Rep. Nancy Pelosi shakes palms with Pope Francis on Capitol Hill in September 2015.
Nikki Kahn/Pool/ AP
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Nikki Kahn/Pool/ AP
Catholics all over the world are mourning the loss of life of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at age 88. Amongst them is Speaker of the Home Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who informed NPR she met Pope Francis a handful of instances.
In an interview with All Issues Thought-about host Mary Louise Kelly, Pelosi recounted a go to by which he laughed at her.
Pelosi was ready for him in his workplace and when he opened the door, “tears simply flowed down my eyes … I used to be simply overwhelmed by seeing him.”
She was overcome with emotion, however met by his kindness.
“How he reacted is what actually bought me,” she informed NPR. “He simply laughed and laughed and laughed that I used to be so tearful upon seeing him.”
Pelosi praised Francis as “humble, brave and assured.”
“He would at all times say, ‘Pray for me.’ And I would be like, ‘Properly wait a minute, your Holiness, you are presupposed to be praying for the remainder of us.'”
As we speak, Pelosi stated, “I am praying to him …. He is a saintly individual. I am praying to him.”
This interview has been flippantly edited for size and readability.
Interview highlights
Mary Louise Kelly: I keep in mind whenever you and I spoke final summer season, I used to be interviewing you about your memoir, your e-book, and also you talked about rising up Catholic and the way at the moment your religion stays very deep. So, simply say a little bit bit extra about that — what Pope Francis’ loss of life means to you personally.
Nancy Pelosi: Properly, his loss of life means a terrific deal to me personally, however to many, many Catholics and other people of religion all through the world. In order that’s why it is such a day of unhappiness. I used to be at his set up on the Feast of Saint Joseph. Then I’ve had 4 alternatives to go to with him and converse with him, typically with my youngsters, typically formally and at all times, at all times, at all times impressed by him. He would at all times say, “Pray for me.” And I would be like, “Properly, wait a minute, your Holiness, you are presupposed to be praying for the remainder of us.” So this signal of his humility: “Pray for me.” After which his confidence and his braveness to do all of the fantastic issues that he did was fairly outstanding.
Kelly: And it sounds such as you’re praying for him at the moment.
Pelosi: I am praying to him at the moment. I am praying to him at the moment.
Individuals mild candles as they pay respects in entrance of a portrait of Pope Francis on Monday throughout a condolence assembly in New Delhi.
Sajjad Hussain/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
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Sajjad Hussain/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Kelly: When was the final time you noticed him or had been in a position to converse with him?
Pelosi: The final time I noticed him, we visited Saint Peter’s, after all, on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Then they known as me exterior and stated, “We wish you to attend right here.” And we simply waited there. My husband and I, Paul and I. After which the door opened and in got here His Holiness in a wheelchair at a distant door. However he stood up and walked over to the place we had been. And we had this stunning chat and it was photographed and so they put it on the market publicly. That was the final time I noticed him. Proper earlier than that, although, is after I had the personal go to with him in his workplace. They usually informed me after we went there, these guidelines are very strict, they’re 400 years previous, so you could obey all the principles. So, I went to see him at his workplace. As quickly because the door opened, I used to be dealing with him. He was standing on the opposite aspect of the door and tears simply flowed down my eyes. I used to be simply, simply overwhelmed by seeing him. However how he reacted is what actually bought me is he simply laughed and laughed and laughed that I used to be so tearful upon seeing him.
Kelly: He was, after all, a non secular chief and likewise a political one. This was not a person afraid of a battle. I am considering, for instance, concerning the positions he took in LGBTQ rights, transgender rights — at a second when these are being walked again right here within the U.S. What does it imply for the world to have misplaced his voice at this second?
Pelosi: Properly, we’re going to have a brand new pope quickly and hopefully he’ll respect the dignity of each individual. I do need to, although, add that one of many issues that he did is simply enlarge the problem to God’s creation. All of God’s youngsters had been treasured to him and God’s creation — that will be our local weather, our globe. And he wrote an encyclical about saving the planet as God’s creation.
Kelly: So, understanding that at the moment is a day of mourning for you, for a lot of Catholics, a day to pay respect to Pope Francis. What qualities would you hope to see in his successor? What features of his legacy would you want to see carried on?
Pope Francis Greats Individuals in December 2024. Andreas Solaro/Afp by way of Getty Photographs Cover Caption
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Andreas Solaro/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Pelosi: Proper now, it is exhausting to speak about what comes subsequent after we’re nonetheless mourning him. And truly in church yesterday, Christ is risen. Easter, essentially the most superb of all holidays. And we prayed for him in church yesterday, too. However we at all times pray for the pope in church. I do consider that whoever is chosen, the pope is the pope impressed by the Holy Ghost and accepts no matter that call is.
Kelly: You are making me suppose. Once I wakened this morning and heard the information, I believed, Oh, I’m wondering if he was hanging on for another Easter. We’ll by no means know. However do you suppose he was hanging on to have a good time another Easter?
Pelosi: Properly, it might be. You recognize, it is essentially the most superb feast within the church. Christ is risen is the premise of our religion. And I do not know if he had the selection to remain on or not, however thank God that he was in a position to and to drive by the gang and want Blissful Easter to individuals and the enjoyment that it gave to all of the individuals within the sq. to see him, thank God that he was ready to have the ability to keep alive for Easter. That was outstanding. After which this morning, after we heard the information, it was after all. After all, after all. He stayed right here another day. So stunning.
This story was tailored for the online by Karen Zamora.
