Zapopan, Jalisco; April 28, 2025. With the objective of analyzing the global and spiritual impact of Pope Francis after his death on April 21, the Universidad Panamericanathrough its campuses in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Aguascalientes, organized the forum "The Legacy of Pope Francis. The Legacy of Pope Francis. Journalistic keys to understand his legacyan intercampus dialogue that brought together experts in theology, church leaders and communicators.
The academic day, held in a virtual format on April 25, was divided into two thematic blocks: the first dealt with the pastoral keys of the pontificate of Jorge Mario Bergoglio's pontificateThe second dealt in depth with the liturgical, canonical and symbolic elements of the sede vacante and the papal funeral.
Francis' pastoral leadership
The forum was inaugurated by Dr. Abraham Mendoza AndradeAbraham Mendoza Andrade, rector of campus Guadalajara, who emphasized the importance of offering journalistic tools to understand and communicate responsibly the historical moment the Church is living:
"This forum has a very clear purpose. To offer journalistic keys to approach with depth and responsibility the moment we are living after the departure of Pope Francis. And in this sense, we recognize the fundamental role of journalism, so we want to help to narrate with fidelity, to explain with greater context and to offer society a clear reading of the facts that impact us all.", said the rector.
The first part of the meeting was led by Bishop Francisco Javier Acero Perez, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico.Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico, who shared a personal and theological reflection on the legacy of Pope Francis, whom he described as "the parish priest of the world.the parish priest of the worldHe described him as "the parish priest of the world", a Pope who is close to us, a Jesuit and deeply committed to a Church that goes out.
He addressed topics such as his formation in the Society of Jesus, his commitment to the poor and his vision of a Church present in everyday life.
"Pope Francis speaks to us about what to do, even as priests and bishops, in the midst of the situations of poverty that people suffer so much. That is, to be in the street. I like that reflection made by the young people, let us be street people of faith. We have to be street people of faith, faith is not in the office, nor is faith only in the altar. Faith is in the street"he said.
Another theme that was recalled was Pope Francis ' love for the environment.Pope Francis' professed love for the environment, which he reflected in his encyclicalwhich he reflected in the encyclical Laudato Si.
Keys to the vacant See and the Conclave
In the second section, entitled Vacant See, General Congregations and Papal Funeral Massesparticipated Rafael Piñaprofessor of Theology at the Guadalajara campus, and Fr. José Luis ÍñiguezJosé Luis Iñiguez, professor at the Universidad Panamericana and collaborator of the Apostolic Nunciature.
Both explained in depth the symbols of the Vatican coat of arms in the vacant See, the liturgical and canonical protocols of the pontifical funeral and what is to follow in the run-up to the Conclave that will begin on May 7.
"When there is no pope, the coat of arms changes: the mitre no longer appears. In its place is the umbrella, the ribbons and the crossed keys, which indicate that the see is vacant"Iñiguez explained.
They also discussed the details of the farewell rites, the tradition of papal burial and the process the Church follows in the time of transition..
University commitment to truth and rigorous analysis
With this day of dialogue, Universidad Panamericana reaffirms its commitment to truth, humanistic education and responsible journalism, by offering spaces for deep reflection on the events that mark the spiritual, social and cultural course of the contemporary world.
Through initiatives such as this one, Universidad Panamericana seeks to strengthen the link between education, faith and communication, and to contribute to a better informed, critical and constructive society.
Learn more about Universidad Panamericana 's educational model at: https://www.up.edu.mx/sobre-la-universidad-modelo-educativo/
