Irish Bishops pay tribute to Pope Francis

All the Irish Bishops have issued tributes to Pope Francis. A Book of Condolences for people in Ireland to record their sympathy on the death of Pope Francis is now available on the homepage of www.catholicbishops.ie , and on the Irish bishops' social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram, X, and on BlueSky.

The tributes follow:

Bishop Michael Duignan, Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, and Bishop of Clonfert

It is with profound sadness that I learnt this morning of the death of His Holiness, Pope Francis. He was an ever faithful servant in the vineyard of the Lord. In word and deed, he pointed to a loving and merciful God who reaches out to embrace all people. He had a big heart for the poor, the migrant, the marginalised. He dreamed of a Church as the people of God working together to make this often darkened world of ours a better place. I pray that he now enjoys the presence of God himself whom he loved with all his heart and served so faithfully in this life.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Bishop Michael Router Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh

It is with deep sadness that I heard the news of the death of Pope Francis this morning. He was a deeply spiritual and inspirational leader of the Church over the past twelve years, guiding the faithful with great humility, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to the Gospel.

From his earliest days as a priest and bishop, Pope Francis embodied the virtues of simplicity and service. He rejected the trappings of prestige reflecting the heart of a shepherd who walks closely with his flock.

Upon his election as pope in 2013, he took the name Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi, a saint known for his love of the poor and his devotion to peace and reconciliation. Like his namesake, Pope Francis embraced the mission of bringing healing to a Church facing profound challenges. He worked tirelessly to rebuild trust in the Church, addressing the painful legacy of abuse scandals and calling for unity among Catholics from diverse cultures and viewpoints.

Pope Francis' vision for the Church, rooted in synodality, reinvigorated the teachings of Vatican II, and called for a greater sense of communion, participation, and mission among the people of God. The fruits of this vision will serve as an enduring guide for the Church in the years to come.

Pope Francis will be remembered as a reformer who sought to simplify and clarify the Church's teachings and structures so that they could speak authentically to all people living in a radically changed, and changing, world. A true champion of the vulnerable, Pope Francis' voice was strong and prophetic on behalf of the poor, the displaced, and those suffering injustice.

His encyclical Laudato si' remains one of the most significant moral calls to action on the climate crisis, reminding the world of our shared responsibility to care for our common home. He also upheld the dignity and rights of indigenous peoples, advocating for their inclusion and recognition.

As we mourn his passing, I give thanks for his life, his witness, and his legacy. May he rest in the peace of Christ, and may his example continue to inspire the Church to walk a compassionate path of faithfulness to the words and actions of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ Bishop of Down and Connor

It was with great sadness that I received news earlier this morning that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has died.

I know that my sorrow will be shared by many people across the Diocese of Down and Connor, and across the world, who were inspired by the humility and humanity of Pope Francis, his personal conviction of faith and his pastoral ministry to the vulnerable.

In recent years, as a delegate on the Church's Synodal Pathway, I had the privilege of meeting Pope Francis who called everyone to the Gospel-inspired vision of a Church where, guided by the Holy Spirit, we journey together in faith.

Each Easter we celebrate and are reminded that, in Baptism, we share in the Death and Resurrection of Christ. In his Urbi et Orbi address yesterday, Pope Francis spoke these prophetic words:

"The Resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion…All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of Life."

Pope Francis exercised this ministry of hope, a hope that was firmly grounded in the assured presence of the risen Christ.

I know that parishioners across the Diocese of Down and Connor will now be praying that, with the Risen Christ of Easter, Pope Francis will be received into the loving arms of God whom he served so well.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace. Amen.

I ask that in every parish of the Diocese Mass should be celebrated on a suitable date and time for his eternal rest.

Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross

Following the announcement by the Holy See that Pope Francis has 'returned to the House of the Lord', Bishop Fintan Gavin invites the people of the Diocese of Cork and Ross to unite in prayer to God at this time.

"I invite the parishioners, priests, deacons and religious of our diocese to join as one with the faithful across the globe as we commend Pope Francis to the Lord.

"We give thanks to Almighty God for the gift of Pope Francis as shepherd of the people of God and we thank God for his selfless service and dedication to the end of his earthly life.

"We remember Pope Francis as one who challenged us to reach out to those on the margins and to bring God's mercy to all those we encounter.

"We pray together that Pope Francis' call to all of us, to make this Jubilee Year a Year of Hope, may be fulfilled.

"In what was to be his last pastoral message to the faithful on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis said: 'All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of Life.'

"We pray together now that Pope Francis' prayer will be answered and that his soul may be in eternal peace with God."

Bishop Paul Connell, Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnois

I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of our beloved Holy Father Pope Francis. We were praying for his full recovery from his recent very serious illness. Pope Francis has now been called home to the Father's house. We come from God and we all return to God. At this Easter time we are reminded yet again of the hope that Christ' resurrection brings and we pray that the Lord will take Pope Francis home and reward him for the good that he did in this life.

Pope Francis has made an immense contribution to the life of the Church and the wider world. He was keenly aware of the challenges faced by humanity and he constantly focused on these challenges during his pontificate, not least in the area of climate change. He constantly emphasised the need for all of us to take care of our planet, our common home.

Care, respect and compassion were at the heart of his pontificate and he had a special affinity with the poor and those with special needs. He challenged us as Christians to take responsibility for, and look after, the least in our societies, to maintain solidarity with one another and in particular to look after refugees fleeing from war and economic want.

During his pontificate he launched the global compact on education, appealing for a more open and inclusive education for all our young people and calling for educators throughout the world to co-operate in providing an education that enables young people to rise above antagonism and division.

Over the last few years in particular, Pope Francis has emphasised the synodal nature of the church. All of us who are baptised participate in the life of the church, listening to each other, exchanging views and making decisions.

I ask everyone in our diocese to pray for Pope Francis, that his gentle soul will rest in peace.

Mass will be celebrated in the Cathedral for Pope Francis - details will be finalised later

Bishop Tom Deenihan, Bishop of Meath

The announcement of the death of the Holy Father on Easter Monday morning was a cause of sadness and shock, given his appearances over the past few days during the various ceremonies. At this time, I join with the priests, religious and people of the Diocese of Meath in praying for his soul, confident that the God of Mercy will welcome this faithful servant.

Like many others, I watched the news of Pope Francis election on TV twelve years ago and there was much commentary on the Pope that came from the 'Ends of the world' and what type of papacy was in store. It became immediately clear that this would be a different papacy. Even the name Francis indicated a desire to put the poor, the marginalised, fraternity and 'Sister Earth' at the centre. Looking back now and reflecting on Pope Francis' time as Pontiff, his choice of name was, in itself, a manifesto that he successfully lived up to.

Many of the tributes written in the past hours emphasise his humility, compassion and courage. Humility came to the fore in rejecting many of the Papal vestments and the Apostolic Palace itself. One of my earliest memories of him as Pope was of his return to the guesthouse in Rome where he stayed before the conclave to pay his bill. I think that he may have felt to some extent imprisoned in the Vatican -his trips to a music shop near the Pantheon to select some CD's, his trips to an Optician near the Spanish Steps to get new glasses and his various trips to prisons, hospitals and parishes give a sense of a man who wished to be among the people. Pope Francis was before all else a Pastor.

Being a Pastor informed many of the quotes that he is best remembered for, including 'Who am I to judge'. Above all, he was a prophet of mercy. Mercy, he said, was the 'air that we breath'. That sense of mercy was also communicated to the Confessors in Saint Peter's recently when he told them not to ask questions, to say they understood even if they did not and to grant absolution. The confession box was, he said, not to be a torture chamber! In 2014 he said that God forgives not with a decree but with a caress. It was interesting that he publicly professed his own devotion to the sacrament of reconciliation frequently, even going to a confessor in Saint Peter's after being released from hospital recently. As well as advocating mercy, he also championed the virtue of joy. Christians, he said, should not look like people coming from a funeral!

Perhaps less commented on is the simple holiness of Pope Francis. Which of us were not moved in the early days of the COVID pandemic when he appeared in an empty and wet Saint Peter's Square holding the Monstrance in the shadow of the Icon of Mary from Saint Mary Major's Basilica that Romans have great devotion to and the Cross from the Church of Saint Marcello that Romans, since 1519, believe could save the city from fire and plague? The only acknowledgement of his presence in that empty and wet Square was a police car outside that turned on its siren. He was, essentially, the world's priest interceding for his people. That will be one of my stronger and more moving memories of him.

Similarly, his devotion to the sleeping Saint Joseph whom he could entrust problems to, to Mary under the title of the undoer of knots and to the icon of Mary, salvific health of the Roman peoples, which he visited in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major before and after his many pilgrimages portray a man of deep and simple faith. That strong and devotional faith was an important part of the man. Indeed, any time that I met him, he would always ask for prayers.

His embracing of the synodal path and his call to Catholics to 'enlarge their tent' is also an important catch cry for our time. Pope Francis could remain friendly with those whom he disagreed with and could keep conversations going. I was reminded of that when I heard an Irish politician say at the time of the General Election here that we need to learn to disagree with each other respectfully. In a time of social media and cancel culture, it is a valuable lesson.

I am one of the Irish Bishops that he appointed during his pontificate. His addresses to bishops always emphasised that role of pastor. 'The smell of the sheep' and the church being 'a field hospital' are two strong images of his that will, I believe and hope, endure.

He also faced difficult challenges. The issue of dealing with child abuse continued in his papacy and his demands on bishops and superiors were clearly outlined in Vos est Lux Mundi. Failures in dealing with those complaints would, and have, result in deprivation of office. Indeed, that issue arose again during his visit here in August 2018 and saw him seeking forgiveness for the churches failings during the Mass in the Phoenix Park. I think that he was always mindful of the burden that accompanied his election, hence the regular call to 'pray for me'.

There was something appropriate in his passing on Easter Monday. The Church celebrating the Resurrection and a drive through Saint Peter's Square the day before to give the blessing to the church, the city and the world and him greeting the people of the world who saw him as a father, an inspiration and a man of holiness.

As we mourn him, may we be mindful of his challenge to us to care for the marginalised, the poor, our common home, the need to see beyond our own reality, the need to enlarge our tent and the call to holiness and the joy of the gospel.

At the Funeral of Pope Benedict in January 2023, Francis said that 'Like the Master, the shepherd bears the burden of interceding and anointing his people , especially in the situations where goodness must struggle to prevail and the dignity of our brothers and sisters is threatened'.

Pope Francis certainly undertook that office of shepherd and was continually praying for peace in the Ukraine, Gaza and other places, all too many, where ordinary people found their lives upended by conflict. I think of the parish priest in Gaza that he rang nightly, even on Holy Saturday. They surely feel a great loss today.

We pray, as he ended that funeral homily, 'faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice now and forever'.

I commend the Soul of Pope Francis to the Priests and People of the Diocese of Meath and ask that prayers be included in all Masses in the Diocese during the Novendiales, the nine day period of mourning a Pope.

A Mass will be offered for the repose of Pope Francis in the Cathedral in Mullingar at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 29 April.

May he rest in Peace.

Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore

I am very sad to hear of the death of Pope Francis. I had seen video footage of him as he sat in his wheelchair on that well-known balcony in Saint Peter's Basilica on Easter Sunday imparting his blessing to the city and to the world for the last time.

He was different from his predecessor but then all popes are different and in my adult life I have been very blessed to have met three giants: Pope Saint John Paul, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.

I met Pope Francis three times. For me there was something very lovable about him and very warm. He had a great smile. I admired his courage. His gestures to the marginalised were extraordinary. The way in which he embraced the disfigured man several years ago now showed the depth of his humanity. His pastoral visits to prisons, hospitals, care-centres, drug rehab units, to seek out the poor and distressed, his heart-rending appeal to the crucified Lord in Saint Peter's Square in the rain during the covid epidemic, his apostolic journeys to countries which are not deemed important on the world stage - all these things will long remain with me. I think Pope Francis has helped the world to remember the poor and to keep in mind those whom society can reject. For me he truly was a living example of the saintly man whose name he took.

Now that he has died I can see more clearly what his messages to us were. Like all people of faith he knew what was essential in life and what was frivolous. He could not abide sloth or affectation or excess. He wanted a Church in which more and more people would play their role in the building up of the Church. He knew what he wanted to achieve but like all human beings he did not achieve them all. He too had to live with limitations. In the world, we are called to do our best and let God do the rest. Pope Francis, seemed to me had no problem with saying and doing unpopular things. He was not courting popularity. He was made of strong stuff.

I was touched by the way in which he dealt with his visit to Ireland in 2018. He reached out with love and of course the people loved him. They flocked the streets to see him pass by and his beautiful visit to Knock was touching in its simplicity and showed his child-like devotion to Our Mother Mary. Whenever he returned to Rome after a foreign trip he went to Saint Mary Majors Basilica to lay a bunch of flowers before Our Lady and say a prayer of thanks for her intercession.

As he gave the blessing on Easter Sunday I blessed myself too - glad to receive a blessing from this holy man, totally dedicated to God and His Church. Having just celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead I confidently pray that our dear Pope Francis will receive a kindly welcome from the Saviour and that he will rest in peace in the Father's house.

Bishop Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher

We are all deeply saddened by the death of Pope Francis. His 12 years as Supreme Pastor of the Church provided us all with a form and substance of leadership that reflected his closeness to people of the margins, to the poorest and to those in great need. Through his preaching, his teaching and his travels, he gave witness to the values of the Gospel, the central place of mercy in our church and the need for us all to be people of hope, a hope rooted in Jesus Christ. He also placed great emphasis on the urgency of tackling the environmental crisis in our world and the need to prioritise the care of our common home.

Pope Francis also reached out to other Christian Churches and Communities and to people of other faiths. He exemplified dialogue as a pathway to addressing the many questions we all face whether as people of faith or as brothers and sisters living together in this world. This sense of listening and dialogue also found its place in our Church structures, with his emphasis on synodality - of listening to each other and discerning the promptings of the Holy Spirit and of walking together in terms of us all being co-responsible for our Church at every level.

We will all find much to reflect on about the life and ministry of Pope Francis. His great sense of outreach to the underdog, his emphasis on mercy and hope - all of this firmly rooted in his love of God - will surely provide us with a lasting legacy. This is reflected in the outpouring of love and sympathy at his passing.

May the Risen Lord bring him to eternal life in the fullness of the Resurrection.

A Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis will be celebrated in Saint Macartan's Cathedral, Monaghan, on this Friday, 25 April, at 7.30pm.

Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick

Bishop 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, Bishop Leahy said that the world is deeply saddened and shocked 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 7pm in Saint 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."

Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly SMA, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly

It was with great sadness that the people of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly and I, learned of the death of Pope Francis, RIP.

His recent medical struggles and Easter Triduum appearances in Saint Peter's in Rome had brought hope to all that he was on a journey of recovery from his recent illness. However, having fought the good fight to the end he returned to the home of the Father - the loving God in whom he trusted - early on Easter Monday morning, the meeting day at Galilee.

His ministry as Pope was characterised by his commitment to the poor and marginalised, to leading global awareness about the common home that we all share on this planet. One of Pope Francis' abiding legacies will be his call to all to share our beautiful world for the benefit of all. Especially, his calls for special attention of care for those whose lives are endangered because of climate change. A call that becomes ever more valid with every serious weather event.

From the earliest days of his ministry he challenged all believers to become Missionary Disciples of the Risen Lord - all our pastoral and Church life he called to be lived out of missionary conviction. This challenge is never more relevant as we journey together on our Synodal journey, as a Universal Church and a National Church.

A book of condolences will be available to sign in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles, over the coming days.

May Pope Francis rest in peace and may he be welcomed into the Father's eternal home. Solas na bhlaitheas da anam usual.

Bishop Martin Hayes, Bishop of Kilmore

We are saddened by the death of Pope Francis.

We give thanks for his strong pastoral leadership in making the Gospel message relevant with warmth and compassion to the whole world. He drew our attention to the widening gap between rich and poor, the increasing levels of migration and the harm being done to planet Earth due to the current global economic model. He challenged us to take up our responsibilities of being created by God in interrelationship with each other and with all of creation.

He consistently advocated for the dignity, respect and protection of human life from the moment of conception to it's natural end.

He addressed the abuse crisis within the Church and asked for forgiveness from those hurt by that abuse.

As a man of deep faith and prayer he has called us to engage with each other in conversations of faith on a synodal path and a way of walking together as Church dependant on the Holy Spirit.

In responding to the love of God through his personal witness of Christian faith to the end, he has renewed our hope.

We entrust Pope Francis to the merciful love of God and pray that he may rest in peace.

LINK

See video clips and addresses of Pope Francis during his August 2018 visit to Ireland:

www.catholicbishops.ie/apostolic-visit-of-his-holiness-pope-francis-to-ireland-world-meeting-of-families-25-26-august-2018/.