“I can still remember where I was when we learned that we had a new pope in 2013. A Jesuit pope from Latin America — how wonderful! I couldn’t believe it when I heard that he had selected the name ‘Francesco,’ and I knew from his humble actions that very first day he would lead us to be disciples of Jesus.”

That’s how Elizabeth, a member of the Social Justice and Peace Commission of St. Michael’s Parish, remembers the moment.

St. Michael’s was a new parish at that time. Though the Catholic Church in the Augusta area is two centuries old, the new parish was only established in 2007 by combining six former churches from Winthrop to Whitefield. The parish’s Social Justice and Peace Commission was soon to be formed in 2015. This column is about what Pope Francis means to the members of that commission.

From the start, people could see this was a different kind of pope. Frank remembers that “He was humble. He apologized for his mistakes. He was approachable. He spoke and acted on behalf of far-flung groups traditionally shunned by the church.” Karen says that “Pope Francis demonstrated his values through denying the typical ornate ways that surrounded previous popes. He adopted a lifestyle with less emphasis on how a pope looks and more on how he loves.”

Father Frank Morin, pastor at that time, and now retired in Waterville, assembled a group of parishioners to study Church teaching on social justice. When Pope Francis came out with his encyclical Laudato Si in 2015, the group was energized. Two members had careers in environmental fields, Peter in fish and wildlife, and Frank in forestry. Peter remembers that “it was amazing to have the leader of the Catholic Church take on such an important issue.” Frank was impressed that the pope “elevated climate change to a moral issue.” Karen was moved by the fact that “the pope connected the people to the planet, the suffering of the poor to the suffering of the Earth.”

The study group turned into a formal commission. We sponsored educational workshops on Laudato Si, immigration, corrections, housing and addiction.

But we needed to do more than study.

Pope Francis was not about talking, he was about serving. He was not about judging, he was about humility. He described the Church as a “field hospital” to welcome and heal and care for the poor and marginalized in society. Barbara says that “He focused us on the Ordo Amoris (the order of love), that love is to be universally applied, not just for those who share genes or real estate.”

We sponsored special collections and donation drives for furniture and appliances for the poor, diapers and supplies for pregnant mothers, toothpaste and soap and daily needs for the homeless, food banks and Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas presents.

Soon, we were providing breakfasts and meals for the poor. In these efforts, we found ourselves working closely with many people of other faiths — and even former Catholics. This experience enlarged our world and expanded our community.

Bill sees Pope Francis as encouraging this wider view.

“What struck me most about Pope Francis was the hope he gave to Catholics, non-Catholics and fallen-away Catholics. One fallen-away Catholic said to me, ‘Well, I’m not a fan of the Catholic Church, but I like what the new guy is doing. His personal demeanor and actions always spoke louder than dusty Church doctrine.”

Frank adds that “The pope sought to build bridges to other faiths, once saying all religions are paths to God. Early in his papacy, he even said atheists can go to heaven if they lead honorable lives.”

Today, our commission has 15 members and more than 100 volunteers. We serve 700 breakfasts and 600 dinners a year, produce 1,000 pounds of produce from the parish garden for food banks, provide 300 Thanksgiving baskets and continue with our special collections educational programs.

But it’s important to remember that Pope Francis was never about numbers. He was about a change of heart.

“Pope Francis was a breath of fresh air,” Peter says.

Elizabeth sums it up this way: “His encyclicals (letters to the world) have been very influential in my life personally, as well as in our parish ministry. We try to take those messages to heart. To quote Pope Francis, ‘An authentic faith — which is never comfortable — always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this Earth somehow better than we found it.’”

Here in Maine, we grew together as a commission under the inspiration of Pope Francis. We continue with the support of our pastor, Father Nathan March.

Although Pope Francis has died, his life and spirit remain alive. And that is what the Easter season is all about.