As the world reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis, we remember him not only as the head of the Catholic Church but as a global moral leader who dared to speak truth where others remained silent. In Rwanda, his memory will endure most strongly for his humble act in 2017—when he asked for forgiveness over the role played by the Catholic Church in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. This act of contrition while delivered in a measured tone, was more than symbolic. It was a long-overdue acknowledgement of a painful truth that many Rwandans—especially Genocide survivors—had carried in silence for decades. For years, the Catholic Church had been intertwined with Rwanda’s divisive pre-genocide politics, and its silence during and after the killings added salt to a deep national wound. Churches, once seen as sanctuaries, became slaughterhouses. Some clergy used their pulpits not to protect life, but to advance hatred or a worst command faithful to slaughter fellow believers. Two of Pope Francis’ predecessors had opportunities to reckon with this legacy but failed to do so meaningfully. It was Pope Francis who, in an audience with President Paul Kagame in March 2017, formally expressed sorrow and asked for forgiveness for “the sins and failings of the Church and its members.” He went further—acknowledging the role of individual priests, clergy, and Catholics who took part in the killings. This was not easy. But it was right. Of course, such an apology cannot erase history, nor does it absolve the institutional failures or the complicity of individuals who are yet to be held to account. But it represented an honest and courageous attempt to begin healing—a step towards moral accountability. Pope Francis reminded the world that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice. His gesture was not just an apology; it was a challenge to global religious institutions to examine their pasts and stand firmly on the side of truth. As the Church prepares for a future beyond Pope Francis, we call upon his successor to build on this momentum. Reconciliation is a journey, not a moment. The Catholic Church must continue to support justice for survivors, confront revisionism, and ensure that its institutions never again become tools of division or violence. In Pope Francis, Rwanda saw a shepherd who chose courage over silence, truth over comfort, and peace over denial. May his example inspire leaders in faith and politics alike to do the same.
