On Monday, April 21, Pope Francis passed away. He was the head of the Catholic Church in the Vatican from 2013 to 2025 and was primarily known for his policies of acceptance, compassion, and humility. Additionally, he was Argentinian, making him the first pope from the Americas.

“I think a lot of Hispanics thought of the pope as somebody elevated, somebody different, somebody far that we could not reach or relate to,” Camas High School (CHS) Spanish teacher Paula Costanza said. “When [Pope Francis] became pope, everyone was ecstatic to have somebody that they could relate to.”

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis’ policies focused on the poor, disenfranchised, and other groups that needed the support of the church. While this is typically the goal of the pope, Pope Francis approached it with a particular emphasis on humility, love, and acceptance.

“He was super positive and always reminded people to choose love instead of negativity,” Costanza said. “He was very humble, and I think that’s something that people forget in life—to be humble.”

Pope Francis published several books and essays to communicate the importance of those values, with a well-known book being Laudato si’. The book emphasized the moral necessity of taking care of the planet.

Additionally, Pope Francis stopped condemnation in the church of the LGBTQ+ community and those who were divorced. Instead, he urged the church to approach all people with compassion and inclusivity.

“[In history], empires or states that have approached the rule of their subjects with tolerance have always been the ones that were more successful,” CHS humanities teacher Sam Greene said.

While Camas is far from the Vatican, members of the CHS community have found ways to learn from his example, regardless of whether or not they are connected to the Catholic faith. The pope represents one of the world’s largest organizations, leaving a ripple effect on any community when they die.

“I think that we can learn to be more accepting of people, even when it doesn’t naturally align with our ideals,” Junior Mia Stefanovic said. “Just because something isn’t traditional, it doesn’t mean it’s bad in any way shape or form.”

Some students found ways to apply these messages individually as people, and others have acknowledged how Pope Francis’ example can be applied to the community as a whole. 

“[Pope Francis] showed that small acts of love and service can make a big difference, which we can do every day at Camas,” Junior Seth Kasten said. “If we all did that more, our community would be much stronger and kinder.”