A shared vision for the poor: Yunus reflects on Pope Francis’ legacy during Vatican meetings
On a poignant Saturday in Rome, shortly after the Funeral Mass of Pope Francis, two senior Catholic Church leaders—Cardinal Silvano Maria Tomasi and Cardinal Jacob Koovakad—met separately with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus.
The meetings, steeped in mutual admiration, highlighted the late Pope’s unwavering commitment to the poor and the deep bond he shared with Yunus, a fellow champion of poverty eradication.
Professor Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Grameen Bank, reminisced about his profound connection with Pope Francis. “He was an amazing human being,” Yunus said, recalling their numerous meetings during the Pope’s pontificate.
Despite being a Muslim, Yunus was embraced by Francis as a trusted ally in the fight against poverty. “He never treated me as an outsider,” Yunus reflected, a testament to the Pope’s ability to bridge religious divides.
Their collaboration was marked by bold initiatives. Yunus shared a striking memory: a critical letter he wrote urging reform of the Vatican Bank to better serve the poor. To his surprise, Pope Francis published the entire letter on the front page of L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s official newspaper. “I was critical of its performance and controversies, yet the Pope amplified my voice,” Yunus said.
This trust led to Yunus chairing several Vatican committees focused on banking reform and pro-poor initiatives.
In November, their shared vision culminated in the launch of the Pope Francis–Yunus Three Zero Clubs in Rome, promoting Yunus’s dream of a world with zero unemployment, zero wealth concentration, and zero net carbon emissions.
“I am a Muslim, yet Pope Francis never hesitated to lend his name alongside mine,” Yunus noted, highlighting the Pope’s inclusive spirit. Yunus was also honoured with the Torch of St Francis of Assisi, recognising his embodiment of the 13th-century saint’s compassion for the marginalised.
Both cardinals praised Pope Francis’s lifelong mission to uplift the poor and marginalised, eradicate poverty, and envision a world free of war and nuclear weapons.
They expressed deep gratitude for Yunus’s work, describing him as a close friend of the late Pope and a global leader in the fight against poverty.
Cardinal Tomasi, former Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN in Geneva, met Yunus to discuss geopolitical issues, including the rapid evolution of Southeast Asia. Fresh from a visit to Vietnam, Tomasi noted, “Southeast Asia is evolving too fast,” citing Vietnam’s robust growth. He and Yunus lauded Pope Francis’s calls for peace in conflict zones like Ukraine and Gaza, with Tomasi advocating for more peace-building measures and calm amid regional tensions.
Yunus echoed this, praising Vietnam’s economic success and sharing his government’s efforts to emulate it by attracting foreign investment and positioning Bangladesh as an economic hub. Tomasi expressed hope that the next Pope would “keep the informality of Pope Francis” and “promote dialogue of peace among countries.”
Earlier, Cardinal Koovakad, Vatican Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and a native of Kerala, India, met Yunus at his hotel. Koovakad announced that the Catholic Church in Bangladesh would host an interfaith dialogue in September, uniting leaders from various religions.
Yunus emphasised Bangladesh’s commitment to religious harmony, highlighting the Interim Government’s efforts to protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, creed, colour, or gender. “Continued dialogue among faiths is vital,” he said.
The meetings occurred as the College of Cardinals, including Tomasi and Koovakad—both potential candidates for the papacy—prepares to elect the next Pope the following week. Also present were Lamiya Morshed, Bangladesh’s SDG Coordinator; Tareq Ariful Islam, Ambassador to the Vatican; and Rokebul Haque, Ambassador to Italy.
