So, last week, the world was greeted with the tragic passing of Pope Francis. The news shook the world, of course, considering how he’s the leader of one of the most populous and oldest institutions on earth. Pope Francis had, in the last few years of his life, been in and out of hospitals, getting treated for one illness or the other. Old age and ill health were really telling on him.
If there is one good thing we can glean from this, it would be the fact that he no longer has to suffer anymore. The pain and frustration of always falling ill and always having to deal with health complications are over for him. He’s in a better place now, singing gloria with all the angels of heaven.
However, my post isn’t strictly about Pope Francis’s passing, but the aftermath. The day he died, the news trended for the entire day. It dominated the news all over the world, and Twitter and other social media were basically painted black to show solidarity and mourn with the Catholic Church. But then, all this only lasted for that day. Because by the next day, people were no longer mourning the late Pope. The next hot topic was about his replacement.
If there is one thing the Catholic Church prides herself on, it’s the structure. It doesn’t belong to one person, and the structure is the reason it has been able to survive for so long. From the second that Pope Francis breathed his last, plans had to be put in motion so that his replacement would be chosen as soon as possible.
This is not just true for the Catholic Church, it’s true for every major organization out there. If anything were to happen to your President today, there are policies that are in place to decide who will assume authority. If, for some reason, something happened to all the leaders at the same time, there is still a way to determine the next leader to keep things moving. That way, there will always be a plan.
While this structure provides continuity and longevity for the institution, it also feels kinda sad. Because it shows just how quickly people move on. There is no time to even fully mourn the loss, they simply have to decide the next leader. Life moves on, regardless of who just lost theirs.
But then, that is how it is for most notable and worthwhile organizations. With great structures, the organizations outlive the people who created them. Take a look at Walt Disney, he died in 1966, but his creation is still steady, bigger than it was when he was alive. With a good structure in place, one person won’t be required to always be at the helm of affairs. Hell, even the owner can be kicked out of his own company.
So, my dear friends, life goes on. The Pope’s passing is definitely painful, not just to the Catholic faithful, but also to his immediate family, who love and cherish him the most. His family is the one who will feel the pain of his loss for a long time, even when the rest of the world, the Church included, will move on with their lives.
Like I said, life goes on.
