Canadian Catholic bishops, politicians and charities are lamenting the loss and heralding the legacy of Pope Francis, who passed away at age 88 on Easter Monday at 7:35 a.m. 

The man born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec. 17, 1936, to Mario José Bergoglio and Regina María Sívori in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is being hailed for his humility, outreach to the poor and marginalized, his commitment to living Gospel values and his innate drive to foster ties of reconciliation and togetherness.  

Francis Cardinal Leo, the Archbishop of Toronto, declared that “Our Catholic family worldwide is in mourning following the death of our spiritual father, Pope Francis.”

Advertisement

Leo, whom The Pope elevated to the College of Cardinals this past December, praised the Bishop of Rome’s personal leadership.

“Since 2013, our shepherd has guided the flock lovingly and served as a global ambassador of peace, hope and love,” stated Leo. “The Holy Father’s humility, compassion and care for others, most especially the poor and marginalized, has served as a powerful witness and a reminder of our daily call to reflect the face of Jesus to all those whom we encounter.”

Bishop of Calgary William McGrattan, the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), harkened back to the first night of Francis’ papacy on March 13, 2013, when the successor of the late Pope Benedict XVI, urged believers “always to pray for one another, for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity.”

McGrattan marvelled at how Francis exhibited a fraternal spirit day in and day out.

"Over the past 88 years of his Petrine Ministry, his pastoral witness and leadership of the Catholic Church as the 266th Successor of Saint Peter marked the Church, the world and our Canadian society with the values of the Gospel,” stated McGrattan. “Francis’ frequent consoling image of the Church as 'a field hospital' brought us a message of hope, peace, compassion and mercy. He desired the Church to be close to the people, to be present in ways that reflected the mercy, forgiveness and care of Christ. He challenged us to become missionary disciples of faith, hope and love and announce the joy of the Gospel to the world.”

Archbishop of Vancouver Michael Miller extoled Francis as “a tireless shepherd of the Church, a beacon of hope, and a champion of the Gospel. His deep love for the poor, unwavering commitment to peace, and bold witness to Christ’s message of love and reconciliation have inspired millions of people everywhere.”

Archbishop of Edmonton Richard Smith – set to become Archbishop of Vancouver before the end of May – fondly recalled accompanying The Pope during his penitential pilgrimage to Canada from July 24-29, 2022.

“Pope Francis wore his heart on his sleeve, even to the public, even before mass audiences. But to see him open his heart, open his mind to the Indigenous was really—I think—an example to us all,” Smith recalled. “It was a particular example to me as a bishop as to how we go forward in the Church in opening our hearts to those in need, those who are hurting in any way, those who are suffering and find new ways—suited to their situation—that they can hear the Gospel and find hope in it. As to legacy, I think will be remembered for that above all.”

Archbishop of Regina Donald Bolen pronounced that Francis’ “twelve-year papacy was defined by an unwavering commitment to the mercy of God, made visible in the life of the Church and the world. His tireless concern for the poor, the marginalized, and those so often overlooked, has left an indelible mark on the lives of people around the world.”

Archbishop of Montreal Christian Lepine released a YouTube testimonial about how Francis touched him with his 2013 World Youth Day message to build “a world and civilization of encounter.”

“Why a civilization of encounter? Because of the value of each human person: to go and meet each other as a way to affirm the dignity of each human person,” said Lepine. “Can we do that alone? No. It is only together that we can affirm the real value of each person. The differences that we have between each other are not an obstacle, they are a blessing. To see the value of the other is also to learn — to view the difference as a blessing for our own lives. That’s why Pope Francis’ message of the value of encounter and togetherness — so we can enrich our life and enrich our peace — is so important today.”

Advertisement

Cardinal Gérald Lacroix, the Archbishop of Quebec, remarked “We are saddened by the death of our beloved Pope Francis, a great servant of the Gospel and a lover of humanity. Despite the immense sadness of his departure, I give thanks to God for the life he gave. His life and his teaching brought us back to the source of the Gospel, Jesus Christ. May the Lord welcome him into eternal life.”

The recently installed Archbishop of Winnipeg Murray Chatlain greatly admired how The Pope “walked the walk.”

“He lived a life of simplicity and poverty remarkable for one in such a high position of leadership. He lived an option for the poor from visiting correctional centres, to visiting countries struggling with poverty and division, to simply greeting door holders along with dignitaries. I think this contributed to him beginning his leadership talking about the joy of the Gospel and then living it right up to yesterday with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm.”

The Archdiocese of St. John’s, led by Archbishop Peter Hundt, commending Francis as a “devoted advocate of the poor and of the environment,” remarked that “he has led the Church with love, devotion, humour and courage.  While we mourn his passing, we also thank God for the gift of his leadership these past twelve years and pray that he will receive the eternal reward promised to all those who serve the Lord faithfully.”

The Archdiocese of Ottawa-Cornwall, under the stewardship of Archbishop Marcel Damphousse, acclaimed Francis for how he “inspired the faithful through his humility, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the Gospel, especially in service to the poor and marginalized.”

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Party candidate for Prime Minister, remarked on X that the late Bishop of Rome’s “humility, compassion, and steadfast faith had a profound impact on millions of Canadians and others around the world from every faith background.”

Poilievre especially noted the power of The Pope’s “historic ‘penitential pilgrimage’ to Canada, when he sought to begin a process of Reconciliation by the Church with his apology ‘for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous Peoples.”’

Mark Carney, the Liberal Candidate for Prime Minister who did serve on The Vatican Council for Inclusive Capitalism, lauded The Pope as “a shepherd of deep moral clarity, spiritual courage and boundless compassion.”

Carney reflected upon the imprint a particular 2014 Vatican summit about economic inclusion has had on his life.

“Pope Francis issued a challenge that has guided me ever since. He likened humanity to wine—rich, diverse, full of spirit—and the market to grappa—distilled, intense, and at times disconnected. He called on us to ‘turn grappa back into wine,’ to reintegrate human values back in our economic lives.”

Campaign Life Coalition, the political arm of the Canadian pro-life movement, observed that “Pope Francis was a global advocate for human dignity, consistently upholding the sanctity of life in many of his teachings and public addresses. His words and actions reinforced the Catholic Church’s long-standing commitment to the defense of life, from conception to natural death.”

Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, the official international development and humanitarian aid agency of the Catholic Church in Canada, stated: “Let us pray that we are granted the strength to cope with the loss of the best friend the impoverished and the natural world had in our time. May his soul rest in eternal peace. And may we continue on the path of justice and peace upon which he sought to set us.”

Shari Guinta, the national president of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada, wrote that “women of The Catholic Women’s League of Canada mourn the Holy Father’s passing with genuine love and gratitude for his leadership and support. Pope Francis was a man of God who believed in humanity and had true compassion for those in need, the less fortunate and those who could not or were not allowed to speak for themselves. He was the definition of humanitarian and will be missed.”

Advertisement

The Catholic Civil Rights League (CCRL), the national lay Catholic organization that strives to defend the voices of Catholics in the public square, treasured how Francis “placed mercy at the heart of his ministry. 

 “His episcopal motto — Miserando atque eligendo, “Having mercy, He called him” — revealed a vision of the Church as the living instrument of God’s mercy in the world,” stated the CCRL. “His Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2015 invited the faithful to rediscover the tender face of the Father, and his pastoral style continually urged the Church to go out to the peripheries, to accompany the suffering, and to speak with a voice of conscience and compassion.”