As Catholic mourners reflect on the life of Pope Francis, tales are emerging of his final actions — stories that confirm his care and mercy towards prisoners, whom he repeatedly showed were particularly close to his heart.
Monsignor Benoni “Don Ben” Ambarus, who was Francis’ in charge of charity and prison pastoral care in Rome, has told Italian media that before his death, the pope donated €200,000 from his personal account to a pasta factory that operates in a juvenile prison, Casal del Marmo.
“I told him that we have a big mortgage for this pasta factory and if we can lower it we will lower the price of pasta, sell more and hire more boys,” Ambarus told La Repubblica newspaper. “He replied, ‘I’ve finished almost all the money, but I still have something in my account.’ And he gave me €200,000.”
Ambarus described how for Holy Thursday last week, the pope invested his last bit of energy to visit the Regina Coeli prison.
“I remember a tired man, who dragged himself, but shouted with his presence the need for attention to the prisoners. He dragged himself for them, until his last breath. That is why the prisoners saw hope in him. A father died for them.”
The bishop also recalled the opening of the Holy Door at Rebibbia, on the occasion of the Jubilee inauguration last December, when the Pope wanted him at his side.
“It was exciting, but above all for those people,” Ambarus said. “They felt ‘seen'”.
“Since Monday I have been receiving messages from people who say they feel orphaned. Some prisoners have asked me to put a flower on Francis’ grave for them. I am working so that his favourite children can be at the funeral.”
However, Ambarus also condemned the legal system for failing to respond to the pope’s calls for leniency and mercy toward inmates.
“The words, the huge gestures he made, the washing of the feet, Holy Thursday, the appeals were received little and translated even less into practical action,” Ambarus recalled.
“(Pope Francis) called for more to be done to restore dignity to people…But there was no complete translation of his appeals. Like on the discounting of sentences,” he added.
“A great sadness enveloped the prisoners when they realised that the institutions had done nothing, not even a small signal.”
Although entitled to a papal salary of some €30,000 a month, Pope Francis refused to collect it throughout his papacy, instead deferring it to various organisations, churches and others in need.
