Two video capsules to rediscover the missionary legacy of Pope François, one year after his death

Montréal, April 20, 2025 – As the first anniversary of the death of Pope François approaches, which occurred on April 21, 2025, the Pontifical Mission Societies in French-speaking Canada are releasing two new video capsules dedicated to the missionary legacy of the man who profoundly marked the contemporary Church.

Through his words and actions, Pope François reached millions of believers and refocused the Church on the Gospel and on the mission entrusted to every baptized person. His pontificate strongly reminded us that the Church cannot remain closed in on itself: it is called to “go forth,” to reach out to the peripheries and bring hope to those who need it most.

“Pope François gave a very strong missionary impulse back to the Church. He reminds us that Mission is not reserved for a few specialists: it concerns all the baptized, who are called to bear witness to the Gospel in their daily lives, with simplicity and closeness,” emphasizes Father Yoland Ouellet, O.M.I., National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in French-speaking Canada. “On this first anniversary of his death, these capsules are an invitation to rediscover François’s call for the Church to never cease being close to people and engaged in the world.”

Two perspectives on a living legacy

The video series invites viewers to discover how François’s missionary legacy is being received, interpreted, and put into practice today through two complementary testimonies.

The first capsule features Cardinal Gérald C. Lacroix, Archbishop of Québec, who knew Pope François well and worked closely with him. He shares a personal reflection on the pontiff’s missionary vision.

“François constantly reminded us that the Church exists to evangelize,” says Cardinal Lacroix. “His closeness to people, especially the most vulnerable, shows us that Mission begins with an encounter with Christ, who sends us out to encounter our brothers and sisters in humanity.”

The second capsule highlights the perspective of poet and essayist Jacques Gauthier, who has devoted several writings to the spirituality and thought of Pope François.

“Pope François brought the Gospel back to the heart of daily life. His missionary legacy reminds us that faith is not an abstract idea, but a living encounter that moves us to go out of ourselves to love and serve,” the author notes.

The first capsule is available today on the YouTube channel of the Pontifical Mission Societies in French-speaking Canada, while the second will be released next week. They are the result of a collaboration with the Lucien-Labelle Foundation.

About the Pontifical Mission Societies

An international network within the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) encourage Catholics around the world to bear witness to the Gospel everywhere, with particular attention to new or emerging dioceses that, not yet self-sufficient, are in great need of human and spiritual resources. Present in more than 120 countries, the PMS consist of four societies—the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (Mission Faith), the Missionary Childhood Association (Mond’Ami), the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (Priests of Tomorrow), and the Pontifical Missionary Union (Animissio)—each with its own vocation and charism. For more information, please visit opmcanada.ca.