Utah Catholics react to death of Pope Francis
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Catholics awoke on Easter Monday to the news that Pope Francis had died in the early morning hours, local time, a surprising turn for many who had seen the Holy Father give the traditional “urbi et orbi” message in St. Peter’s Square the day before.
“I was deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Our Holy Father, coming the day after the most joyous morning of Easter,” Bishop Oscar Solis said in a press release issued April 21. “We pray that Our Lord, in his mercy, welcomes Pope Francis into his eternal kingdom of rest, happiness and peace.
“We have lost our humble shepherd, but even as we mourn, we remember his remarkable contributions to our Church and the world. Pope Francis spoke so often of the joy of the Gospel, and he repeatedly called us to share that Good News, the universal love and mercy of God to all people, especially with those living on the margins: the migrant, the poor, the lost and the least,” the bishop continued.
The Holy Father “was a man of God, a true pastor who lived the Gospel values and called on others to defend the dignity of human life from conception to natural death, to work for justice and peace, to protect the earth as our common home, to promote global humanity and social friendship, and perhaps most of all, to encounter the love of Jesus Christ,” the bishop added.
“With his message for the Jubilee Year, Pope Francis called us all to live as pilgrims of hope; let us live this call as his legacy,” the bishop said.
At a press conference at the diocesan Pastoral Center the afternoon of April 21, Bishop Solis noted that on the day before he died, Pope Francis “was with the people … sharing the love of God and the joy that God brings into all our hearts.”
The bishop hopes the Holy Father will be remembered as “a man who believes that the love of God is for everyone; that there is dignity in every person, whether they are rich or poor; God’s mercy is abounding,” he said.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement on April 21 offering condolences.
“We join the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” the statement read in part. “His courageous and compassionate leadership has blessed countless lives. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all who looked to him for inspiration and counsel. As the world pauses to remember his example of forgiveness and service, we feel deep gratitude for the goodness of a life well lived and rejoice in the hope of a glorious resurrection made possible through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”
In 2019, LDS President Russell M. Nelson met with Pope Francis inside the Vatican, the first meeting of its kind between leaders of the two churches. The April 21 statement said, “Of that meeting, President Nelson said, ‘We had a most cordial, unforgettable experience with His Holiness. He was most gracious and warm and welcoming. What a sweet, wonderful man he is, and how fortunate the Catholic people are to have such a gracious, concerned, loving, and capable leader.’”
Leaders of local Catholic groups also mourned the death of the Vicar of Christ.
“The Knights of Columbus Utah State Team was saddened to hear of the passing of our Father Pope Francis,” said Frank Carmona, Knights of Columbus Utah State Deputy, in a statement. “Pope Francis represented unity and charity, and shared many fraternal messages to the Knights of Columbus. Pope Francis once was quoted thanking the Knights for their ‘concrete witness to the faith that works through love, and their outstanding support and encouragement in efforts to defend God’s gift of life at every state of its development, upholding the dignity of the institution of marriage, and to advance the mission of the Church in developing countries.’ As Catholics we are in a time of celebration of the risen Lord during this Easter season, and now more than ever we must find hope. We hope that Pope Francis is no longer suffering and that through his example and the example set by our founder Blessed Father Michael McGivney that our faith can grow in our virtues of charity, unity and fraternity.”
Similarly, Annette Pressley, president of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, said, “Pope Francis’ passing was both unexpected and expected. He will be remembered as The People’s Pope. He lived his life to the fullest until the end, always shepherding his people with love and compassion. We are so blessed that his last moments on Earth were those of Easter. May he rest in peace in the arms of the risen Jesus Christ. Alleluia. Sadly, but happily, our dear Pope Francis is whole.”
Individual Catholics expressed their grief, too.
“When I heard the news that Pope Francis passed away, I was really shocked,” said Roberto Mercado, a member of the diocesan Spanish Marriage Encounter group. “To my understanding he was getting better, but God had a plan. Pope Francis leaves us with many teachings; among them, the importance of humility. We need to always be humble and care for each other and, most importantly, trust that God has a plan for all.”
Sofia Palestino, an Our Lady of Guadalupe parishioner who organized the diocesan youth delegation to the 2024 World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal, which Pope Francis also attended, said she viewed him as a person who “always was close to the People of God.” When she was growing up, to be able to see a pope seemed impossible, so “to be able to see Pope Francis close, even when it was just for a few seconds, was a blessing,” she said. “He always preached, not only with words but with his example and humility.”
Karina del Castillo, a lay ecclesial minister who like the pope is originally from Argentina, said she was having “a roller-coaster of feelings.” She was sad that he had died, but “on the other hand I trust in God’s promise of new life for all, so knowing that he is with God is a joy in the heart,” she said, adding that Pope Francis “leaves us a legacy of love and joy. That love for all that he preached with his example. I am also very proud as an Argentinian to have his example to leave all us Argentinians a legacy to follow; we are all called to live like he did, humbly, happily and with hope.”
Patrick Lambert, principal of Judge Memorial Catholic High School, expressed similar sentiments, saying, “My heart aches for the loss of Pope Francis. He led by example. He was a voice for the most vulnerable in our world. I have been so grateful that he was outspoken on social justice. It has been a relief to be able to directly refer to his guidance during challenging times. May he rest in peace and may his incredible work continue.”
John Valdez, a lay ecclesial minister at St. James the Just Parish in Ogden, agreed, saying Pope Francis “was a great man of peace, love, humility, who showed us how we are to be as Catholics, as Christians, and how we should be treating or reaching each other in love, like Jesus taught us. We will miss him.”
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