Pontiff’s 2018 visit remembered, as well as desire to help heal damage of abuse scandals
The 88-year-old pontiff died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure, Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli said in a death certificate released last night.
The certificate, which was published by the Vatican, said the Pope had fallen into a coma before his death yesterday.
Leaders reflected on Francis’s legacy, remembered him for his consistent calls for peace and shared fond memories of his visit to Ireland in August 2018.
Tributes to the late pontiff were led by church leaders in Ireland, and by President Michael D Higgins, who said Pope Francis brought a “unique humility” to the papacy.
Mr Higgins said that the Pope “sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual”.
The President also said Francis lent his voice to “the vital issues of our time” including hunger and poverty, climate change, the “plight” of migrants and indigenous people, and the “necessity” of global peace.
“During his visit to Ireland, Pope Francis spoke of the scandal of child abuse, including in the church, and its consequences for victims and families,” he said.
“On such matters, and on others such as attitudes towards women and those of the LGBTQ+ community within the church, Pope Francis sought to play a positive role.
Pope Francis with President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina during the Papal visit to Áras an Uachtaráin. Photo: Gerry Mooney
“I recall at the end of our meetings he would say as to his work on such issues, ‘it is very difficult’, as he asked for and offered prayers.
“It is important that the steps he took are built upon, as they constitute a source of hope in the years to come.”
Having met him on five occasions, Mr Higgins said Pope Francis had “a warmth” to him, and there was “an abolition of any distance between himself and those with whom he was engaged”.
Meanwhile, Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, paid tribute to “all the good work” Francis had done.
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland offered his condolences “on behalf of the people, religious sisters and brothers, priests and bishops of Ireland”.
He said he wanted to express “sadness and our feelings of affection and loss upon hearing of the death of the Holy Father Pope Francis”.
“In recent days, and since he was admitted to hospital in February, he has been showing immense courage and serenity in the face of frailty and suffering.
“In this, he has been giving such powerful witness to the dignity of human life and to resilience in the face of suffering which has meant so much, especially to those who are struggling with illness, disability or any other difficulty at this time.
“Pope Francis often said that the face of God is mercy.
“In the coming days, we will remember him with thanksgiving and pray that God will have mercy on his soul and reward him for all the good work he has done.”
The Archbishop of Dublin said Pope Francis had great empathy and sympathy for people who found themselves in “harsh” and “difficult” environments.
Pope Francis makes his way through College Green in Dublin. Photo: Gerry Mooney
Archbishop Dermot Farrell said the Pope’s death marked a sad day for many, but he thanked God for the work carried out by the pontiff since his election in 2013.
“He has brought a great energy and vitality to the church right up until yesterday,” he told RTÉ’s News at One.
“From the moment of his election, it was obvious things were going to be very different. He brought both a freshness and radical freedom to do things that his predecessors hadn’t.
Remembering Pope Francis: ‘I think he was a Pope for the people’
“He had a great humanity. When he was talking to you, he was talking to you. Even though there might be thousands of other people around, he could focus on the individual and he came very much to life when he met people and individuals.”
Dr Farrell said Pope Francis brought humility and simplicity to the papacy by wearing simple garments, travelling in a simple vehicle and paying his own bills.
He joined others in remembering the Pope for apologising during his visit to Ireland for child sexual abuse and other abuses from within the church.
“He wrote his own introduction when he was at the Phoenix Park, which was the penitential rite. That was the mark of the man,” Dr Farrell said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin offered his “heartfelt sympathies” and “deepest condolences” to all mourning the loss of the Pope. He said his papacy was marked by an “unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity”. Mr Martin said Francis holds a “special place in the hearts of Irish people”, recalling his visit to Ireland in August 2018, where he was welcomed “with a warmth and enthusiasm that spoke volumes about the respect and affection in which he was held by the Irish people”.
“During his visit to Ireland, many will also remember Pope Francis’s expression of pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church and his outrage about the failure of the church authorities to adequately address these appalling crimes,” he added.
Mr Martin said Francis’s legacy will be his “message of peace, reconciliation, and solidarity that lives in the hearts of those he inspired”.
“May he rest in peace, and may his memory continue to guide us as we strive to build a world that reflects his vision of love and compassion for all.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris also remembered the “particular significant” 2018 visit, saying it inspired “hope and renewal within the church”.
“His emphasis on mercy, healing and reconciliation continues to resonate in our efforts towards addressing the challenges of the past and building a more inclusive future,” he said.
A presentation is make to Pope Francis by Br Kevin Crowley (left) and Fr Sean Donohoe, at the Capuchin Day Centre on Bowe Street in Dublin. Photo: Maxwells
Mr Harris hailed the work Pope Francis carried out to make the Catholic Church “more inclusive, promoting reconciliation, unity, and compassion over division”.
“Pope Francis’s influence transcended the Vatican, offering moral leadership during times of uncertainty. His teachings on poverty, migration, and refugees remain relevant as we confront global inequality and division,” he said.
“Pope Francis bore his illness with great dignity and courage. As so many people in Ireland and as Christians across the world mourn his loss, we find strength in his message of hope, mercy, and compassion, which will continue to inspire us to build a better world for all.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described Francis’s death as a “moment of huge loss” for Catholics.
“The death of Pope Francis will also be mourned by those across the globe who respected him as a courageous spiritual leader, a man of strong conviction, who stood up for those most marginalised and vulnerable,” she said.
“He led by seeking to reach out to others in the spirit of humanity.
“Pope Francis will also be remembered for standing up for peace and justice in the face of global tension, instability and militarism – including unjust and illegal wars in Palestine, and Ukraine.
“Even while he was in hospital, he maintained almost nightly phone calls to a parish in Gaza City and he was resolute in his solidarity with the people of Gaza.”
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