Local Catholics mark death of Pope Francis
HIGH POINT — Catholics from across the High Point area are mourning the death of Pope Francis on Monday but also are celebrating the life of the religious leader who devoted himself to touching lives of people across the globe.
Francis died at the age of 88 after a period of declining health. His last appearance was during an Easter Sunday service at the Vatican. The pope greeted thousands of people gathered for the occasion in St. Peter's Square.
High Point businessman and lifelong Catholic Steve Ilderton said that Francis 'was very well-respected in the United States Catholic Church.'
One of the legacies of Francis is his campaign to make the church open to more people of various backgrounds, Ilderton told The High Point Enterprise.
'If he would have lived, he probably would have gone into more liberating practices,' Ilderton said.
Diocese of Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin, whose area includes Guilford, Davidson and Randolph counties, said that he was deeply saddened by the death of Francis.
'I am certain that all people of good will rejoice with us that this man of faith has 'finished the race,' and we pray that he will receive the reward which we have all been promised by our merciful God who has saved us from the finality of death,' Martin said.
The Diocese of Charlotte covers 46 counties in western and central North Carolina encompassing about 550,000 Catholics. The diocese also includes 93 churches, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries.
Francis, who was born and came of age in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first pope from Latin America. Francis was named the 266th pope in 2013.
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