‘Tremendous world leader': NE Ohio priest visiting Rome speaks on Pope Francis' death
ROME (WJW) — A Northeast Ohio priest who traveled to Rome for Easter said he is still trying to process the passing of Pope Francis.
Father Eric Garris, Vocation Director for the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, wanted to celebrate the holiday with friends in Italy. On Sunday, he served communion in St. Peter's Square and was among the tens of thousands to hear Pope Francis greet the crowd, saying, 'My beloved brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!'
Garris said the Pope's voice was quite labored, but there was an undeniable energy in the air.
'You know, there's a joy, there's a gravitas to the Pope, whether you're a person of faith or not. For me, he's my spiritual father. For many people, he's seen as a tremendous world leader. So, people flock to him,' said Garris.
US flags to fly at half-staff for Pope Francis
Later, Garris snapped a photo just feet from the pontiff as he passed by in an open-air popemobile, his first full procession through St. Peter's Square since surviving double pneumonia.
The next morning, while praying at the tomb of Saint John Paul II, Garris received a text message from another priest. It read, 'RIP Pope Francis.'
'It was just very strange to be there, and then, I immediately ran down to the tomb of Saint Peter. Pope Francis is a successor of Peter and the apostles, and so I just knelt down at the tomb of Peter and prayed for his successor, Francis. And then came out into the square, and was just kind of like, this is real,' said Garris.
When reflecting on Pope Francis' legacy, Garris said it's hard to sum up, but he believes the Pope's impact lies in his desire for everyone to feel welcome.
'He lived what he spoke, and especially when it came to being a pope of mercy and embracing those on the peripheries, letting the people know that the gospel is not just contained to those who are perfect and have it all together; that really speaks to people. Because I can tell you I'm a priest, I don't have it all together, and it's good to know that there's a pope who says Jesus can still love you,' Garris said.
Garris believes the timing of Pope Francis' passing on Easter Monday is no coincidence, and he noted that Pope John Paul II died just days after Easter in 2005.
'You know, it's one of those things where I don't believe we choose to die, but I would imagine yesterday was an incredibly joyful day for Pope Francis, where he was able to be with his people,' Garris said. 'And I imagine today was a joyful day for him as well, when he was welcomed into the kingdom to the words of hopefully so many who have gone before him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come share your master's joy.'
Diocese of Cleveland leaders, parishioners reflect on death of Pope Francis
Garris said cardinals will likely certify the pontiff's death on Tuesday, with Pope Francis presumably lying in state Wednesday through Friday. However, because Friday is a national holiday in Italy, the timeline could shift.
While the Vatican has yet to confirm arrangements, it's possible Pope Francis could be laid to rest this weekend.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Local community college closed due to power outage
KIRTLAND, Ohio (WJW) — Lakeland Community College announced classes were canceled for Monday, June 9, due to a power outage impacting the campus. According to a post on the school's Facebook page, 'All classes, offices, activities and events on campus are cancelled. This includes in-person, online/virtual and hybrid classes.' Speeding Volkswagen kills two in local crash: Police FirstEnergy reported some power outages in the area of the school. It wasn't clear what caused the outage or when power was expected to be restored. Additional alerts will be sent to students, faculty and staff should there be future closings or delays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Catholic priest dies after falling ill during mass in Iberville Parish
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Catholics in the Baton Rouge area are mourning the death of a pastor. Father Greg Daigle, 66 of St. John the Evangelist in Plaquemine died on Sunday, June 8. The Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge announced his passing in a social media post. According to a post by St. John the Evangelist, Father Daigle fell ill during the 9 a.m. mass and was taken to a hospital. Despite their best efforts, the pastor passed away. Father Michael Alello, Pastor at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, said online that he was 'heartbroken.' Along with being pastor at St. John the Evangelist, the Diocese of Baton Rouge noted that Father Daigle had many roles over the years including pastor at Immaculate Conception in Lakeland and Parochial Vicar at multiple churches. There are currently no details about funeral services for Father Daigle. Pope Leo XIV appoints sixth bishop for Houma-Thibodaux area Catholic priest dies after falling ill during mass in Iberville Parish Will Chrysler's next 100 years be electrified? What to know about Trump's deployment of National Guard troops Reporter hit as LA officers fire rubber bullets at protesters Hamlin gets 3rd 2025 win at Michigan Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Veteran Decorates Neighborhood Sinkhole While Awaiting Repairs: 'I'm Tired of Looking at This Thing'
Michigan resident Breck Crandell began seasonally decorating a sinkhole in his neighborhood while waiting for city officials to fix the issue The Navy veteran says the local sinkholes are a safety hazard, but his creativity around a temporary fix has made neighbors smile "Watching the kids go through the neighborhood with their parents and cars would stop and take pictures – it just made me happy to see that other people were enjoying it," he tells PEOPLEA Michigan veteran has found a way of turning a lingering neighborhood issue into something the whole town can enjoy. Breck Crandell lives in Ypsilanti, where he said there are a handful of sinkholes in the neighborhood, including one right outside his driveway. It first appeared around 2017, got filled in, then reappeared a few years ago. "Instead of fixing it, they just put a big metal plate over the top of it," Crandell tells PEOPLE. The Navy veteran's temporary fix has been seasonally decorating a construction cone, which was placed over the sinkhole as a warning. "I'm a hunter and I've got turkey decoys, so I took one of my turkey decoys and put it out there, and then it just kind of started from there," Crandell says. "For me, it was just — I'm tired of looking at this thing because I have to back around it to get in and out of my driveway." Depending on the time of year, Ypsilanti residents can expect to see anything from pumpkins, to toy Santas or Easter bunny figurines placed near the cone. "Watching the kids go through the neighborhood with their parents and cars would stop and take pictures — it just made me happy to see that other people were enjoying it," Crandell says. "I've done it for all the seasons, and right now, the most current thing I have up is a tribute to vets." "Actually, until very recently, almost nobody knew who it was that was doing it, because I never said anything to anybody," he adds. There have even been festive gatherings centered around the hazard-turned-neighborhood attraction. "Last fall, one of my neighbors was retiring, and he and a bunch of his friends from the neighborhood made a nightly meeting out there with their wine and coffee," Crandell says. "And then the night he retired, they shot off a bunch of fireworks in my front yard." Bonnie Wessler, Ypsilanti Director of Public Works, told local ABC affiliate WXYZ that they "bid everything out" last year. "We tried to get a contractor in to come and fix it all for us. The total bill for all that would've been more than $600,000," said Wessler. This year, Wessler's department found a contractor who will do the repairs for half that price, so city officials anticipate it will be repaired in the next few months, per WXYZ. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Crandell tells PEOPLE he hopes the display will draw attention to how long it's taking to get the sinkholes repaired. "We're a pretty tight knit community. There have been just dozens, if not more complaints about these sinkholes," Crandell says. "We'd just like it fixed and fixed properly." Read the original article on People
