Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy has said that Pope Francis’ has cast a light forever on a road of “humility, humanity and hope” for us all to travel.
Commenting on the passing of Pope Francis today, Bishop Leahy said that the world is deeply saddened and shocked today by the passing of a man whose teachings and example will forever guide us on the path of good.
Bishop Leahy will celebrate a special Requiem Mass for him on Wednesday evening at 7 pm in St. John’s Cathedral. Parishes will also be committing to a series of observances including the toll of bells 88 times, once for each year of Pope Francis life, placing of an image of Pope Francis in a visible location, and offering their own Requiem Masses and prayer.
Bishop Leahy said, “It is with a deeply sorrowful heart that I join the universal Church in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a truly transformative and courageous leader of our time. Pope Francis was a beacon of humility, humanity and hope, a Pope whose life and papacy kept on putting before us the essence of the Gospel.
“From the very first days of his ministry and throughout it, Pope Francis championed the cause of the poor and marginalised. He reminded us time and again of our shared responsibility to protect our common home, the Earth, and called us to a simpler, more grounded life that shunned privilege and excess.
“He was an ambassador of goodness, who wanted to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with us all on the road to compassion towards, and care of others. He espoused a modest Church that is open and welcoming to all and particularly to those on the margins. His harsh critique of corporate greed and its impact on people and the planet was a prophetic call to conscience in an increasingly fractured world.
“Pope Francis was also a pillar of peace, not only in word but in tireless effort, always striving to break the cycle of violence and war that has its grip on much of the world today and instead championing dialogue and reconciliation. He showed us that the Gospel message of humility, mercy and love is something that should be expressed through actions and behaviours in daily life, not simply confined to the sanctuary but lived out in the streets, among the people, with sincerity and compassion.”
Bishop Leahy, who was the first to be ordained bishop in Ireland after Pope Francis became Pope, said he had the great privilege of meeting Pope Francis on a number of occasions during his papacy.
“Each encounter left me deeply struck by his humility, his warmth, and his profound humanity. I met him several times during the Synod last October, and on each occasion he revealed his enduring joy and good humour, particularly as he spoke with affection about Ireland. Though by then in a wheelchair, his spirit was strong, his hopefulness undiminished.
“Last month, I had the honour of leading a group from the Diocese of Limerick to Rome as part of our celebrations of the Jubilee Year of Hope and were present at the Gemelli Hospital when Pope Francis made his first public appearance in five weeks as he fought bravely to overcome the illness that has now taken him from us. That moment, his smile, his wave, his presence, became for all of us a symbol of hope, particularly striking for us in the Jubilee Year of Hope he put in place itself, something we must commit to even more in his honour”
Bishop Leahy added, “Pope Francis has returned to the Lord he served so faithfully. He leaves behind a Church that he helped reform to be more open, more merciful, and more faithful to Jesus Christ. In his life and leadership, he called us to hope, to humility, and to holiness. He underlined the importance of recognising that we journey together as Christians not as scattered individuals. It is together that we best work out what God wants of us at this time. May he rest in the peace of the God he loved and served with all his heart.”
ENDS
