Area religious, civic leaders praise late Pope Francis
Apr. 21—LIMA — With the Roman Catholic Church able to boast a membership of more than one billion worldwide, the news Monday of Pope Francis’ death had a global impact, including in western Ohio.
Serving in this position since 2013, the 88-year-old was the 266th pontiff going back to St. Peter. While the church is no stranger to papal transitions, there is still a shock that comes with this news, according to Rev. Jeffery Walker, of St. John the Evangelist Church in Delphos.
“In one sense, the news was a bit shocking today,” he said. “Of course, we’ve known for some time that the pope’s health has been in decline, and he is not a young man. However, having seen him yesterday giving the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ (‘to the city and to the world’) blessing, the special Easter blessing, and seeing that he met with the vice president over the weekend, I don’t think anyone was quite expecting the news this morning that he passed away.”
Rev. Kent Kaufman, of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Lima, was visiting his mother when he heard of the pope’s death. Amidst the surprise of that news, Kaufman said he could appreciate the significance of the timing of this event, being the day after the church celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
“It seems so minimal, what he did, to say, ‘Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter. And now I’ll let someone else now give my message,'” he said. “He needed every ounce of breath to be able to say that much. And then at the very end, they put the stole on him, and then he does the blessing. Later he was taken to (St. Peter’s) Square, and you could see what he was seeing, all the people. And then this morning, to wake up and get ready for breakfast to hear that he had died, how could you orchestrate that any better?”
Monday’s news also brought swift responses from the bishops overseeing the Roman Catholic dioceses in this region. The Most Rev. Robert Casey, Archbishop of Cincinnati, the archdiocese that includes Auglaize and Mercer counties, pointed to a recent proclamation from Pope Francis marking 2025 as a jubilee year of hope.
“May we, then, be filled with hope — hope that Pope Francis will receive the reward of a life poured out in selfless service and love for God’s people and all creation; hope that Christ, who comforts us in our mourning, will send the Holy Spirit to be our Helper; and hope that this same Spirit will inspire and unite us as the Church to stand firm in faith, proclaiming the power of the Resurrection and the joy of the Gospel,” he said in a statement.
The Most Rev. Daniel Thomas, bishop of the Diocese of Toledo, which includes Allen, Putnam and Van Wert counties, echoed the sentiment, acknowledging the sadness of the pope’s death while expressing hope for his eternal reward.
“We trust in the promise and saving power flowing from the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we beg the Lord to receive him into the company of Blessed Mary, Saint George and Saint Francis of Assisi his patrons and all the Saints,” he said in a statement.
Praise for Pope Francis also came in from outside the Roman Catholic Church, with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine sharing his thoughts on his legacy.
“His genuine love of and devotion to all people — the poor, the unborn, those without a home, those emigrating to build a better life for themselves and their families, those of all faiths and those with no faith — was evidenced to the world from the day he was selected to serve as Pope until his last public appearance on Easter Sunday,” DeWine said in a statement.
DeWine also ordered all U.S. and Ohio flags to be lowered to half-staff at all public buildings until sunset on the day of Francis’ interment.
“Today I join in mourning the passing of Pope Francis,” U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, said in a statement. “The first pope from the American continent, he brought a unique perspective to the universal church as a Jesuit and a shepherd from Argentina. I pray for his eternal rest. May his memory be a blessing.”
Kaufman said he hoped history will see Francis as one who remembered those who the rest of the world forgot.
“For Pope Francis, it was about taking (the message of Christ) to the ends of the earth and to everyone, especially the most marginalized and the ones who maybe have been forgotten or turned aside,” he said. “He made every effort to reach out.”
Walker said he hoped Francis would be remembered as the “pope of mercy.”
“The first Sunday after his election, he said what I think might be the most important thing he’s ever said as pope, when he reminded all the people who were listening that God never tires of forgiving us,” he said. “Sometimes we grow tired of asking God for forgiveness, but he encouraged us to be faithful and persistent and courageous in pursuing our merciful God.”
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