You could always find him: Cardinal recalls Francis’ work ethic

Cardinal Fernández, who presided over the Mass, focused his homily on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker and International Workers' Day, recalling that workers were “so dear to Pope Francis.”

Inspired by Pope Francis' fight for “the dignity of work,” the former prefect — his position, like almost all the Curia posts, has been suspended since the vacancy of the See — castigated the “false meritocracy” according to which “only those who have succeeded in life have merit.”

He noted the contrast between “a person born into a good family who has been able to increase their wealth, lead a comfortable life with a nice house, a car, and vacations abroad” and a person who “did not have the good fortune to be born into the same environment” and who “struggles to survive” despite the sweat they sacrifice.

Echoing the Pope's own description of himself, Cardinal Fernández described Francis as “a descendant of Piedmontese immigrants who did not come [to Argentina] with the desire to be assisted, but with a great willingness to roll up their sleeves.”

He presented Pope Francis as “a worker” who “lived his mission throughout his life with great effort, passion, and commitment.”

“He didn't just work in the morning, with meetings, audiences, celebrations, and encounters, but also all afternoon,” said his former collaborator. "I always had a hard time understanding how he could keep up such a demanding work schedule, given his age and the fact that he suffered from several illnesses."

The cardinal particularly praised his “heroic” gesture of visiting a prison on Holy Thursday, just four days before his death.

Addressing the employees of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Fernández emphasized that Pope Francis' life was “an encouragement to live [their] work with generosity” and to “sacrifice themselves in their commitments.”

The cardinal's observation echoed an idea shared by the doctor present at the Pope's death:

On the day when the Catholic Church celebrates St. Joseph the Worker, Cardinal Fernández also recalled the Pope's attachment to this saint: “When Pope Francis had a big problem, he would place a piece of paper with a prayer under the image of [sleeping] St. Joseph," he recalled.