Rome (Italy). In the 11th CommTalkS video, the initiative of the Communication Sector of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians with the aim of creating a shared vision of the culture of communication, Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, FMA, recounts her memories related to her cousin, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
Missionary for 60 years in Saint Mary Mazzarello Province (THA), Sister Ana Rosa reached Rome from Bang Pong, Ratchaburi, Thailand, to participate in the Celebration of the funeral of Pope Francis, on 26 April 2025.
With him in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she shared her childhood, their families being very close. The maternal grandfather of Ana Rosa and the mother of Jorge were siblings; his mother was Bergoglio Sivori. The grandmother, Rosa, was from Genoa and had married a Piedmontese. They emigrated to Argentina because after the war, they were starving and everything had been destroyed.
What was Jorge like as a child? He was the eldest of five siblings, three boys and two girls, all baptized as were the three cousins Sivori in the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Buenos Aires. From a young age, he was rather quiet, but already attentive to the needs of all.
When the younger sister was born, Jorge’s mother fell ill, so he, who was in the 1st grade, went to the Salesians of Don Bosco, while his sister, Marta, went to the FMA, where Sister Ana Rosa studied. The Salesians had as their mission the care of migrant families and the children went to the oratory, played soccer, a passion that Pope Francis, fan of San Lorenzo, has always had.
Jorge was happy to be with his grandmother Rosa, who passed on to him the prayers, catechism, and love for Our Lady. Every 24th of the month, he went to the Basilica where there is the statue of Mary Help of Christians blessed by Don Bosco and brought by Fr. John Cagliero from Italy. On 24 May, he was usually called to celebrate the Eucharist for the Feast of the Help of Christians.
Ana Rosa’s father loved Jorge very much, so much so, that he told everyone, “Remember well; this priest will one day be Pope.” Sister Ana Rosa left for the mission in 1965 after her religious profession, while he was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969.
On the death of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires (3 June 1997), Father Jorge immediately became Archbishop. On 21 February 2001, John Paul II created him Cardinal and his brother organized the trip for the whole family, 35 people. Sister Ana Rosa joins them from Thailand.
When he is elected Pope, Sister Ana Rosa is the only one present, with a trip organized by the Apostolic Nuncio, since he himself did not want the family to come to Italy, but rather save the money for the poor.
On his apostolic journey to Thailand, from 19 to 22 November 2019, Pope Francis asks Sister Ana Rosa to be close to him at all times. “It was a very nice visit to Thailand, because it is a Buddhist nation and everyone was happy to see the Pope. He encouraged union between religions very much.”
The only phone call from Pope Francis that she received was two years ago, when she was sick, because he called people who “really needed it.” He wrote letters to her, “with his tiny calligraphy”, in which he addressed her as Ana Rosa Francisca “because my father was very devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi and also in this, I had something in common with him.”
On 21 April, when she learned the news of his death, it was ‘a shock’ for Sister Ana Rosa. She thought that, once out of the hospital, the Lord would give him some time “to finish all the good things that He wanted to do.”
And now? “It still doesn’t seem real. I went to Saint Mary Major and, in front of that white, white marble and in front of that cross high up, I felt something that cannot be explained. I know that he is in Paradise and I am sure that from Heaven, he will help us and be with us much more than before… because he is now free and what he will do is not for himself, but for humanity, for all people… all, all, all”.
All CommTalks are available on the CGFMANET YouTube Channel and can be retrieved from the side banner on the home page of the Institute’s website.
Obrigada, Ir. Ana Rosa, pelo lindo testemunho sobre o Papa Francisco. Ele é realmente um grande santo que intercede pela unidade da Igreja, pelo bem da humanidade.