Remembering Pope Francis: A guiding light for Sydney’s marginalised

As Pope Francis is remembered as a “Pope of the Peripheries,” the compassion of the late pontiff made him a hero and guiding star for the homeless and needy of Sydney.  

At David’s Place, a beloved outpost in Kings Cross of the Archdiocese of Sydney’s mission to support the city’s marginalised community, many were mourning the passing of Pope Francis as a father figure who helped them feel “seen and heard.” 

“I’ve been crying since I heard the news reports,” said George Szabo, who has been a friend of David’s Place for nearly two decades. For George, Pope Francis’ example, even as a young Bishop, made him relatable to those on the fringes. 

“When he was Bishop of Argentina, he didn’t catch a limousine to work. He caught a bus to work. He showed by example that the church must support the marginalised people,” he said.  

A sanctuary in Kings Cross, David’s Place is based at St Canice’s Catholic parish and has been David Marsh’s second home for 20 years. 

Marsh (known as Davo) believes Pope Francis’ legacy has been the sense of belonging he created for those cast to society’s edges.

“For us living on the streets, Pope Francis offered us a place of belonging. Pope Francis has been busy moving the marginalised into the centre of the church and the whole church benefits from that,” he said.  

“People who have been pushed down found expression in Pope Francis, and inspiration.” 

Founder Sue Buckingham called the late pontiff a constant source of joy and light for herself and those who sought refuge at the David’s Place community. 

“Pope Francis has shown from the beginning that, he supported marginalised people, people at the bottom of society, vulnerable people,” she said. 

“Homeless and needy people often feel judged and in fact, they often are judged. So, for us, Pope Francis was a breath of life, a breath of fresh air. He was a source of hope and joy and light.” 

Parish priest Fr David Braithwaite SJ said David’s Place is an integral part of the life of St Canice’s.  

“Pope Francis embodied a powerful welcome to those on the margins of the church and society that reverberated here in our parish, especially our kitchen for the homeless,” he said. 

“Francis reminded us all that the church’s mission is to extend the hand of Jesus Christ to all, especially to the poor, and to let him lift their burden of shame and rejection.” 

Michael Evans has worked at David’s Place in various roles, including prison ministry, and believes Pope Francis more than lived up to his chosen saint’s namesake.  

“It’s a wonderful hope and a wonderful faith that he’s taught us, by the way, he’s lived his life,” said Evans. 

“Taking the name of St Francis, he took on that ethos and lived it, in terms of supporting the homeless, the naked, the hungry, the orphans. He was a living example of love and action set by St Francis. 

“That’s what David’s Place is about, really, it’s ‘don’t talk about it—show me’. And he’s shown us really how Christ would want us to live our lives.” 

The friends and families of Dave’s Place will be commemorating Pope Francis with a special Mass in the coming days, “to invite people to share about their thoughts about Pope Francis and how much he meant to them,” said Buckingham. 

For Szabo, one word sums how much the late pope meant to him and his friends. 

“Papa,” he said. “He was our father.” 

For more coverage on the death of Pope Francis:

• Cause of Death
• Place of burial
• Canonisation postponed
• What happens next?
• Funeral and public viewing