Erie Catholic Bishop Lawrence Persico, others remember Pope Francis
(This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.)
When it was announced a dozen years ago that Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina would be the new pope, Erie Catholic Bishop Lawrence Persico's mouth opened in surprise.
Like many watching that day, Persico wasn't familiar with the archbishop of Buenos Aires who was about to lead the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Francis. But now, having served under Francis and even met him, Persico described the pontiff as warm, a good listener and "a man of hope."
The Erie bishop and local Catholics join those around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, who died April 21, the day after Easter, at the age of 88. Details on local liturgies and prayer services for Francis were still being worked out.
"With deep sorrow, we join the universal Church in mourning the passing of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis," Persico said in a statement on the Catholic Diocese of Erie website.
Persico went on to say that "Pope Francis was a beacon of hope in troubled times, a voice for the voiceless and a tireless advocate for the dignity of every human person."
Persico was named Erie's 10th Catholic bishop by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Persico was installed as bishop in October of that year and five months later in March 2013 watched as Bergoglio was announced as the new pope following Benedict's resignation earlier that year.
From 2019: Erie's Persico to meet with pope
Persico, in an April 21 interview, told the Erie Times-News that he had an audience with Pope Francis during a 2015 visit to Rome for a school for new bishops. Persico returned in 2019 for his "ad limina" visit, a periodic trip to the Vatican that all Roman Catholic bishops are required to make. That second interaction was more of a conversation, with the pope in a chair and Persico joining other bishops from Pennsylvania and New Jersey in chairs lined on other side of Francis.
"He knew all about the grand jury report in Pennsylvania because that was fresh," Persico said, referring to a landmark report on abuse in Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania released in 2018 by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
Francis was direct in his discussions but always pastoral, Persico said.
"He was very warm," Persico said in recalling that 2019 visit. "He obviously listened to us."
He added that although Francis used an interpreter, he seemed to understand more English than people might have expected.
The Erie bishop said it's hard to tell who the cardinals will pick to replace the first Latin American pope but it's less likely to be another priest from the Americas. Someone from Africa or Asia is a possibility, Persico said.
Another priest in the 13-county northwestern Pennsylvania diocese recalled being in Erie with Persico when Bergoglio was announced as pope.
"I vividly remember the moment Jorge Cardinal Bergoglio was announced as the new pope," the Rev. Andrew Boyd, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Mercer, reflected on the Erie diocese's website. "I was sitting in the auditorium at St. Mark Catholic Center, looking up this unfamiliar cardinal's name on my iPad when Bishop Persico asked to borrow it to gather more information as well. From that moment, I began praying for our new Holy Father."
Boyd also said, "I am deeply grateful for Pope Francis' unwavering commitment to the Church and to each of us. No matter how big or small our role may seem in the life of the Church, he reminds us that we matter. His witness of humility, mercy and love challenges us all to live the Gospel more fully."
Pope Francis proclaimed 2025 a Holy Year of Jubilee, themed "Pilgrims of Hope." Persico's statement on the Erie diocese's website said that Francis "shared with us his ideas for this year, saying, 'For all of us, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to be renewed in hope. God's word helps us find reasons for that hope.'
"Through his teachings, writings and personal witness, Pope Francis demonstrated this hope by showing us the path of discipleship ― one that is rooted in prayer and nourished by the sacraments. He constantly reminded us of our call to be instruments of peace and mercy."
Erie bishop: Pope Francis allowing blessings to same-sex couples doesn't condone marriage
Persico went on to say that "as we prepare to welcome our next Holy Father, let us also commit ourselves to living out Pope Francis' vision of a Catholic Church that goes forth, reaching out to all with the tender love of Christ."
He also encouraged Catholics to pray for the cardinals charged with the task of selecting Francis' successor.
The 13-county Catholic Diocese of Erie had an average weekend Mass attendance of 27,629 as of October 2024. The average for the two Erie deaneries was 10,878.
Catholics from the Erie diocese were among those who flocked to see Francis in 2015 when he visited Philadelphia. The pope spoke at a Mass and at a meeting of bishops Persico attended. Francis also went to Washington, D.C., and New York City on that trip.
"Pope Francis, certainly in all the difficulties he experienced, he certainly was a man of hope," Persico said.
The Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, formerly bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, said in a statement that Pope Francis was a powerful advocate for migrants and refugees and "transformed our theology of the environment and recognized the need for LGBTQ+ people to feel heard, seen and included in their church. We are likewise grateful for his emphasis on reconciliation and ecumenical dialogue, in which our church has participated through the Anglican-Roman Catholic Theological Consultation in the United States of America."
Erie residents gathered at Saint Peter Cathedral at 230 W. 10th St. on April 21 to celebrate Mass at 12:10 p.m. and mourn the loss of Pope Francis.
"I woke up this morning and browsed my phone and saw images of Pope Francis with his date of birth and then 2025," said Elizabeth Campbell, Saint Peter's Cathedral parish member. "I thought, what did I miss? I just saw him on the news yesterday. So I was surprised.
"Of course we have to pray for him and for his soul. Then my mind goes to who will replace him and how can we pray for our next pope? I hope the next pope will be someone who can share God's message."
Some people were shocked that the pope's death occurred so close to Easter.
"The news was very sad, yet I was amazed that it happened so close to Easter," Saint Peter's parishioner Aaron Kerr said. "Our family has appreciated so much from Pope Francis and his writings on the environment... He's been a leader in caring for the poor and teaching the church how to do that in a more compassionate way."
Staff reporter Nicholas Sorensen contributed to this story.
Dana Massing can be reached at dmassing@timesnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pope Francis' life, teachings remembered by Erie Catholic priests
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