Daniel Gallagher worked as a papal secretary for a decade. When Pope Francis died, he shared two anecdotes to show us the real man behind the role.
The first is about Francis meeting his calligraphers, who handwrite papal bulls and decrees in beautiful lettering onto sheets of actual parchment. They are proud craftsmen, and some of their families have been doing the work for generations, Gallagher explains.
“After the head calligrapher demonstrated for His Holiness the painstaking process of producing one of these treasures, […] Francis innocently and undiplomatically asked why these documents could not be produced using a computer and printer. After all, it would save a lot of time, effort, and yes, money. […] The calligraphers explained to Francis that, with all due respect, handwriting these documents ensured their uniqueness and authenticity. Besides, why would the Vatican want to give up this timeless art and cease creating these gorgeous masterpieces? Good point, His Holiness replied sheepishly (and the calligraphers kept their jobs).”
Can you imagine the dropped jaws? Here’s a group holding a central role in the papal system for centuries, explaining their craft, and the Pope merely asks: “Why don’t we just print these?” “It was the wrong thing to say at the wrong time,” Gallagher concludes. But, to his credit, “Francis was always quick to acknowledge his faults and apologize.”
He may have been too frank too quickly at times, but, in turn, he was also fast to follow up with apologies. “Oh. You’re right. That makes sense. My bad!” These words, too, easily rolled off Francis’ tongue, and they made up for plenty of verbal missteps along his way.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Even the pope gets it wrong—but it’s never too late to admit you made a mistake, apologize, and move on.
