a mentor who came from Abuja for a program in Lagos, and in my presence you wrote a cheque of twenty million naira as a prophet offering to that mentor. Most people don’t know you even have more access to fathers in our family tree, than most of us that were raised in that family.

5. Happy Birthday to the man who practically lives a life of fasting and prayers daily. I came to do a three day training program, and you made me too, to fast and pray with you and the pastors for all three days. At a point, I said to myself, how I wish people know you personally and privately. You are a Christian to the core. I pray for my friends, May you not first meet the enemies of your helper before meeting your helper.

6. Happy birthday to the most quiet blessed man, I have ever seen. Your cathedral is about twenty five thousand seaters, with a crowd of people gathered inside every week, And many surrendering their lives to Christ every service day, you don’t talk about it, the headquarters has so many buildings, offices and event centres, you don’t talk about it, your lekki branch is over 50 plots of land, you don’t brag about it. You have over 400 branches home and abroad, you don’t brag about it. It was in your house last year, when I came for dinner with you, that I saw a brand new Royce Rolls and a brand new bullets proof Land cruiser jeep, that you have never talked about openly. Let’s not talk about your business investment in several sectors of life. The few that I know of. You are blessed, yet very quiet and humble.

Thank you for always allowing me to stay for free, in your ministry 5 star hotel, any time I visit Lagos. I still stayed there last month for free for five days. You save me so much sir.

7. Happy birthday to a prophet who is a balanced teacher and a good preacher. I remember joining your service after one of the training programs I came for. From the beginning to the end, there was no prophecy. I told you after the service, we know you as a prophet, why will you do service and there is no prophecy? You said to me, To have a balanced church, you must know how to combine the word, prayers and prophecies. So that nothing is lacking. Today is a teaching and prayer service. If I call for prophetic service, you won’t know this is the man that just finished teaching.

8. Happy birthday to the man who bought a massive duplex for his Resident Pastor, few minutes drive to his own house in the same estate he lives. They both live in the same estate in lagos. According to him, this man has left all to follow me, if I don’t do this for him, it means unbelievers who do it in the secular world are better than me. On my last visit to lagos, the private driver attached to me showed me the house on our way to see him at home. To confirm what the pastor himself already told me.

Thank you for being there for me and several others.

I love you sincerely and genuinely.

You are my Brother for life.

Happy birthday sir.

Your Bro.
Bishop Irabor Wisdom Robinson.

From all of us at ANSWERS ASSEMBLY WARRI DELTA STATE NIGERIA.

Sexual Allegations: Dr. Chris Okafor’s Image Remains Unblemished

…Doris Ogala’s Attempts Have Failed, and Will Continue to Fail

By Christopher David

For some times now I have been contemplating the sexual allegations made by Doris Ogala against Dr Chris Okafor, a Man of God from the Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry, also known as Liberation City. This is an allegation that continues to elicit heated debates in Nigeria’s media landscape, with social media platforms being a major hub for these discussions. The media frenzy has raised substantial dust, resulting in confusion about the direction of our society. Without a doubt, the media has devoted considerable attention to Doris, an actress whose fame had waned.

However, much more is required to bring the entire situation to a logical conclusion. For various reasons, I have refrained from responding to alleviate the already damaging media frenzy that could exacerbate Doris Ogala’s false and malicious allegations against the anointed man of God

To say the least, it is equally important to educate the public, church members, and online followers, thereby preventing Doris’s numerous false statements from tarnishing the reputation of the man of God. It is currently unnecessary to recount the numerous false statements made by Doris, who has been utilizing her social media platform to make spurious claims against Dr. Chris Okafor, a respected spiritual leader, by falsely alleging to have had a sexual relationship with him, despite the fact that a substantial amount of information has already been made public on this topic; nonetheless, the truth must ultimately be revealed.

Let’s examine the allegation in question. The actress in question claims to have had a sexual encounter with the religious leader, but where exactly did this occur? Was it at his residence, which is consistently staffed by over 15 domestic workers and security personnel, or did it happen in a hotel room? How credible is this assertion?. Throughout my brief life experience, I have developed an understanding of the considerable obstacles that must be overcome to gain entry into this respected man of God’s inner sanctum, or even to cultivate intimate connections or relationships, which are exclusively permissible within the bounds of matrimony

Does it not defy sound judgment that a ‘Jezebel’ known as Doris Ogala previously found to have deceived other men of God would engage in a sexual relationship with Dr. Chris Okafor and display no apparent guilt, addressing him as “My father in the Lord” while worship in his church some years back. Indeed, I lack the requisite grammatical proficiency to substantiate the alleged sexual intercourse that this lady claimed and ranted about on her social media page; rather, I regard it as a malicious allegation, completely unfounded and emanating from a deceitful and evil-minded source, as manifest in the incoherence of such allegations.

I do not intend to diminish the value of social media, particularly its potential to reach a broad audience; however, many Nigerians engage with social media content on an emotional and sentimental level. Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., do not function as courts of law; hence, grievances must be addressed through the appropriate legal channels, encompassing both criminal and civil proceedings.

The degradation of individuals, organisations, homes, governments and institutions on social media is a worrisome trend. Some social media crusaders exploit this phenomenon as a publicity stunt. Additionally, does Doris Ogala possess evidence to corroborate the purported sexual allegation? This, in most cases, remains obscure to the general public

Regarding Delilah and the satanic angel Doris and her accomplices, reports emerged that Doris made claims on social media last year about Dr. Chris Okafor owing her money. According to her, the money was given to her by an unidentified individual through him. However, a prompt response questioned the logic of an unnamed individual choosing to pay for her services through Pastor Chris, rather than directly to her. This exchange has sparked allegations of dishonesty against Doris Ogala, an actress whose career has experienced a decline. Does Doris realize she may be being manipulated as a social media stooge? Where are her online supporters, who are supposed to be cheering her on and providing encouragement on social media?

I guess the infamous actress is totally broke and out of her mind, thinking she can use the same tricks used on some men of God in the past to extort Dr. Chris Okafor, fondly called the ‘Oracle’. Guess Doris might have forgotten Dr. Chris Okafor’s petition and the ongoing court case against her, which is still before the honorable Court of law?

If I may inquire, have her Instagram and Facebook followers taken her seriously again, given the numerous unsubstantiated claims?. I would advise against aligning oneself with individuals who refer to Doris’ recent allegation as a challenge to the Church, although it may appear that way. However, it seems that Doris is navigating a precarious path. The onus is on her to promptly rectify the situation, as her actions have been widely criticized by supporters of Liberation City, both in Nigeria and globally. Doris Ogala’s recent allegations have left many speechless, wondering if she was intentionally trying to tarnish the reputation of the great prophet of God

As she transitioned from “Okafor owes me a huge amount and I’m ready to collect my money” to “we had sexual intercourse together”, it appears she may require medical attention because nobody in their right mind would continue to fabricate lies in a similar manner, showing reasons why she was separated from her marriage due to childlessness four years ago with her Igbo partner.

In conclusion, Doris Ogala appears to necessitate professional intervention, as it seems she may be experiencing memory loss or repercussions from past conflicts. I doubt whether Doris Ogala can circumvent consequences this time, no as her actions may have serious repercussions.

Watch for part 2, which will reveal men of God against whom she has previously made false accusations.
Church members submit anonymous writings against the evil plotter lady known as Doris Ogala.

Written by
Christopher David
Austria