Fr. David Convertino, OFM
Executive Director of Development
Franciscus.
One word.
That’s all Pope Francis asked to be carved on his tombstone: Franciscus.
Not “Supreme Pontiff.” Not “Holy Father.” Not even “Pope.”
Just his name.
But in that one name lies a vision of the Church.
A whole way of life.
A whole echo of the little poor man of Assisi whose name he dared to take.
When Jorge Bergoglio stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and chose the name Francis, it was more than a tribute. It was a declaration of his intentions. He chose a saint who spoke to the heart of the Gospel message—poverty, humility, peace, mercy, and a deep love of creation.
He captured the relational core of the man from Assisi who saw all as brother and sister. The first pope ever to take that name, and he lived it with amazing simplicity and radical tenderness.
Like the original Francis, he embraced the leper of our society. He kissed the broken. He crossed boundaries of nation, class, and creed. He chose the smell of the sheep over the perfume of the palace. He spoke uncomfortable truths to the powerful and consoled the forgotten with gentle words and quiet, powerful gestures.
Franciscus.
It is a name that calls the Church back to its roots.
It is a name that says less pomp, more prayer; less judgment, more joy.
It is a name that reminds us that faith is not about dominance or control, but about washing feet and welcoming strangers.
And when that single word is etched in stone marker at St. Mary Major—Franciscus—it will not just mark a grave.
It will proclaim a legacy.
May we remember him not just by his name, but by how he lived it.
Many Blessings,
Fr. David, OFM
Fr. David Convertino, OFM
Executive Director of Development
As we begin to journey through the Easter season, we are reminded that love is stronger than death and that in Christ, life is transformed, not ended. The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that those we love are never truly lost but live on in the embrace of God’s eternal mercy.
There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t think of my parents who have died, and I know many Friars do the same. Our parents were the first to teach us love, sacrifice, and the quiet strength of faith. Whether through whispered prayers, shared meals, laughter and tears, or the simple warmth of their presence, they shaped the men we became.
In our Catholic tradition, we pray for the souls of our parents and all the faithful departed, believing that our love does not end with this life but continues into eternity. We remember them especially at Mass, through prayers, and in the many stories shared about them around a table filled with friars, family, or friends. It is a beautiful reminder that our connection to them—just like the Communion of Saints—is unbroken.
Yet, we know that not everyone has fond memories of their parents. For some, childhood may have been marked by absence, loss, or even deep wounds caused by pain or abuse. If that is your experience, please know that your suffering is seen, and your wounds are not forgotten. God, our loving Father, walks with you, offering healing where brokenness lingers and hope where sorrow remains. Easter itself is the story of triumph after suffering, of light overcoming the deepest darkness. In Christ, we find the grace to reclaim our dignity, to move forward in peace, and, when possible, to embrace the power of forgiveness—not to excuse the past but to free our hearts from its chains.
Easter is the season of hope, renewal, and resurrection. Just as Christ rose from the tomb, we, too, are called to try and rise from our private dark and hurt filled tombs to new life—to love beyond grief, to forgive beyond wounds, and to trust in the promise that one day, in God’s mercy, we will be reunited with those we have loved who have gone on before us.
“May this Easter season wrap you in the peace that soothes every sorrow, fill your spirit with the kind of joy that breaks through even the heaviest burdens, and anchor your soul in the unshakable hope that, in Christ, love conquers all—even death itself, transforming our deepest wounds into grace, our grief into the promise of reunion, and our darkest nights into the dawn of new life.”
Many Easter Blessings,
Fr. David, OFM
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