Gov. Josh Shapiro Honors Pope Francis' Legacy as a Voice for the Voiceless

Remembering Pope Francis

• 😔 Governor Josh Shapiro expressed deep sadness upon hearing the news of Pope Francis' passing.
• 🤝 Shapiro recalled an extraordinary honor of meeting the Pope in 2015 during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

A Powerful Encounter with Survivors

• 📍 While greeting the Pope at a seminary, Shapiro followed him into a lobby where Pope Francis was quietly meeting with survivors of sexual abuse by predator priests.
• 💖 The Pope expressed sympathy and committed to taking steps to stop such abuse, a moment Shapiro found incredibly powerful.
• ✉️ Years later, as Pennsylvania's Attorney General, Shapiro recalled this meeting and wrote to the Pope, noting the Pope's international acknowledgment of survivors' pain, drawing from their 2015 encounter.

Pope's Impact and Legacy

• 🗣️ Shapiro stated that Pope Francis was a voice for the voiceless on many issues and honored his work.
• 🗺️ He believes the Pope laid out a roadmap for everyone to follow, emphasizing the importance of leading with compassion and continuing the work of being a voice for the voiceless.