Growing old isn’t something to be feared, but rather something to embrace as a time of grace in one’s life, Pope Francis wrote in a preface for a book that was not released before he died.

Alejandro Cañadas, now an associate professor of economics at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, met then-Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio several times from 1991 to 1997 when he was a college student in his native Argentina.

Pope Francis’ teachings and writings have had a major influence on several programs in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, notably its two-year Seek the City to Come initiative and its ongoing evangelization efforts.

In Pope Francis’ last formal interview before he died, he shared the one lifelong regret he had never forgiven himself for: lying to avoid seeing an old family acquaintance because he was too busy.

Thousands of people had made an early morning pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Square April 23 to witness the transfer and pray for the late pope; they erupted in applause when his body, in an open casket, reached the square and again when it reached the top of the basilica steps.

Elected in 2013 with a clear mandate to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis completed the project with his apostolic constitution, “Preach the Gospel,” nine years after taking office.

Tapping into the spirit and spirituality of his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis made care for creation and for all that lives on the earth a pastoral priority.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, he said April 21. He also directed federal flags be flown at half-staff in the late pontiff’s honor.

From the moment of his election, Pope Francis made clear from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica that his first mandate was to serve as bishop of Rome and be close with the people.

From the moment he took the helm of the Catholic Church’s sprawling hierarchy, Pope Francis positioned himself as a pastor close to the people he served, and he called out the behavior of priests who were distant from and thought they were superior to their flocks.