Local friar remembers Pope's impact

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- As Catholics around the world mourn the passing of Pope Francis, in the Capital Region, a friar in residence at Siena College is sharing a more personal side of the late Pontiff.

Known as the People's Pope, Brother Michael Perry, the Franciscan scholar in residence at Siena College, remembers the Pope not only for his deep faith, but for his more humorous side.

"Whenever I'd meet with him, he'd end with one or two jokes. Which was amazing. They were always different," said Brother Michael. "If you ever met him, his smile was contagious. It was just amazing."

Brother Michael remembers being in Rome the evening Pope Francis was introduced to the world as the leader of the Catholic Church. And as a former spiritual leader of the Franciscan Order, he accompanied the pope on several unforgettable trips, including one to the Holy Land in 2014.

It was the second time they had met in person. "He was weeping inside. He felt so much pain because the conflicts that are going on are dehumanizing everyone. Everyone is losing," he remembered. "The Palestinian, the Jewish people. Everyone loses in these wars. We've got to pursue the path of peace."

His personal connection to the pope led to a private audience last April as part of a spiritual pilgrimage for a group from Siena.

"He modeled for me what God would want for this world," he shared. "In his own life, there is an evolution. He wasn't always the same person. He grew in his own understanding in the complexity of life."

That complexity was demonstrated through his actions in front of a world audience. Brother Michael explained, "What did he do after he became pope? He went to prison. He visited migrants, showed their dignity, worth, and need for respect."

This past Saturday, a day before the holiest day on the calendar for Catholics, and two days before his death, the pope met with prisoners just as he did when he was first chosen to lead in 2013. His legacy of reaching across our differences and find healing is one Brother Michael hopes to share well beyond the campus of Siena.

"He was very concerned about future generations, do everything to pursue a path of peace. Those are the messages of his life that will speak after his death," he said.