A Polish priest reveals unknown facts about Francis. “He said, 'You're crazy'”

The first anniversary of the death of Pope Francis is now passing. The Holy Father died on April 21, 2025, Easter Monday. He was 88 years old.

For two months, Franciszek had more and more problems with his breathing and voice, and he could not read the texts of his speeches.

The Polish priest had close contact with Pope Francis. He took care of his sister

A Polish monk has built a close, private relationship with the Pope over the years, Father Jerzy Jacek Twaróg, OFM, serving in Buenos Aires. The priest remembers Jorge Bergoglio from Argentina, but what united them most was… the pope's sister.

— I met Maria Elena Bergoglio in person only on April 10, 2013, a month after the election of her brother to the See of Peter. I was then the rector of the Polish Catholic Mission in Argentina. I must say that for me choosing the College of Cardinals was a double joy. I also remember great joy when John Paul II, my cardinal, became the Holy Father in 1978, because I am a priest of the Archdiocese of Krakow. I remember those audiences and masses with our Pope. And in 2013, our cardinal became pope again, but this time from Buenos Aires. I was fortunate to have known two popes personally. And as soon as it turned out that Cardinal Bergoglio became pope, so we came up with the idea to invite his sister for dinner – he recalls in an interview with Onet.

The priest still remembers perfectly the first conversation and the first meeting with the Holy Father's closest relative.

— I called Maria Elena with this proposal and after I asked if she would honor us with her presence, there was silence. Finally she said: “for a month, since they chose my brother, I have practically not left the house at all, because I am constantly surrounded by the media and everyone wants to talk about him. But since you are Franciscans, and my brother took the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, and you are from Poland, and I have been in love with John Paul II all my life, I cannot refuse you.” And she came. It was a closed meeting, just for us, a very cordial conversation with the sister of the new pope, he says.

The priest also reveals how Maria Elena reacted to the news that her brother would become the head of the Catholic Church around the world.

— She herself was very surprised by the news from the Vatican that it was Cardinal. Bergoglio was elected. On the other hand, today we already know that in 2005, when Pope Wojtyła died and the cardinals gathered for the conclave, Cardinal Bergoglio had already received a lot of votes, but apparently at some point he resigned and asked to transfer his votes to Cardinal. Ratzinger and this helped Benedict win. But even then, the Cardinal from Buenos Aires had huge chances – reminds the Franciscan.

— Interestingly, in 2013, when Bergoglio flew to the Vatican, he was almost outside the Argentine curia. He was 77 years old then and was actually about to retire. He counted on the fact that when he returned from the conclave, he would have already packed his things and had his apartment ready for retirement. That's why he took only this small suitcase with him, because he was convinced that he would soon return to Argentina and lead a peaceful life – assures us Father Twaróg.

A Polish priest reveals unknown facts about Pope Francis. “He just smiled and said, 'You're crazy'”

After having lunch with Maria Elena, Father Twaróg came up with the idea to make a documentary film that would tell about Pope Francis' places in Argentina.

— In 2013, I flew to the Vatican for a congregation of superiors and there, after an audience with the Pope, I told him that I would like to make such a film and that I was asking for his blessing. He knew perfectly well who I was because we talked on the phone, and he also wrote me letters by hand. I think I have about 30 of them in total. These letters always contained huge thanks. He wrote: “Thank you very much for everything you do for my sister, for taking care of her, for taking care of her. Thank you for the photos, for the letter, for your reports, God bless you. May Our Lady take care of you. And never forget to pray for me brotherly. Franciszek.” He wrote it all himself, with his own handwriting, he didn't use secretaries, he emphasizes.

How did the Holy Father react to this idea?

— He just smiled and said, “You're crazy.” But he blessed! This film was created so that Poles could learn its history before the meeting at World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow. When we finished the film, I went to give him the CD, and later I was there again and the pope said to me: “You did the worst in this film, but it's a bit too long. But it can be.” This was proof that he had watched it, we hear.

Father Jerzy Twaróg OFM with Maria Elena BergoglioSource: Father Jerzy Jacek Twaróg OFM

The Polish monk sometimes even visited Francis's private meetings. He always took some gifts or letters from his sister for him.

— Whenever I was going to Poland, I told his sister that it was close to the Vatican, so maybe I could visit the Pope for a few days. She then asked me to give her letters for her brother or some small gifts. I also brought him yerba mate, because the best yerba mate is from here. Besides, when I was going, I always wrote him an e-mail announcing that I would be there and asked if I could come to meet him at Saint Martha's House. He replied to these e-mails, invited us to mass and we had a moment to talk to ourselves, Father Jerzy tells us.

— I must say that privately Pope Francis was really a very warm man, very cordial, modest, but also humble. Whatever was asked of him, he never refused. I myself asked many times: Holy Father, sign two papal blessings for me, and he took a pen and signed it, he recalls.

A Polish priest takes care of the pope's sister. “She's still waiting for the phone call”

— I remember such funny situations when I wrote an e-mail to the Pope saying that today I was going to the clinic to visit his sister and I would celebrate Mass there, for example on the occasion of her birthday or the anniversary of his election. And a moment after I finished mass, Maria Elena, his sister's cell phone rings in the pocket and she says: “oh, it's my Jorgito [Jureczek-red.] is calling.” And then, at the end of the conversation, she gave me her cell phone, and the Pope personally thanked me for taking such good care of her, reveals the monk.

Onet's interlocutor admits that the moment of the pope's death was very difficult for his sister. The woman was so attached to conversations with him that today she is still waiting for him to call her again.

— The Pope had her mobile number and called her often. Sometimes even twice a week. Most often it was Wednesday and Saturday. They really talked to each other a lot. She is even waiting for a call from him to this day. Last time I was at her place with the Christmas party, I saw that she had her cell phone lying around. Maria Elena told me that she keeps waiting for the phone to ring again. Such a habit. It was also often the case that after finishing the conversation with her brother, she handed me the phone and then I had the pleasure of exchanging a few words. The Pope then thanked me very much for taking care of my sister, recalls the priest.

A Polish priest takes care of the sister of Pope FrancisSource: Father Jerzy Jacek Twaróg OFM

— On the same day when the Holy Father died, I immediately went to Hogar Nuestra Señora de Belénor the Nursing Home of Our Lady of Bethlehem, where the Pope's sister lives. It was a big blow for her. She cried for several days with her baby brother. She knew well that the Pope's health had been failing in recent days and that he was dying in the hospital. She was very concerned about it, he adds.

Father Jerzy visits Maria Elena all the time and is her spiritual guardian.

— We still have close contact. Whenever I have time, I get in the car and visit her. We usually talk for an hour, drink tea and spend time together. Sometimes I say mass, sometimes I hear confessions, or I bring some guests from Poland to visit her. She appreciates it very much. He always remembers his brother with great affection, he assures.

— I think that Pope Francis somehow protects her in her illnesses. Today, the pope's sister is seriously ill, contact with her is becoming more and more difficult, it is difficult for her to talk, she is in a wheelchair, she is diabetic and obese, because she has been immobilized by this paralysis for 15 years, but she is still doing well. She is certainly very well taken care of, he argues.

“This is the only thing I can't understand”

In March 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio flew from Buenos Aires to the Vatican for the conclave. He never returned to Argentina. During his 13-year pontificate, he never made a pilgrimage to his homeland. He never saw his sister in person again.

— That's the only thing I can't understand. I think we in Argentina have lost a lot because of this. Especially since the Pope visited South America, he was in Chile or Peru. I was counting on the fact that after the World Youth Day in Rio, he would get on a plane and be in Buenos Aires in an hour and a half. He also flew over Argentina twice, but never landed here. It's a pity, because then we would have a completely different Church here – says Father Jerzy.

The Polish priest even asked his closest relative why the Holy Father would not visit Argentina.

— Let me tell you, I asked his sister many times why she didn't want to come to us. She only confirmed that she would not actually come, but did not say why. She never really wanted to talk about it. Maybe I'll ask her about it again someday. She repeated it several times: she would not come to Argentina. She definitely wanted to visit her brother very much. The last time they saw each other was over 14 years ago, before he became pope, but in her condition it was not possible. She barely survived the strokes, was paralyzed, and spent nine years in a rehabilitation clinic – explains Onet's interlocutor.

The Polish priest maintained close contact with Pope FrancisSource: Father Jerzy Jacek Twaróg OFM

Finally, the Franciscan shares what was most important to him in Francis' pontificate:

— For me, above all, he was a man of prayer and a great friend of the poor. That's why my film about the Pope has this title. He really was very close to people all his life. He did not avoid them until the end. He always noticed the poor. And he wanted holy priests who smelled of their sheep, who knew their faithful, who, like shepherds, lead them in the flock – he reminds.

He adds that the memory of the Pope is still alive in his homeland:

— Argentina today still remembers its Pope. Maybe they don't build monuments to him like in Poland we do to our Pope, but there are plenty of his photos everywhere and streets are named after him. Argentines love both John Paul II, who was here twice, and, of course, they love Francis. To this day, some people call themselves the “Francis generation.” They certainly remember him and pray to him all the time, Father Twaróg assures us.