Parishioners and church leaders in NI pay tribute to ‘loved’ Pope

Members of the public and church leaders have expressed “sadness” after the death of Pope Francis on Monday morning.

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, said the Pope had been “showing immense courage and serenity in the face of frailty and suffering”.

Catholics in west Belfast and Londonderry expressed their shock at hearing the news on Easter Monday.

Sister Ursula Canavan, who attended Mass at Clonard Monastery in Belfast, said: “I just heard when I went into Mass. The priest announced that the Pope had died. Lord rest him. He’s in a better place.”

Archbishop Martin, the Catholic Primate of All Ireland, said Pope Francis’ papacy had been “a profound gift to the Church”.

Speaking at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, in Armagh, he said: “I think there was something different about this Pope.”

He said the Pope’s vision of the Church wasn’t of “a rigid structure, a distant authority”, but of one that had “solidarity with humanity, particularly with the weakest of humanity”.

“He didn’t shy away from tackling the awful trauma of abuse and the impact of those terrible sins and crimes by people acting in the name of the Church,” he added.

At an Easter Mass held at Clonard Monastery in west Belfast, only 30 minutes after the news was announced, many arrived not knowing of the Pope’s death.

“Even though I knew the Pope was very, very sick…I didn’t expect it,” said Fr Brendan Keane.

“I will remember him as a great human being, a humble man, a generous man, a sincere man, a good communicator. He was not just admired, but loved.”

Many parishioners spoke about seeing the Pope on television only 24 hours previously on Easter Sunday.

“I only heard the news when I came into church this morning.” said Frances McEvoy.

“Someone said the Pope had died. I didn’t believe it having seen him yesterday (on television).

“Then it was announced during the Mass. I’m totally heartbroken but it’s a blessing for the Pope. He obviously was suffering and was very weak yesterday.

“There will never be the likes of him again, such a wonderful, merciful, very understanding pope and we pray for him. He died at a lovely time of the year.”

Mass-goers said the fact Pope Francis came to Ireland, in August 2018, meant he had a special place in the heart of Irish people.

“We’ll never forget Pope Francis. He felt like one of our own,” said one man.

“I read the news on the BBC website. It wasn’t a great surprise really after the last number of weeks,” Fr Brendan Kelly said.

“Throughout life he’s had difficulties with health but it is sad.

“It’s the end of a particular era in the Church’s history – and a very significant era.”

People celebrating Easter Monday Mass at St Eugene’s Cathedral in Londonderry also spoke of their shock.

Administrator Fr Paul Farren said the funeral bell tolled for an hour to mark the Pope’s passing and the Papal flags were lowered to half mast in the church grounds.

There was a tremendous warmth towards Pope Francis, he added, whose tenure had been marked by “great humility”.

“It’s a sad day for Catholics around the world today,” said Terry Casey.

“He was a great Pope and he made a lot of important changes that not everyone would have agreed with. A sad day for everybody.”

Joan Casey said he was a great Pope, while Hugo Callaghan said he saw him when he visited Phoenix Park in Dublin in 2018.

“I had him in my prayers. Looking at him yesterday he was very weak.”

Two sisters, Eve and Aileen McVeigh, were among those who paid tribute to Pope Francis outside St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh on Monday.

Eve said the sisters had “great respect” for Pope Francis describing the pontiff as a “very kind and humble man”.

“We know he had a lot of compassion for people and I think the world is a much sadder place without him in it,” she added.

Aileen said the Pope had “done a lot for the younger generation” and “would be greatly missed”.

Ciaran Corrigan said the Pope was a “courageous man” who stood by his decisions.

“He was one of a kind when it comes to being the Pope,” he added.

Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell said it’s a “very sad day”.

“It came very abruptly and very suddenly in the end but perhaps the way he would have wanted it”.

Talking about the Pope wishing people an Easter blessing on Sunday at the balcony on St Peter’s Square, Archbishop Farrell said: “I think he would have liked to die with his boots on and he certainly did that.”

The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland said even though the Pope’s death was “expected” he is still “shocked”.

“I very much feel for my Catholic neighbours in Ireland who have lost a great, authentic leader,” said Archbishop John McDowell.

“Someone who spoke with compassion to them, but not only to them, to the whole world,” he added.

“There are so few people who can do that these days, who can speak beyond their own boundaries. So we all feel a bit diminished, I think, by his passing.”

The Presbyterian Church in Ireland’s Moderator-designate, the Reverend Trevor Gribben, said Presbyterians wanted “to acknowledge the grief felt by many people on the island of Ireland who will be greatly saddened at this particular time, especially our Roman Catholic friends and neighbours, who mourn the death of Pope Francis”.

In a statement, President of the Methodist Church Rev Dr John Alderdice, and the Church’s Lay Leader, Mrs Elaine M Barnett said: “We give thanks and appreciation for his ecumenical spirit and openness to other leaders in the global Christian Church.”

They commended the Pope’s “advocacy for social justice” and his “desire to prioritise care for the poor and the most vulnerable”.

Rev Dr John Alderdice and Mrs Barnett extended the “deepest sympathies and prayers” of Irish Methodist people to their “brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic community”.

Presbyterian minister Rev Steve Stockman helps run the 4 Corners Festival at Saint Anne’s Cathedral, which promotes reconciliation.

He said Pope Francis sent “a very kind message, encouraging us to continue that pathway to peace” when he recorded a video for the festival’s anniversary.

He said it was “very important” to have Pope Francis “wish you well”.

“He was a man who was very warm, very humble,” he told BBC’s Evening Extra programme.

Rev Stockman also met Pope Francis in 2022.

“Some people from my tradition would say you shouldn’t be going in to see a pope,” he said.

He added that the tributes to the Pope following his death from different denominations in Northern Ireland shows “different times”.

“It shows a sign of how well we’ve done to see the respect,” he added.

A cardinal, who was born in Dublin, made the global announcement that Pope Francis had died.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell is a key figure during the period when the Church is without a pope.

Father Michael Collins, who has written biographies about the Pope, told Irish broadcaster RTÉ: “It was an Irishman… who actually made the official announcement of the Pope’s death to the world”.

“He is what’s called the camerlengo, the key keeper, and he’s got the position of verifying the Pope’s death.”