I write this as Pope Francis’s condition “continues to be critical”, according to updates from the Vatican.

On Feb 22, it was reported that the 88-year-old was alert but had a respiratory attack that required “high-flow oxygen”, and also blood transfusions.

“The Holy Father’s condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday, the pope is not out of danger,” the Vatican said in its regular early evening update.

As a Catholic, allow me to share these thoughts on why I wish to celebrate the life of Pope Francis as his health took a critical turn.

Imagining myself at 88 and ailing in hospital (if ever I live that long), I don’t think I want anyone to pray for my speedy recovery.

Don’t be silly, I will not recover and I don’t wish to recover, only to prolong this earthly suffering. Pray for me to go quickly on a painless journey.

Similarly, it is for Pope Francis. He has already asked us to prepare for his death. So, please do not post on social media that “I will pray for his speedy recovery” – a mundane, silly even, usual statement made without much thought, as if just to say something nice for the heck of it.

As Christians, we believe that a true celebration of life embraces faith that whatever happens is part of a greater plan. Instead of focusing on the Holy Father’s frailty, let us draw strength from his example of resilience and service.

So, rather than just praying for a speedy recovery, celebrating his life can be a more uplifting and empowering approach.

When Judgement Day comes, let us remember how Pope Francis’ teachings encourage people to find happiness in faith rather than fear or sorrow.

Celebrating his life aligns with his message – he wouldn’t want people to focus on worry but rather on gratitude for life itself.

Me, at 88, wishes for more of the same. Don’t look sad and miserable when you visit me in the hospital. Come with a guitar, play some funky music, sing and laugh, crack jokes and make merry.

Do the same at my funeral. Possibly and probably, Pope Francis would have wanted that too.

May I implore our readers her to take my thoughts in a lighter vein as a tribute for a much-loved Pope Francis. I’m not sure when there will be a Pope Francis II, Francis being a namesake of my patron saint, St Francis Xavier.

Somehow, I have a special affinity with Pope Francis, not only because we share the same name “Francis” but because I find his focus on mercy, forgiveness and concern for the marginalised aligns with the core teachings of Christianity, making him beloved among the faithful. I am one of his greatest fans.

Pope Francis is widely revered, not only by Catholics but also by many non-Catholics, because of his humility, focus on social justice, and emphasis on inclusivity.

His leadership style breaks away from some of the more rigid traditions of the past, making him a more relatable and compassionate figure.

I have so much respect and reverence for Pope Francis that I even wrote an article in 2019 suggesting that we should invite the Holy Father to visit Malaysia.

Pope Francis was in Thailand and Japan in 2019, nearly four decades after the late Pope John Paul II visited the two countries.

Within Southeast Asia, John Paul had visited Singapore in 1986 and the Philippines in 1995. Pope Francis was also in the Philippines in 2015.

In 1989, John Paul brought a message of Roman Catholic kinship and loyalty to Indonesia as he paid a diplomatically delicate visit to the world’s most populous Muslim country.

In 2017, Pope Francis also visited Myanmar.

So, the head of the Roman Catholic Church has visited all our closest neighbours – Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Myanmar and Indonesia – but has never set foot in Malaysia.

In September last year, Pope Francis took a two-week trip to visit four countries, namely Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore. Again, Malaysia was not on his itinerary.

It was at this time last year on the Pope’s trip to Southeast Asia that I thought he would be invited to Malaysia. But that was not to be.

In 2019, after my article was published in Malaysiakini, a reader from Sarawak followed up and commented that “if Thailand and Japan with such a small Catholic population are able to get the Pope to go there, what about us, Sarawak with 550,000 Catholics?

“Can the Malaysian Ambassador to the Vatican, who is a Sarawakian, look into the matter? A papal visit to Malaysia is long overdue,” he added.

Yes, if Putrajaya is not keen to initiate a papal visit to Malaysia, perhaps Petra Jaya can do so. A papal visit to Sarawak will be long cherished by all Sarawakians for years to come.

Can the GPS government of Sarawak make it happen?

Afterall, Sarawak is often hailed as a model of inter-racial and inter-religious harmony and the territory has maintained a unique social fabric where people of different backgrounds coexist peacefully.

Unlike Malaya, Sarawak has a more inclusive and less polarised political landscape.

Sarawak is ready for a papal visit, hopefully the next successor of St Peter, after Pope Francis, will make the long-awaited visit to Borneo.

(Francis Paul Siah is a veteran Sarawak editor and currently heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at [email protected].)