Franciscan Alliance board chairwoman reflects on life, death of Pope Francis

Sister M. Aline Shultz recalls seeing Holy Father during trips to Rome

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Sister M. Aline Shultz, OSF, intentionally spoke of Pope Francis in the present

tense on Monday, just hours after the news broke of his death.

The chairwoman of the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees said someone offered her

condolences Monday on the Pope’s passing. She thanked them and reminded them, “his presence

is still here.”

“The physical presence is a loss but knowing that on Easter Monday he was welcomed into glory

by God in Heaven is such a blessing,” Shultz said.

Shultz has traveled to Rome, Vatican City and Assisi many times for mission trips and pilgrimages

with her coworkers in the Catholic healthcare ministry and fellow Sisters of St. Francis of

Perpetual Adoration.

She was in the presence of Pope Francis twice during those trips and said it was a visceral

experience.

“Just listening to him at The Angelus where he leads the faithful in praying from the window of

his study overlooking St. Peter’s Square, he radiates this presence of holiness and joy,” Shultz

said. “You perceive it with all your senses. As a religious, he really is the presence of Jesus among

us. It’s awe-inspiring to be in his presence, just incredibly impactful.”

Shultz said the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration are a papal community, meaning their

19 th Century charter was approved by Rome. She said it takes years to fully understand the

impact a pope’s life has, “not only on the Catholic church, but the entire world.”

Shultz said she thought it was fitting that one of the Pope’s last acts was visiting those in prison.

“He had a heart for the poor,” Shultz said. “I remember at the beginning of his papacy, he would

get into a Fiat and drive around Rome and no one knew where he was. He was visiting the poor.”

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CUTLINE 1: Pope Francis is seen in St. Peter’s square in this photo taken by Sister M. Aline Shultz,

chairwoman of the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees during one of her many trips to Vatican

City with the Catholic healthcare ministry.

CUTLINE 2: Pope Francis is seen in St. Peter’s square in this photo taken by Sister M. Aline Shultz,

chairwoman of the Franciscan Alliance Board of Trustees during one of her many trips to Vatican

City with the Catholic healthcare ministry.

About Franciscan Alliance: The Franciscan Alliance healthcare ministry began in Lafayette, Ind.

in 1875. Today, Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the

Midwest with 12 hospital campuses, more than 19,000 employees and a number of nationally

recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Hospitals include Franciscan Health Carmel;

Franciscan Health Crawfordsville; Franciscan Health Crown Point; Franciscan Health Dyer;

Franciscan Health Indianapolis; Franciscan Health Lafayette; Franciscan Health Michigan City;

Franciscan Health Mooresville; Franciscan Health Munster; Franciscan Health Olympia Fields

(Ill.), Franciscan Health Orthopedic Hospital (Carmel) and Franciscan Health Rensselaer.