After the Vatican announced that Pope Francis, the first non-European head of the Roman Catholic Church in more than a millennium and a champion of the poor and disenfranchised, local spiritual leaders responded with accolades regarding his leadership and his refusal to embrace the trappings of wealth long associated with Vatican leaders.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, a top Vatican official, announced the death of Pope Francis, 88, on April 21 from the Casa Santa Marta on Monday morning.
Gregory J. Hartmayer, the Archibishop of Atlanta, released a statement on the pope’s death, saying that the doctors at the Gemelli Clinic, where Francis was being treated, reported that he nearly died on two occasions.
“However, he rallied and was discharged to his residence at the Vatican,” Hartmayer said. “Since his return to his home, we saw Pope Francis making many surprise appearances over the past couple of weeks: to pray at the tomb of Pope St. Pius X, the secondary patron of the Archdiocese of Atlanta; to pray before the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in thanksgiving for his release from hospital; his meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Casa Santa Maria, and his final meeting on Easter Sunday with our own Vice President, J.D. Vance.”
Bishop Joel M. Konzen, who was appointed by Francis as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Atlanta in 2018, and formerly served twice as Brookhaven’s Marist School as its president, told the Georgia Bulletin, the newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta, that Francis was the perfect example of a humble servant.
“He used terms such as encounter, relationship, social charity, fraternity, friendship. He emphasized the absolute necessity of connecting, no matter our role in the Church, with others directly so that we might embody the challenge of Jesus in the gospel and seek to perfect our discipleship,” Konzen said. “It mattered to him that we were trying to walk the walk, and he was, time and again, going to show us the way. “
U.S. Sen. Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released a statement after the announcement of Pope Francis’ death:
“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis. As a longtime admirer of the Pope and his work to center the poor and marginalized, I was honored to meet him and pray with him last year,” Warnock said. “I join all those across the world mourning his death and celebrating his remarkable life.”
Fr. Jude Michael Krill, the pastor of Holy Cross Catholic Church on Chamblee-Tucker Road, shared a message that was sent out to the church’s congregants on April 21.
“God, we come before you with heavy hearts, as we learn of the passing of Pope Francis, your servant and our Holy Father.,” the message said. “We acknowledge the sorrow that fills us, and we entrust his soul to your loving care. We thank you for the life of Pope Francis, for his unwavering dedication to the Gospel, his tireless service to the Church, and his compassionate heart for the poor and marginalized.”
Krill said he remembers the pope’s “calls for peace, his advocacy for justice, and his gentle spirit that touched so many lives.”
“Help us to live as Pope Francis taught us, with humility, compassion, and a deep love for all your children. Lord, in your mercy, grant him eternal rest. May he now rejoice in your presence,” the message concluded.
Father Jude Michael, pastor of Dunwoody’s All Saints Catholic Church said Francis, a Jesuit with a Franciscan heart, “taught us by his words and especially by his example how to follow the Lord who loved the marginalized and outcast.”
“He reminded us that the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth are intimately linked,” Michael said. “His humble way inspired us not to seek fame and glory but to simply follow the Lord’s will without much pomp.”
He invited us to see the Church as a ‘Field Hospital’ for all sinners, not a ‘Country Club’ for the perfect,” Michael continued. “‘Who am I to judge’ set the tone for his Pontificate.”
Rev. Monsignor Francis G. McNamee, Rector at Cathedral of Christ the King in Buckhead released this statement:
“We were saddened and surprised by the Holy Father’s passing. We felt that in many ways, medically, he had turned a corner. When he was discharged from hospital, he was very much slowly coming back to scheduling small events, especially during the last week and the fact that he made an appearance at St. Peter’s and went to visit the prisoners on Holy Thursday.
“He was very much present to the church and to his people and wanted to be with them. We’re saddened with his passing, but we know that he’s going out to enjoy his eternal reward, and he’s at peace,” the statement said. “There’s no more suffering, and he’s gone to the Father’s house.”
Latin American Association CEO Santiago Marquez said the world has lost a giant with the death of Pope Francis, calling him “a tireless champion for the poor, the marginalized, and the forgotten. He washed the feet of lepers and chose the company of the unhoused and refugees over that of the well-to-do. His legacy is one of service, compassion, and profound moral courage.”
