Statement on the Passing of Pope Francis I

Today, Hof Law joins the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis I, a singular and deeply inspiring figure in modern history.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis made history as the first Jesuit Pope, the first from America, and the first to carry the name of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of the poor. Throughout his papacy, he carried forward the Church’s mission to serve the marginalized with remarkable compassion, humility, and courage.

Pope Francis was not only an advocate for the poor, as his predecessors, but he also opened new channels of connection with people too often left on the margins—including those recovering from substance abuse, those in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, and others living on the edges of society and hope. Within the sometimes rigid bounds of his time and office, he remained a pioneering voice of inclusion, emphasizing dignity, mercy, and accompaniment over judgment.

His efforts to reform and diversify the Church extended to the College of Cardinals. As we now look toward the future, it is clear that his legacy endures in the most diverse pool of Cardinals ever to convene to elect a successor. In this, he continues to shape the Church’s future, even in his physical absence.

The firm joins millions around the world in praying for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. May his memory be a blessing, and his example a call to greater justice, mercy, and love.

In a providential moment that will be remembered by generations, Pope Francis delivered his final Urbi et Orbi blessing yesterday, on Easter Sunday, which this year was shared with Orthodox Easter. In his final message "to the city and to the world," he proclaimed:

HOF