Pope Francis RIP
Statement of Bishop Niall Coll
The news of the death of Pope Francis this morning fills us with a deep sadness as we mourn the loss of a kind, courageous, and gentle pastor. We also have a sense of gratitude to God for the great leadership he has given to the Church over the course of his long papacy, and this is deeply felt in Ossory and throughout Ireland. The first Latin-American to be pope, he insisted right from the start that a key focus of his pontificate would be on ‘the peripheries’. His preaching, teaching and travels brought him to many of the poorest and most marginalised communities on the earth to remind them of their human dignity as children of God. He urged politicians and other leaders there, and everywhere, to work for peace, justice and responsible economic development. The plight of the peoples of Gaza, Ukraine and in so many other theatres of conflict was constantly on his lips and in his prayers. He urged an end to violence in human affairs and underlined the need for a sense of fraternity and social friendship between peoples and nations in order to build a more just and peaceful world.
In terms of the life of the Catholic Church itself, at least four persistent themes recur in is teaching and preaching. First, the importance of Mercy, recognising that God is ever merciful and that we are called to respond to this great truth and to be merciful ourselves in our relationships with each other. Second, Hope – evidenced by the current ‘Jubilee Year of Hope 2025’ – underlining the need to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and thus not to give in to despair or anger. Third, ‘synodality, a vison of Church faithful to the teachings of the Second Vatical Council (1962-65) which has at its heart the need to develop a greater sense of co-responsibility in mission between clergy and people everywhere. Fourth, his teaching on the need to care for the earth as set out in his Laudato Si’ encyclical, a document much appreciated well beyond the bounds of church and faith, where he called for a global dialogue that would allow us to shape and care for our planet through our daily actions and decisions.
Finally, let me end with a quotation from Pope Francis that encapsulates so much about his faith, hope and love for God and his people: ‘We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.’
Catholics, other Christians and people of good will everywhere will find much to reflect upon and learn from the life and teaching of Pope Francis over the years to come. May he rest in peace.
+Niall Coll
Bishop of Ossory