Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut officials react to death of Pope Francis
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The Archdiocese of Hartford and officials across Connecticut react following the news of Pope Francis, who died at 88 on Monday morning.
Pope Francis was history's first Latin American pontiff, known for his humble style.
Bells tolled across Rome following the announcement, read by Cardinal Kevin Farrell from Francis' home at the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta. Farrell said Francis 'returned to the home of the Father' at 7:35 a.m.
'As we pray for all Christians at the moment of death, we offer the Chruch's prayer for God's servant Francis:
Go forth, kind soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you, go forth, faithful friend.
May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the Angels and Saints.'
The Archdiocese of Hartford.
Photos: Pope Francis through the years
Gov. Ned Lamont said he joins Catholics across the world in mourning in a statement on X.
'Leading by his words and example, Pope Francis was one of the most inspiring Popes and spiritual leaders of my lifetime, at a time when we needed him most. He brought people together, teaching mercy, compassion and reconciliation. I join Catholics across the world in mourning,' Lamont said.
Sen. Stephen Harding released a statement on behalf of the Senate Republican Caucus.
'Pope Francis's message and mission was based on compassion. Compassion for the less fortunate. Compassion among races and religions. He was loved by millions of people across the globe. We collectively remember that compassion and we mourn his passing,' Sen. Harding said in a written statement.
A parishioner, Tom Hall, who regularly attends the catholic church in Waterbury, said he hopes things go back to traditional basics, like in the past. He also said he is happy Pope Francis is in a better place.
'In a polarized world, Pope Francis showed us the power of God's love. He was not shy about challenging powerful forces who harmed or demonized our fellow human beings. He spoke out against injustice and always lead with compassion and empathy. May he rest in eternal peace. Well done good and faithful servant,' Sen. Jorge Cabrera wrote.
Tributes from around the globe pour in for Pope Francis after his death
His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, just a day before his death, to bless thousands at St. Peter's Square.
Francis was the 266th pope introduced 12 years ago on March 13, 2023.
The AP contributed to this post.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nation's largest Protestant denomination calls for overturning Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage
The Southern Baptist Convention adopted a lengthy resolution this week that, in part, calls for the overturning of the Supreme Court's 2015 gay marriage ruling. The text of the resolution, titled, "On Restoring Moral Clarity through God's Design for Gender, Marriage, and the Family," calls "for the overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God's design for marriage and family." The multifaceted and wide-ranging resolution calls "for laws that affirm marriage between one man and one woman, recognize the biological reality of male and female, protect children's innocence against sexual predation, affirm and strengthen parental rights in education and healthcare, incentivize family formation in life-affirming ways, and ensure safety and fairness in athletic competition." Planned Parenthood Using 'Loophole' To Get Minors Gender Transitions Without Parents' Ok: Watchdog It also urges defunding Planned Parenthood and directing public funds toward "life-affirming healthcare providers." The 10-year anniversary of the high court's controversial landmark 5-4 gay marriage decision falls later this month. Read On The Fox News App "The Constitution, however, does not permit the State to bar same-sex couples from marriage on the same terms as accorded to couples of the opposite sex," the opinion asserted. Trump Jokes His Admin Will 'Forget About' Separation Of Church And State: 'We're Bringing Religion Back' Resolutions committee chair Dr. Andrew Walker, who described the SBC as the biggest Protestant denomination in the U.S., emphasized during a press conference that he recognizes the "headwinds." "There is very little desire, even on the conservative side, I think, to go to bat for marriage in this… culture," he said, explaining that the resolution aims to convey that "Southern Baptists are not going anywhere on this issue." Gretchen Whitmer Sounds Off On Push To Condemn Us Supreme Court's Gay Marriage Ruling: 'Hell No' He noted that he hopes "this is used as a mechanism for encouragement for other conservative-minded evangelicals."Original article source: Nation's largest Protestant denomination calls for overturning Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Southern Baptists voted on a resolution to overturn same-sex marriage. A Louisvillian wrote it
First, Denny Burk and the resolution committee used a verse from Genesis, then another, then one from Ephesians, Psalms and Deuteronomy. The professor of Biblical Studies at Boyce College, a Christian college off Louisville's Lexington Road affiliated with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, used the verses to write a resolution on "restoring moral clarity through God's design for gender, marriage and family." "Whereas, legal rulings like Obergefell v. Hodges and policies that deny the biological reality of male and female are legal fictions, undermine the truth of God's design, and lead to social confusion and injustice," a line of the resolution stated. The resolution was part of a focus by the Southern Baptist Convention, which has long had a fixation on opposing LGBTQ+ rights, and also abortion before the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Burk, a strong traditionalist voice within the Southern Baptist Convention, proposed the language in the resolution. Burk is also the president of the Louisville-based Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, an advocacy group that opposes LGBTQ+ rights. On Tuesday, during its annual meeting in Dallas, the Southern Baptist Convention voted on a resolution to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage. Southern Baptist delegates, known as "messengers," overwhelmingly approved the measure following little debate on the resolution's language. Andrew Walker, an ethicist at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary off Lexington Road in Crescent Hill, chaired that resolution committee. "What we're trying to do is keep the conversation alive," Walker told The New York Times. Burk told USA TODAY he was grateful the SBC had taken up his call to overturn Obergefell. "We know that we are in the minority on this issue, but we want to be a prophetic minority," Burk said. "We don't mind being countercultural when it comes to marriage. We want to bear faithful witness to God's good design — that marriage is the conjugal union of one man and one woman." The Courier Journal requested an interview with Walker but received a message that Walker was on sabbatical, writing a book. The follow-up contact did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Courier Journal also requested an interview with Burk, who is also on sabbatical until July 31. The Courier Journal also requested an interview with Albert Mohler, the president of the seminary and a prominent evangelical leader. Mohler did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative reporter. Reach her at skuzydym@ or on social media @stephkuzy. Liam Adams, who covers religion as part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Southern Baptist repeal same-sex marriage based in Louisville
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Southern Baptists To Debate Bans On Pornography, Same-Sex Marriage, And Women Pastors
The Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination, will convene its annual meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday in Dallas, where members will consider resolutions calling for a legal ban on pornography, a reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage, and measures to curtail sports betting and promote childbearing. The convention will also address internal controversies, including a proposed constitutional amendment to ban churches with women pastors and calls to defund its public policy arm. The resolutions, proposed by the official Committee on Resolutions, urge legislators to 'pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family' and to oppose laws contradicting 'what God has made plain through nature and Scripture,' the Associated Press reported. One resolution decries pornography as destructive and calls for its ban, while another seeks to limit sports betting. Another resolution criticizes 'willful childlessness which contributes to a declining fertility rate' and advocates for pro-natalist policies. Albert Mohler, longtime president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, said the resolutions reflect a divinely created order that 'is binding on all persons, in all times, everywhere.' However, some critics, like Nancy Ammerman, professor emerita of sociology of religion at Boston University and author of 'Baptist Battles,' call such language theocratic. 'When you talk about God's design for anything, there's not a lot of room for compromise,' she said. 'There's not a lot of room for people who don't have the same understanding of who God is and how God operates in the world.' The meeting coincides with the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Dallas convention, which saw a record 45,000 representatives and marked a turning point in the denomination's conservative shift. 'The 1985 showdown was 'the hinge convention in terms of the old and the new in the SBC,'' Mohler said, per AP. Today's debates occur among a solidly conservative membership, bolstered by political allies like House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Southern Baptist, and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who has signaled openness to revisiting same-sex marriage. Internally, the convention faces tension over the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), its public policy arm, which some criticize for not supporting criminal charges for women seeking abortions despite its anti-abortion stance. Ten former Southern Baptist presidents endorsed continued funding, but the Center for Baptist Leadership has called for defunding, accusing the ERLC of ineffectiveness. ERLC president Brent Leatherwood defended the commission, stating, 'Without the ERLC, you will send the message to our nation's lawmakers and the public at large that the SBC has chosen to abandon the public square at a time when the Southern Baptist voice is most needed,' AP reported. A proposed constitutional amendment to ban churches with women pastors, which failed in 2024, is expected to resurface. The denomination's belief statement limits the pastor's role to men, but disagreements persist over whether this applies to assistant pastors. Recent expulsions of churches with women in pastoral roles have fueled the push for the amendment. Texas pastor Dwight McKissic, a Black pastor with conservative views, criticized the ERLC backlash, posting on X, 'The SBC is transitioning from an evangelical organization to a fundamentalist organization. Fewer and fewer Black churches will make the transition with them.' A group of Southern Baptist ethnic leaders also expressed concerns in April about Trump's immigration crackdown, stating in a video, 'Law and order are necessary, but enforcement must be accompanied with compassion that doesn't demonize those fleeing oppression, violence, and persecution.' The Center for Baptist Leadership countered, accusing the denominational Baptist Press and Leatherwood of working to 'weaponize empathy.' The convention's agenda includes little reference to specific actions by President Donald Trump, such as tariffs, immigration, or the pending budget bill affecting taxes, food aid, and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the denomination reports a membership of 12.7 million, down 2% in 2024, marking its 18th consecutive annual decline. However, baptisms rose to 250,643, surpassing pre-pandemic levels and reversing a long-term slide.