Roman Catholics on P.E.I. mourn the passing of Pope Francis

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 10:29 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Catholics crossed Prince Edward Island are mourning the decease of Pope Francis, who passed distant aboriginal Monday greeting astatine the property of 88.

In caller months, the Pope had been battling wellness issues. He spent 5 weeks successful the infirmary opening successful February aft a bout of bronchitis developed into pneumonia.

"We knew that his decease was imminent, and yet it was a daze erstwhile Monday, we woke up and learned that the Pope passed away," said Bishop Joseph Dabrowski, the spiritual person of the Diocese of Charlottetown .

"Now we request to commune for his psyche and beryllium agreed successful supplication with the Catholic Church and bespeak with tone of gratitude, thanksgiving for his enactment and ministry and his pastoral large care."

Dabrowski said helium had the idiosyncratic privilege of gathering the Pope connected 4 occasions.

"Each brushwood I met with remains adjacent to my heart, and I experienced his genuine pastoral care, warmth, simplicity and joyousness rooted successful the gospel, truthful beauteous moments," the bishop said.

"In 2015, helium was the 1 who called maine to episcopate and I volition everlastingly beryllium grateful for that."

Reflecting connected the Pope's legacy

As Bishop of the Diocese of Charlottetown, Dabrowski volition soon pen a missive to Catholics connected the Island done this clip of mourning.

In it, helium plans to bespeak connected Pope Francis's 12-year papacy committed to empathy and attraction for the mediocre and marginalized.

"Pope Francis showed america what it means to emotion God with our hearts and psyche and mind. He served the Catholic religion faithfully," Dabrowski said.

"He was known for his large humility, his spot successful God's mercy, attraction for the poor, and his tendency for bid and dialog with our people. He encouraged the Church to listen, locomotion unneurotic and attraction for 1 different successful our creation."

Dabrowski besides highlighted the Pope's historical sojourn to Canada successful 2022, wherever helium undertook what helium called a six-day "pilgrimage of penance" successful Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut, walking alongside Indigenous peoples connected a way of healing and reconciliation.

The Pope besides weighed successful connected assorted planetary issues, including calling connected satellite leaders for an urgent effect to the clime crisis, calling for a ceasefire successful Gaza and urging for bid successful Ukraine.

"Globally, helium inspired millions done his humility, simplicity and the courageousness to talk prophetically connected issues that matter," Dabrowski said.

What's next

As the Catholic Church observes the Octave of Easter, Dabrowski said determination typically shouldn't beryllium immoderate benignant of masses specifically connected death.

However, the College of Cardinals tin supply a dispensation for Pope Francis's funeral, helium said. That ceremonial will take spot connected Saturday.

"In each diocese, we'll person a memorial mass, and we'll invitation radical to beryllium with maine and priests, and we conscionable proceed to commune for the College of Cardinals and beryllium successful interaction with each the accusation that we'll beryllium receiving," helium said.

Cardinals from astir the satellite are present heading to Rome to instrumentality portion successful the conclave to elite the adjacent pope.

"We are present waiting for the Holy Spirit that done the College of Cardinals, helium will, similar the Pope has ever been successful the past, prime the close Pope for the close time."