Dear friends in mission,

As word of Pope Francis’ passing echoes around the world, I keep seeing the same pattern again and again.  It's all these comments from people who don’t share our faith, but found themselves moved by his witness.  

These aren’t just compliments or platitudes.

They’re a playbook for evangelization.

What’s remarkable?  Most of these voices come from people already on the margins.  The disaffiliated, unaffiliated, those long distant from Church, and even those suspicious of it. And yet, something about Pope Francis broke through.

Notice: nobody is saying, “I loved his arguments,” or “I was convinced by a parish program.” What stands out—what they remember—are simple, radical things: kindness, compassion, genuine welcome.

That’s what leaves a mark.

Pope Francis built bridges of trust by starting where people actually were, not with an agenda, but with mercy, humility, and authentic presence.

He showed us what true accompaniment looks like: walking with people in their real, messy lives, loving before teaching, listening before speaking.

He saw Christ in the people the world forgot, and he let them know, first and foremost, that they mattered. He lived what we here at Burning Hearts believe wholeheartedly: that evangelization is about relationship first, not method or messaging.

Now, here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Pope Francis’ legacy with the disaffiliated and unaffiliated is challenging me as an evangelizer.   

Most of those who felt seen by Pope Francis are exactly the people I too easily overlook:  the poor, the immigrant, the mentally ill, the LGBTQ community, the disaffiliated, the ones who criticize the Church, the ones picking fights online, and those on the outside looking in.

If we want people to see Jesus in us like they did in Pope Francis, we have to start with the people it’s hardest for us to love.  That starts by taking a deeper, more honest look inside ourselves:

How do we treat the poor and the outcast?

How do we see and speak about immigrants, the mentally ill, the LGBT community?

How do we respond to those we disagree with, to atheists, to those who criticize the Church?

How do we accompany the unwed mothers, those in prison, or even those who believe that a single Dan Brown novel or Oscar-winning movie tells them everything they need to know about the upcoming Conclave? 

Accompaniment isn’t about fixing or convincing.  It’s about walking with people, honoring their dignity, and building trust, especially when it’s uncomfortable.  Pope Francis didn’t just preach love, he accompanied those most on the margins. He entered into their reality, saw their struggles, and stayed close.

If we genuinely want the world to meet Jesus, we need to listen to where and how they tell us they've seen Him.

We must be willing to be real, visible, and, yes, sometimes deeply uncomfortable.

We can't settle for kindness, gentleness, joy, and mercy only when it's easy and with those who make it easier for us.  

Let's push ourselves: Who is God calling you to see, accompany, and love—for real—this week?

As we grieve and pray for Pope Francis and await the one the Holy Spirit will anoint as our next Holy Father, let’s not just remember him, let’s honor his legacy by becoming true companions to those on the margins.

Let’s be the reason someone might say,  "I'm not Catholic, but...because of you, I'd like to know more."

Want to walk this path of authentic accompaniment? Burning Hearts Disciples exists to walk with you, to accompany and equip you for this kind of radical, relational, and sometimes uncomfortable evangelization.

Let’s become the Church the world doesn’t just notice, but feels genuinely loved by—one companion at a time.