Pope Francis ‘carried out his ministry with courage and humility’ says Bishop Doran

Pope Francis, who died earlier this morning at the age of 88, “carried out his ministry as Pope with courage and humility,” the Bishop of Elphin and Achonry has said.

Bishop Kevin Doran noted that “people will write volumes about his papacy in the future , for now, perhaps it is enough to say that his pastoral energy was entirely focussed on forming the Church to be the community of believers that Jesus intended it to be and calling each of us to become a “missionary disciple”.

“He was always ready to teach what the Church believes, but he called on Catholics to think it through rather than just accepting or rejecting it at face value. His sense of humour was very evident to those who met him.

“One of my abiding own memories of him was when I was with the other Irish Bishops at a meeting with him during our Ad Limina visit. After an hour of listening and responding to us, he got up and walked towards the other end of the room, coming back with a bottle of water and a glass, saying quietly under his breath, ‘the poor translator has no water’,” Bishop Doran remarked.

History’s first Latin American pontiff, Pope Francis charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change.

Bells tolled in church towers across Rome after the announcement, which was read out by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived.

“At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” he said.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.

“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 God, One and Tribune.” 

Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on February 14th for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

He spent 38 days there, the longest hospital stay of his 12-year papacy.

However, he emerged on Easter Sunday – a day before his death – to bless thousands of people in St Peter’s Square and treat them to a surprise Popemobile tour of the piazza, drawing wild cheers and applause.