The Archbishop of Chicago Reflects on the Life and Legacy of Pope Francis

CARDINAL BLASE CUPICH OF CHICAGO WILL BE AT THE FUNERAL AND WILL ALSO TAKE PART IN THE CONCLAVE AND HE IS JOINING THE PROGRAM .

CARDINAL BLASE CUPICH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

YOUR THOUGHTS, YOUR REFLECTIONS ON THE PASSING OF POPE FRANCIS ?

>> BIANNA, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS MORNING, WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, I HAD TO SAY I WAS STUNNED AND SADDENED.

AS I REFLECT ON HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY, ESPECIALLY THESE LAST YEARS IN WHICH HE SERVED AS THE SUCCESSOR OF PETER, I COME AWAY WITH A GREAT SENSE OF GRATITUDE THAT I GOT TO BE A PART OF IT AND LIVE IN A TIME IN WHICH HE WAS POPE .

HE ENERGIZED THE CHURCH TO MOVE FORWARD.

HE GAVE US A MORE EXPANSIVE VIEW OF WHAT WEEK WOULD BE, ESPECIALLY AS HE CALLED US TO BE A FIELD HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD, TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE WHO WERE SUFFERING BUT ALSO REMINDED US THAT THE NAME OF GOD IS MERCY.

FROM MY STANDPOINT, I JUST HAVE TO LOOK BACK ON THESE YEARS WITH A GREAT SENSE OF GRATITUDE THAT I LIVED IN A TIME IN WHICH HE ONCE THAT POPE .

>> HE WAS A FIRST IN SO MANY REGARDS, THE FIRST POPE FROM LATIN AMERICA, THE FIRST POPE IN 600 YEARS TO TAKE OVER AFTER A RETIREMENT OF HIS PREDECESSOR , AND THE FIRST TO TAKE ON THE NAME OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, THE 13TH-CENTURY SAINT OF THE POOR.

IN TAKING THAT NAME, I'M JUST CURIOUS, CARDINAL, FOR YOU, WAS THAT AN INDICATION OF WHAT HIS FOCUS, OF WHAT HIS PRIORITIES WOULD BE AS POPE?

>> WELL, HE MENTIONED THAT HE TOOK THAT NAME AFTER ONE OF THE CARDINALS DURING THE CONCLAVE AFTER HE WAS ELECTED SAID , DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE POOR.

THAT STUCK WITH HIM TO THE POINT WHERE IT MOVED AND PROMPTED HIM TO CHOOSE THE NAME OF FRANCIS, WHO IN FACT, WAS ALWAYS KNOWN IN ITALIAN AS THE , THE LITTLE POOR ONE WHO ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE WHO WERE BULLIED, EVEN THOUGH HE HIMSELF CAME FROM WEALTH AND PROMINENCE IN THE CITY OF ASSISI.

>> HAS SICK AS HE WAS, AND , OF COURSE, WE HAD COVERED HIS STAY IN THE HOSPITAL AND NOT KNOWING WHETHER OR NOT HE WOULD ACTUALLY BE DISCHARGED EARLIER THIS YEAR FROM THE HOSPITAL, HAVING SUCH A LENGTHY STAY -- THE FACT THAT HE MADE IT TO DELIVER THAT SPEECH ON EASTER SUNDAY YESTERDAY, TO ADDRESS THE MASSES, HE WAS WEAK BUT HE WAS STRONG IN SPIRIT FOR ALL OF THOSE WORSHIPERS TO SEE.

JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT SAYS TO YOU, TO US, TO CATHOLICS AROUND THE WORLD ABOUT HIS CONVICTION TO HIS FAITH.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT YES, HIS MESSAGE WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO RAISE HIS VOICE ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM WARS AND POVERTY WILL ALSO WHO ARE TRYING TO FIND A BETTER LIFE AS THEY MIGRATE.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE SAW THIS EASTER WAS NOT JUST THE WORDS, HEARING THE WORDS THAT HE GAVE US BUT HOW HE ACCOMPANIED PEOPLE EVEN TO THE LAST, WHERE HE WANTED TO HAVE A RIDE IN THE VATICAN SQUARE, TO BE WITH PEOPLE.

HE WANTED TO COME TO KNOW THAT HE WAS WITH THEM.

HE WAS A FELLOW PROGRAM WITH THEM.

I THINK THAT ALSO SAYS MUCH ABOUT HIS LEGACY.

HE WANTED TO ACCOMPANY PEOPLE AND HE TOLD US TO ACCOMPANY ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE WE ARE ALL FELLOW PILGRIMS.

>> AND, HE TOOK OVER AT THE TIME WHEN THERE WAS GREAT INTERNAL STRIFE AND DIVISION WITHIN THE CHURCH AND IN THE SECULAR WORLD AS WELL.

WE ARE JUST HOURS AFTER HIS PASSING BUT I AM CURIOUS TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIS CONTRIBUTION TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE, TO WORK ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT DROVE THE BIGGEST CRITICISM WITHIN THE CHURCH AND FROM OUTSIDE AS WELL .

>> WELL, HE HAD THE VISION OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL AND THAT IS WHAT, FOR ME, DREW ME IN A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM BECAUSE I SHARE THAT ASPIRATION AS WELL.

THE COUNCIL WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LISTENED TO WITH THE JOYS AND HOPES, THE GRIEFS AND ANXIETIES OF PEOPLE IN THIS AGE AND WE WALK WITH THEM.

BUT ALSO, HE GAVE US AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING , HAVE A VOICE IN THE WORLD TODAY AND ARE NOT MARGINALIZED.

AND SO TIME AND AGAIN, HE REMINDED US OF THAT.

EVEN THOUGH THERE IS DIVISION IN THE WORLD AND EVEN IN THE CHURCH, HE TOLD US THAT, TIME AND AGAIN , THAT THE LORD PRAYED FOR UNITY WITHIN THE HUMAN FAMILY BEFORE HE DIED.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROMOTE.