In memory of Pope Francis.

89(R) HR 945 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

H.R. No. 945

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, People the world over are mourning the loss of Pope

Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88,

shortly after offering his Easter Sunday blessing to the faithful

gathered in the Vatican's Saint Peter's Square; and

WHEREAS, Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires,

Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Pope Francis was the son of Mario

and Regina Bergoglio, and he was deeply influenced by his

grandmother, Rosa Bergoglio, who had been active in the Catholic

Action movement in Italy before the family emigrated to Argentina;

at age 12, he entered a school run by Salesian priests, who

instilled in him a sense of duty to the poor, and he accepted his

calling at the age of 16; he was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969;

and

WHEREAS, Pope Francis was appointed to lead the Jesuit order

in Argentina in 1973; during the "Dirty War" that took place during

the rule of the country's repressive military junta, he quietly

worked to save the lives of many people; he went on to serve in

Germany and then in the Argentine city of Córdoba; in 1992, he was

named auxiliary bishop of the Buenos Aires diocese, and six years

later, he became archbishop; during his time in that role, he helped

relieve the suffering caused by Argentina's economic crisis,

organizing food kitchens, tripling the number of priests assigned

to the slums, and building schools and drug rehabilitation centers;

and

WHEREAS, Named a cardinal in 2001, he became a leading voice

in the church; by the time Pope Benedict XVI stepped down in 2013,

Pope Francis was preparing for retirement; instead, he was elected

pope, becoming the first Jesuit and the first member of the church

from Latin America to serve as pontiff; he was also the first to

choose the name Francis, and like St. Francis of Assisi, he

embraced a humble life of service to the most vulnerable;

demonstrating good humor and an avuncular charm that belied his

steely determination, he became a global voice for justice and

compassion; he took more than 40 trips abroad, many to places long

overlooked, in order to meet with his flock and build interfaith

bridges; at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he offered hope and

consolation via regular video livestreams; he involved Catholics

worldwide in a process of renewal, engaging the laity, welcoming a

variety of opinions, and choosing many cardinals from Latin

America, Asia, and Africa; even as he grew frail and battled ill

health, he continued to travel widely, especially striving to bring

peace to war-torn regions; and

WHEREAS, Now, with the death of this beloved pope, Cardinal

Kevin Farrell of the United States has become acting head of the

Vatican until a new pontiff is elected; born in Ireland, Cardinal

Farrell is a naturalized U.S. citizen and spent many years

ministering in the U.S., particularly as the Bishop of Dallas; he

now holds the position of camerlengo, temporarily overseeing the

day-to-day administration of the Vatican and making arrangements

for the upcoming conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect the next

pope; and

WHEREAS, Another adopted Texan, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, who

was previously the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of

Galveston-Houston and was recently succeeded by Archbishop Joe S.

Vásquez, will vote in the upcoming conclave for the election of the

new pontiff; and

WHEREAS, Pope Francis was a transformative figure, and he

will remain a tremendous source of inspiration, not only to his

fellow Catholics, but to countless people who have been heartened

by his message of enduring mercy and love; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas

Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Pope Francis and

extend deepest condolences to all who mourn his passing.

Anchía

Craddick

Thompson

Moody

Phelan

Burrows

Guerra

Morales Shaw

Alders

Guillen

Morgan

Allen

Harless

Muñoz

Anchía

Harris

Noble

Ashby

Harris Davila

Olcott

Barry

Harrison

Oliverson

Bell of Kaufman

Hayes

Ordaz

Bell of Montgomery

Hefner

Orr

Bernal

Hernandez

Patterson

Bhojani

Hickland

Paul

Bonnen

Hinojosa

Perez of El Paso

Bowers

Holt

Perez of Harris

Bryant

Hopper

Phelan

Buckley

Howard

Pierson

Bucy

Hull

Plesa

Bumgarner

Hunter

Raymond

Button

Isaac

Reynolds

Cain

Johnson

Richardson

Campos

Jones of Dallas

Rodríguez Ramos

Canales

Jones of Harris

Romero

Capriglione

Kerwin

Rose

Cole

King

Rosenthal

Collier

Kitzman

Schatzline

Cook

LaHood

Schofield

Cortez

Lalani

Schoolcraft

Craddick

Lambert

Shaheen

Cunningham

Landgraf

Shofner

Curry

Leach

Simmons

Darby

Leo Wilson

Slawson

A. Davis of Dallas

Little

Smithee

Y. Davis of Dallas

Longoria

Spiller

Dean

Lopez of Bexar

Swanson

DeAyala

Lopez of Cameron

Talarico

Dorazio

Louderback

Tepper

Dutton

Lowe

Thompson

Dyson

Lozano

Tinderholt

Fairly

Lujan

Toth

Flores

Luther

Troxclair

Frank

Manuel

Turner

Gámez

Martinez

VanDeaver

Garcia of Bexar

Martinez Fischer

Vasut

Garcia of Dallas

McLaughlin

Villalobos

Garcia Hernandez

McQueeney

Virdell

Gates

Metcalf

Vo

Gerdes

Meyer

Walle

Geren

Meza

Ward Johnson

Gervin-Hawkins

Money

Wharton

González of Dallas

Moody

Wilson

González of El Paso

Morales of Harris

Wu

Goodwin

Morales of Maverick

Zwiener

______________________________

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 945 was unanimously adopted by a rising

vote of the House on April 24, 2025.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House