A Moral Voice the World Must Not Forget

The Pope has died. Is the world now without a moral voice?

This week, we lost far more than the head of the Catholic Church — we lost one of the world’s clearest moral voices. In an era too often dominated by division, hatred, and hollow rhetoric, Pope Francis stood as an unwavering beacon of authenticity, humility, and moral courage.

He did not posture for power. He chose to address poverty instead of politics, to seek reconciliation over rigid dogma. His papacy was a call to conscience — reminding us that we are one human family, bound not by belief or background, but by shared responsibility: to love each other, to care for each other, and to safeguard the planet for future generations.

I had the extraordinary honor of meeting Pope Francis in 2019 during his historic visit to Abu Dhabi, where he and Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. That moment — a handshake across centuries of division — marked a turning point in interfaith dialogue and global cooperation.

Later that year, I was humbled to be appointed by Pope Francis to the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity, tasked with making the vision of the Abu Dhabi declaration a living reality. I worked alongside spiritual leaders, diplomats, activists, and scholars — all inspired by the Pope’s moral clarity and his insistence that we must do more than talk about peace; we must build it.

I traveled to the Vatican in the days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur — the holiest time of year for Jews — to meet with Pope Francis. During our private audience, I began with a formal introduction: “I am Rabbi Lustig, the child of a Holocaust survivor, raised in Nashville, Tennessee…”

Before I could say more, he stopped me. “Bruce,” he said gently, “may I call you that? I know who you are. You would not be here if I did not know. Now, tell me — what keeps you up at night?”

I said: hate speech.

For the next hour, we discussed how words can build or destroy. He listened intently. He challenged my thinking. He believed, as I do, that as God spoke the world into being, so too do our words shape the world we live in.

In that sacred moment, I heard not only the voice of a religious leader, but of a teacher — one who urged us to claim our own moral voice and use it to speak out for justice, equality, and compassion.

Though medical care could not prevent his passing, Pope Francis has left us with his most powerful gift: his voice.

And now, it is our responsibility — yours and mine — to carry it forward. To speak when others are silent. To demand justice when it is denied. To act with humility, compassion, and hope.

This is how we honor Pope Francis.

This is how we ensure that his voice is not lost.

Silence is indifference. Let us speak — together.

With hope in my heart and courage in my voice,

Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig

Rabbi Emeritus, Washington Hebrew Congregation

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