MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Many Catholics across the world are mourning the loss of the beloved spiritual leader, often referred to as “The People’s Pope.”
Pope Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday. He died at 88 years old.
As many Catholic churches around the world are celebrating the life and legacy of Pope Francis, in Memphis, the community says they’re proud of the work he accomplished.
Bishop David Talley of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis released a statement, in part, saying “His legacy will be one of mercy, outreach, and hope. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, may we honor Pope Francis by carrying on the mission of Christ the Lord, and living as Pilgrims of Hope.”
“I think it’s unfortunate timing. I am grateful for all of the work that he did for kind of bringing the Catholic Church into the 21st century,” said Anna Malone.
Pope Francis had several key accomplishments, including his commitment to the poor and taking a number of steps to crack down on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
His willingness to open the church’s doors to the LGBTQ+ Community was a significant move toward inclusion.
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Pope Francis delivered an Easter blessing to a crowd of thousands in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, which marked as his last public appearance.
“As a Catholic and as a Democrat Catholic, it’s been difficult to kind of reconcile this conflicting values that I have. And so it was really wonderful to have a pope who kind of thought more progressively,” said Malone.
Pope Francis was the first Latin American Pope, the first Pope from the Americas, and the first non-European Pope in more than 1,000 years.
He was an advocate for economic and social justice whose famous phrase will remain in history.
“Who am I to judge?”
