Toowoomba bishop Ken Howell pays tribute to late Pope Francis

The legacy of Pope Francis will one of humility and service according to the leader of Darling Downs Catholics.

Pope Francis meeting with Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba Bishop Ken Howell during an Ad limina meeting in 2019.

Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba Bishop Ken Howell has paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, calling him a man of humility.

“Pope Francis brought about that great sense of being a listening church rather than it being top down,” he said.

“He wanted to listen to people and to hear and then through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit make decisions and move forward.”

The 88-year-old pontiff passed away on Monday, two days after he made a public appearance at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Easter Sunday.

During his time as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis elevated the role of women in the church, appointing many to positions that had previously been filled by archbishops and cardinals.

Pope Francis, left, embraces Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, at the Vatican, June 28, 2017.

Pope Francis was a staunch advocate for the poor and urged the global community to be more caring stewards of the natural world.

He also softened the church’s attitude to the LGBTI community, but remained steadfast in his opposition to abortion, birth control and the ordination of female priests.

“Pope Francis brought a very human face to the church,” Bishop Howell said.

“It was an approachable face, he only wanted to wear very simple vestments. They were all beautiful, but very simple.

“He did not want a lot of fuss, but he brought dignity to the role.”

Bishop Howell had two meetings with Pope Francis and said one interaction typified the pontiff’s care.

It was during an Ad limina visit, a meeting of Australia bishops held in Rome every five years.

The pontiff did not have a complete grasp of English and required a translator to sit beside him during the two hour session.

“It was a lovely, casual moment where we all sat in a circle and he just listened more than anything, he made some responses and asked us some questions,” Bishop Howell said.

“It certainly wasn’t a case of, ‘I’ll give you a speech and you just sit there’.

“He wanted to hear what we had to say, that was what was totally characteristic of Pope Francis.”

Faithful pray during a mass at San Jose Flores basilica after Pope Francis' death on April 21, 2025 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Tobias Skarlovnik/Getty Images)

The meeting was held in the middle of a hot June day and beside the Pontiff was a bottle of water.

“Pope Francis picks up the glass, opens the bottle and tips in the water and we were thinking, ‘oh he’s going to have a drink’ but he hands the glass to the interpreter.

“To be conscious of others, to the person who is assisting you like that, it was quite lovely to see.”

A conclave will be held in Rome in the coming weeks to decide a successor.

Bishop Howell said the cardinals will meet in private, pray and discuss who is best to lead the church.

“The cardinal will say, there is something about ‘that guy’, like he’s got a good understanding of the church, or he is a gentle spirit or there is something about him that we need in the Pope at this particular time.”