It is with great sadness that COPS/Metro joins the world in mourning the loss of Pope Francis today.
Pope Francis was a friend, an ally, and a supporter of our organization because he, too, believed in our focus on social justice. He welcomed our leaders into his home in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for extensive discussions about our work and he encouraged us to continue to advocate on behalf of those marginalized in our communities.
His kindness, his humor, and his generosity are indelibly engraved in COPS/Metro and our sister organizations throughout the country.
In a message to the organizations in 2023, the pontiff said he was impressed by the work that we do always starting with concrete situations, not from the world of ideas and he highlighted our specific contributions in developing parish leaders.
COPS/Metro leaders feel the loss of a great leader, a person of peace, and of the deepest faith who dedicated his life to living out the Gospel with humility and courage. We dedicate ourselves to furthering the causes Pope Francis held so dear to his heart in pursuit of justice and equality.
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"Pope Francis blessed the work of COPS/Metro to lift up the least and the last, the marginalized and the oppressed. Meeting him changed me. The visit affirmed my conviction to the social teachings of the Church. He encouraged us to see every encounter in life as an opportunity to encounter Christ. Our own brokenness poured into the encounter of another’s brokenness creates a pathway forward." said Fr. Jimmy Drennan, COPS/Metro leader. "He was so attentive to each of us when we met in his living room; he was waiting for us. He greeted each person one by one. He asked me how many grandchildren I had, and over the 90-minute meeting, we shared stories of how we have changed because of the work we do in the community. We had a dialogue with the Pope about our hopes and our dreams." said Sonia Rodriguez, COPS/Metro leader.
