Special mass held at Quebec basilica where Pope Francis visited on 'pilgrimage of penance'

Rachel Watts · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 2:53 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

More than 100 radical sang hymns successful unison successful the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec as portion of a wide honouring the beingness of Pope Francis, who died Monday astatine the property of 88.

Nearly 3 years prior, helium visited the basilica, located successful the bosom of Old Quebec, arsenic portion of his six-day "pilgrimage of penance."

The precocious Pope Francis — Jorge Mario Bergoglio — visited Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut to apologize to Indigenous radical for the behaviour of immoderate members of the Catholic Church successful Canada's residential schoolhouse system.

He said helium was atrocious and ashamed for abuses committed by those members, arsenic good arsenic for the taste demolition and forced assimilation that culminated successful the schools.

Pope Francis's 12-year papacy ushered successful a much open, welcoming Catholic Church that galore say prioritized empathy for the mediocre and disenfranchised. It's a bequest that is being remembered by those who saw the Pope during his July 2022 sojourn to Canada and those who applauded his efforts toward openness and reconciliation.

Françoise Tremblay highlighted the Pope's humility arsenic she stood successful the pews of the Quebec basilica connected Tuesday. 

"He had decided that helium would alteration the church," said Tremblay.

"The archetypal happening helium did was inquire radical to commune for him. I recovered that precise beauteous … helium lived astatine the Santa Marta residence alternatively than successful the pomp of the Vatican."

Bertrand Cloutier was keen to be the Quebec City mass, led by Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix.

Cloutier pointed to Saint Francis of Assisi, from whom the Pope took his name. Saint Francis founded the Franciscan Order of Friars successful 1209 and was known for renouncing wealthiness and surviving successful poverty.

It was an contented adjacent to Pope Francis's heart, who was seen arsenic a champion of the poor, and antecedently lived successful his ain flat extracurricular Buenos Aires alternatively than the bishop's palace.

"It was large to spot a Pope similar that," said Cloutier. "It was besides a indispensable betterment for our period and the 1 to travel … the betterment helium started successful the church, which is not yet complete, but which I anticipation volition continue."

WATCH | Indigenous leaders stock thoughts connected Pope's 2022 sojourn and his death: 

Cardinal Lacroix says Pope Francis was an unthinkable illustration of emotion and respect, particularly connected his sojourn to Quebec.

"It was that important for him to instrumentality the time, [even] being successful a wheelchair already with constricted mobility. But his bosom was successful afloat operation," helium said.

"He took the clip to perceive people, to comfortableness them, to beryllium successful soundlessness too."

Lacroix past saw the Pope conscionable a fewer weeks ago, erstwhile helium travelled to Rome. He volition soon beryllium returning for the ceremonial service, which volition beryllium held successful St. Peter's Square on Saturday.