Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, released a statement this morning from the Casa Santa Marta stating, “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
Pope Francis had been hospitalized between the 14th of February and the 23rd of March following multiple bouts of respiratory illness, which he was reportedly predisposed to. His last public appearance was the day before: Easter Sunday.
After becoming Pope in March of 2013, Pope Francis was praised for his outspokenness on protecting and supporting the poor, confronting systematic abuse in the Catholic Church, and his willingness to speak to and welcome people who had been shunned by the church. He was also the first South American pope, hailing from Argentina. Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota said in a statement to CNN, “The last thing I heard him say was that kind of strained ‘buona Pasqua,’ you know, wishing good Easter to everybody,” Barron said. “What a wonderful final message for a pope. The pope’s job is to declare the resurrection, which is what he was doing, really, with his last breath.”
Around STEAM Academy students are reeling with the information with one stating, “I think he really did a lot of good for the church, but also outside of it, you know? He seems like he really embodied the word of God and helped a lot of people regardless of their church status. Its going to be hard to live up to that for the next Pope.”
