MANKATO — Local Catholics mourned Monday as they processed the news of the death of Pope Francis.
The Vatican reported Francis — the first pope from Latin America — had died after a stroke.
Francis’ papacy was marked by his tireless preachings for migrants and the marginalized, and he was praised by world leaders around the globe after his death.
The Rev. John Kunz of St. John the Baptist in Mankato said the pope’s death was “at first shocking even though we saw it coming. He’s been in bad shape the last month. He was in the square at St. Peter yesterday in his Pope mobile and gave his blessing. That was something. We send him off to God at this point, which is wonderful.”
Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm Chad Zielinski said in a statement that Pope Francis’ papal motto “by having mercy and choosing him,” was truly at the heart of his pastoral leadership.
Just last week, Zielinski said, Pope Francis visited a prison on Holy Thursday. He delivered a message of God’s mercy and hope, being a light of Christ to others.
In his gospel, Pope Francis “unleashed a pastoral vision that invited all into a renewed encounter with Christ.” He invited all Christians to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ. “No one should think this invitation is not meant for them since no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord,” Zielinski quoted him as saying.
Kunz said Pope Francis “really sought to include everybody. He became a pope known throughout the world but especially for the poor, for women and for those who had no place in the world it would seem. He really tried to respond to everyone.”
Pope Francis tried to be collaborative as time went on, Kunz said. He opened the church to a much broader base, including not just priests, cardinals and bishops but lay people, especially women, into leadership positions. “He really opened the teaching element to a broader base.”
Both Kunz and Zielinski saw Pope Francis three times and remember the visits fondly.
Ten years ago, Kunz even celebrated Holy Week with Pope Francis and 1,000 priests.
“I had a chance to go to Rome a number of times during his time, and he was always smiling and welcoming in his presence,” Kunz said. “That was a gift to many.”
“I had the honor of meeting Pope Francis in 2015, 2016 and 2020,” Zielinski said. “He exuded a profound joy, compassion and love of the Lord. These personal encounters, his preaching and his witness have transformed me as a bishop to be an ambassador of mercy. We entrust Pope Francis to the merciful hands of Christ that he passionately preached about for so many years.”
As for the papal future, Kunz said he hopes the next pope adopts some of Francis’ concerns such as his compassion for all people and his gospel of mercy for the masses.
“He started this year of hope, and we’re in the jubilee year and really in so many difficult situations all over our planet — wars and all kinds of insurrection and other economic concerns,” he said. “He really wanted to reach out and give hope and I hope that can continue.”
“This personal encounter of Christ’s mercy, forgiveness, and care for the poor will be a constant tug in the hearts and minds of many for years to come,” Zielinski said. “His sacred footprints left in places in the peripheries have changed hearts and minds forever.”