On The Passing Of Pope Francis
Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend offers the following statement on the death of Pope Francis:
“Today, Easter Monday, Pope Francis, reached the end of his earthly pilgrimage. He passed from this life to the one promised by our Risen Lord. We mourn the death of our beloved Holy Father with much sadness but also with the inner joy that springs from our hope in eternal life.
For the past 12 years, Pope Francis has been a shining example for the Church and the world of the joy and hope of the Gospel. He has been a tireless voice for the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten, calling all of us to be witnesses of Christ our hope through our love for all those who are in need. He has repeatedly taught us by his words and actions that the preferential option for the poor is at the center of the Gospel and of the Church’s mission. I think this will be Pope Francis’ most enduring legacy.
The last time I spoke with the Holy Father was this past October, at the end of the Synod in Rome, when I thanked him for his latest encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was his fourth and last encyclical, a beautiful reflection on the love of Christ, the love that conquers sin and death. He taught how the Church and the world need that love. In his Easter message, Pope Francis wrote that all who put their hope in God are to be witnesses of the victory of love. Death is the moment of great encounter with the God of love. As we mourn the death of Pope Francis, let us pray that the Lord in His love will welcome him into His glory, the eternal joy of heaven.”
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend comprises 14 counties of northeastern Indiana and has a Catholic population of nearly 140,000. There are 80 parishes throughout the Fort Wayne and South Bend areas. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was installed as the Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend on January 13, 2010. Visit the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend website for more information.
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