Flag Raising Ceremony Students’ Sharing 2025-5-2

Hedy and Stanson, students from Form 3 Juniper and Form 5 Juniper, shared the news about Pope Francis's passing. In their speech, they mentioned his contributions to the world, his fulfilling and humble life, and the information about the selection of the next Pope.

Written by Hedy Tsang (Form 3) and Stanson Chan (Form 5)

Stanson: Good morning everyone. I am Stanson Chan from F5 Juniper.

Hedy: And I am Hedy Tsang from F3 Juniper. 

Stanson: Hedy, have you heard the news about the passing of Pope Francis? 

Hedy: Yes indeed. It is a great loss to the world! 

Stanson: True. Pope Francis died of a stroke on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. 

Hedy: That's unfortunate! As I mentioned earlier, it is a great loss to the world. I have heard a lot about his contributions during his life. He initiated changes in the Vatican's financial operations to improve transparency and accountability and address long-standing corruption. Additionally, he made the church more inclusive and welcoming, especially through his outreach to the LGBTQ and other communities. I think he did make a revolution and was influential. 

Stanson: Yes, and Pope Francis is considered one of the most powerful people in the world. After his death, more than 250,000 people, including world leaders, attended Pope Francis’s funeral to pay their respects, showing his influence on both Christians and non-Christians.

Hedy: After Pope Francis' recent health, his death was not entirely unexpected, even though the news came as a shock. Pope Francis left an extraordinary legacy as a pastor. We must seek to carry forward and strengthen it. Pope Francis has inspired over a million people with his message of love and hope, reminding us of the importance of kindness and compassion in our daily lives. And I appreciate that his heart was particularly concerned for the poor among us, who lived simply, cared for the poor, and even continued this lifestyle when he began as Pope.

Stanson: I remember seeing him on TV on Easter Sunday, giving his blessings to the public in the Vatican. I never expected that he would pass away the next day. This shows us the fragility of human life and how you should never take health for granted. Despite combating hospitalisations for double pneumonia and inability to talk from illness, he still insisted on showing up for Easter Sunday.

Hedy: I guess that’s life. I admire his spirit, and he is a real testament to God’s faith. 

Stanson: Death is inevitable, for it is all that life shares. What matters more is how you can live fulfillingly and modestly. Pope Francis lived a fairly modest lifestyle. I have heard that a pope makes around $32,000 per month, but he chose not to accept it and donated it to a charity instead, which showcased his philanthropy and care for the people. In his final testament, he requested himself to be buried in a tomb of only one coffin, a simplification from three coffins, unlike most Popes, emphasizing that he wanted to be remembered as a humble shepherd and disciple of Christ, and not a powerful man. With such high status, he demanded not power, not wealth, not influence, but advocated mutual understanding and love under the guidance of his religion, demonstrating that you do not need wealth to live a fulfilling life. 

Hedy: This is so true, Stanson. I totally agree that we have to live a fulfilling life and make our lives meaningful. I have to make every day count! While we reflect on Pope Francis’ impactful legacy, many people may wonder how the next pope will be chosen. I have done some research on this, but before I shared, do you know anything about this, Stanson?

Stanson: Oh yes, I’ve recently seen the news of the election process. To be eligible as a candidate for the next pope, cardinals, who are the senior members of the clergy of the Catholic Church, have to be under the age of 80.

Hedy: Let me share something more. During this time, Cardinal College will host a Conclave, a meeting held in absolute secrecy where cardinals will have no communication with the outside world. As of this year, a total of 134 cardinals are candidates to become the next pope.

Stanson: The candidates would need to reach a two-thirds majority of the votes in order to be selected as the next pope. Outside the Sistine Chapel where the conclave is being held, the smoke is the indication of the results. If the smoke is black, there will be another round of voting. A white smoke signals that a new pope has been chosen. The longest wait for a new pope lasted a whole two years and nine months! 

Hedy: Surprisingly, it only took Pope Francis 2 days to be elected. Did you know out of 266 popes in the Catholic (cat flick) Church, Pope Francis was the only Latin-American Pope? This makes me wonder who the next pope might be. Let’s keep an eye on this matter! 

Hedy & Stanson: That’s it for today’s sharing, thank you!