Manuel Deza considered himself one of the lucky ones.
His job included traveling the globe with Pope Francis and organizing events for the pontiff’s youth organization, Scholas Occurrentes.
Little did Deza know that when he introduced students to Pope Francis during a February general audience in Rome, it would be the last time he’d see the man he so admired.
Deza says the Holy Father didn’t seem well but continued to give everyone a kind word and a smile.
“He was always taking care of others and I think that's one of the things that I loved most about him,” said Deza, Scholas USA’s director of education. “I will be grateful forever that I got to work with Pope Francis.”
Deza, based in Los Angeles, is among the grief-stricken Catholics in Southern California whose life was directly touched by Pope Francis. While they mourn the loss of their beloved shepherd, they’re also reflecting on the transformative encounters they shared with him and how those moments shaped their ministries.
For Deza, a journey to Iraq remains his favorite memory of Pope Francis. During the 2021 visit to Baghdad, the pontiff met with a group of young people to listen to their dreams and their sufferings.
“I remember a Muslim student gave him a flag that had some blood on it from a friend who had participated in a protest,” Deza said. “Pope Francis kissed that flag. He told them whatever their religion was, they were human beings and as human beings they needed love … He was a peacemaker and I will carry on his work.”
With a heavy heart, Sister Leticia Salazar, ODN, vowed to follow the pope’s example of strong yet welcoming leadership. The chancellor of the Diocese of San Bernardino met Pope Francis on multiple occasions, mostly in her capacity as a voting delegate for the recent Synod on Synodality. She said Pope Francis was not afraid to challenge old ways of thinking.
“We have lost a prophet,” Salazar said. “A prophet is one who announces but also denounces. He denounced division, polarization, elitism, clericalism. His was a mission of inclusivity and dignity.”
Amongst the serious business of the Synod, Salazar was pleasantly surprised when the pope wished her happy birthday and gave a hug that could only be described as ethereal.
“There was grace and power in a good sense,” Salazar said. “He embodied not only his own person, but the community at large, the people of God. I think for me, to be close to him was to be close to the whole Church.”
That glowing feeling was experienced by many Catholics who enjoyed a private audience with Pope Francis. As a leader of the non-profit organization, One LA-IAF (Industrial Areas Foundation), Sheila Thomas got to speak with the pontiff in October 2022. Through a translator, she shared her concerns about human trafficking.
“His eyes showed everything. I felt like there was no language barrier whatsoever,” said Thomas, a parishioner at Holy Name of Jesus Church in Jefferson Park. “[My words] were well-received, warmly received … His dedication to social justice brought me hope and continues to drive my work today.”
Sister Maribeth Larkin, SSS, who has also worked for One LA-IAF, agreed, admiring how the pope focused on “real people and real issues.” She prayed for the pope’s “return to heaven” and fondly recalled meeting him on her Sisters of Social Service order’s 100th anniversary in 2023. She said there was no pomp and circumstance with Pope Francis, no air of aloofness. In fact, he scrapped his formal statement and opted for a conversation instead.
“It was so powerful, so passionate and compassionate,” said Larkin, general director of the Sisters of Social Service in Los Angeles. “That was the thing that stood out to me the most. It was inspiring and reinforced how important our ministry is.”
At St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Alta Loma, Vivian Imbruglia created a public tribute to Pope Francis by placing his portrait and an empty golden chair inside the parish. The esteemed iconographer had been preparing for the Holy Father’s passing while simultaneously praying it wouldn’t happen. Now that it has, Imbruglia says all she can do is pay her respects.
“This is historical. I want everyone passing by to understand this,” Imbruglia said. “We will honor him in our Church as the successor of St. Peter.”
Imbruglia, whose art graces churches throughout the region, had gifted the pope two of her works. She attended his papal inauguration in 2013 and was struck by his call to help the homeless.
“I can’t write a check for $30,000, but what I can do is use the gift God gave me,” said Imbruglia. “I donated a print of my work to a shelter in San Bernardino and they auctioned it for a good amount of money. I did that for years because of Pope Francis.”
Book illustrator Amy Rodriguez also plans to express her bereavement through art by drawing a portrait of Pope Francis. In addition to hearing the pope speak at two different World Youth Days, Rodriguez attended a private audience in Rome as a member of The Sower, the English language branch of El Sembrador Ministries.
“He was so warm and kind,” said Rodriguez, a parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Pasadena. “I love him as our Holy Father and feel like he gave so much of himself to the Church. He inspires me to make a similar offering.”
Rodriguez says she’s praying for Pope Francis and his successor.
“I trust the Lord has a plan for the Church as he always does,” she said. “He will bring us the servant that he wants to guide us.”
Deza says the legacy of Pope Francis will “survive his life” and continue to influence Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
“He talked about climate change, he talked about politics, he left us three beautiful encyclicals,” Deza said. “I think he is here with us, not his living body, his words. And his words were so powerful.”
