News Story

April 21, 2025

Statement from La Roche University on the Passing of Pope Francis

The La Roche University community joins Catholics around the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the Holy See, the Society of Jesus—the religious order he entered in 1958—and the global Catholic Church.

As a Catholic university founded and sponsored by the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence, La Roche is deeply rooted in the values of compassion, justice, peace, and inclusivity. Pope Francis exemplified these values through his humble leadership, his tireless advocacy for the poor and marginalized, and his call to care for creation as a sacred responsibility. He called on Catholic universities in particular ‘to be an expression of the love that inspires every activity of the Church, namely, God’s love for the human person.’ This idea underlies our university motto, ad lucem per amorem, “to light through love.”

Through his life and writings—including Laudato Si’, which called the world to ecological conversion, and Fratelli Tutti, which envisioned a more fraternal and unified humanity—Pope Francis challenged us to widen our circle of care. His voice was often a light for the unheard and unseen.

Rooted in Providence and called to educate global citizens, La Roche is especially grateful for the Holy Father’s emphasis on dialogue, dignity, and the Gospel’s call to service.

We invite the La Roche community to come together in prayer for a Mass of Remembrance on Friday, April 25 at noon in Magdalen Chapel. Together, we will honor Pope Francis’s life and legacy, and renew our own commitment to the values he lived so fully.

May his soul rest in peace.

Christina A. Clark, Ph.D.
President
La Roche University

Sister Elena Almendarez, CDP
Executive Director of Mission Integration
Chief Mission Officer
La Roche University