21-04-2025
For Fr William Nellikkal, Pope was a man who preached mercy and inclusion
Kochi: For
Fr William Nellikkal
, who spent 12 years at
Vatican Radio
and worked under two Popes, the papacy of
Pope Francis
was marked by a desire to communicate the mercy of Christ to the world. "I knew him from when he was a Cardinal as we stayed in the Domus Internationalis Paulus VI. He always lived in room No.205 while I was in No.2011. He was very simple in his habits and throughout his papacy, it was evident that he wanted the Church to adopt a stance of mercy towards people," he said.
"I recall that he never came down for breakfast. When I asked him, he said he preferred a cup of tea and kept a kettle in his room. He invited me for tea, which was an enlightening time. I would always see him spending long hours in prayer in the chapel, and he preferred to stay on the sidelines during the mass."
In keeping with his belief that the Church should be inclusive, Pope Francis announced the extraordinary jubilee of Mercy. He abolished the ritual of washing the feet of 12 men and instead included 12 persons of different identities, including men, women, the elderly, the young, children and the handicapped. "It sent out a message that the Church should be all-inclusive and supported women being appointed to various top positions."
Fr Nellikkal said the Pope never celebrated his birthday but invited people living on the streets to the Vatican, spending the whole day with them. "He ensured setting up of special toilets and bath facilities for street dwellers of the Vatican and also provided them an area for laundry to wash and dry their own clothes, which is still live and active even now," he added.
Kochi: For Fr William Nellikkal, who spent 12 years at Vatican Radio and worked under two Popes, the papacy of Pope Francis was marked by a desire to communicate the mercy of Christ to the world. "I knew him from when he was a Cardinal as we stayed in the Domus Internationalis Paulus VI. He always lived in room No.205 while I was in No.2011. He was very simple in his habits and throughout his papacy, it was evident that he wanted the Church to adopt a stance of mercy towards people," he said.
"I recall that he never came down for breakfast. When I asked him, he said he preferred a cup of tea and kept a kettle in his room. He invited me for tea, which was an enlightening time. I would always see him spending long hours in prayer in the chapel, and he preferred to stay on the sidelines during the mass."
In keeping with his belief that the Church should be inclusive, Pope Francis announced the extraordinary jubilee of Mercy. He abolished the ritual of washing the feet of 12 men and instead included 12 persons of different identities, including men, women, the elderly, the young, children and the handicapped. "It sent out a message that the Church should be all-inclusive and supported women being appointed to various top positions."
Fr Nellikkal said the Pope never celebrated his birthday but invited people living on the streets to the Vatican, spending the whole day with them. "He ensured setting up of special toilets and bath facilities for street dwellers of the Vatican and also provided them an area for laundry to wash and dry their own clothes, which is still live and active even now," he added.
