New England leaders mourn Pope Francis: ‘A guiding light of hope'
'I am personally grateful that he called me to the Episcopacy and entrusted me with the pastoral care of the Church of Boston. His example remains a guiding light to the Universal Church. Through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph, may he rest in peace.'
Bishop James Ruggieri of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, Maine, said that Pope Francis' legacy will be 'one of mercy and compassion, but also of hope.'
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'In this Jubilee Year, may we honor Pope Francis by carrying on his mission and living as pilgrims of hope,' Ruggieri said in a
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'Throughout his life, Pope Francis prioritized the care of the people Catholic Charities Boston is proud to serve every day – vulnerable children and the elderly, families struggling to overcome poverty, refugees and immigrants seeking safer, more stable futures,' the organization said in a statement Monday morning. 'He was unapologetically committed to treating those living on the margins of society with kindness and respect and was an outstanding model of our vision of a more just, compassionate society rooted in the dignity of all people.'
In the statement, the organization noted how Pope Francis had recently urged Catholics to 'not give into narratives that discriminate and cause unnecessary suffering to our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters.'
'His words remind us that in these challenging times, our faith calls us to build bridges, recognize our shared humanity, and to stand up for our neighbors in need,' Catholic Charities Boston said in the statement. 'We pray for Pope Francis and will honor his legacy of love through service by continuing to empower the most vulnerable among us.'
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at
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Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
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Boston Globe
a day ago
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Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
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Meet the men who just became Catholic priests in Virginia
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'But we're very privileged as well.' A native of Corning, New York, Banach first considered the priesthood while an engineering student at the University of Virginia. After graduation, he lived 'a pretty normal life,' he said, working at a consulting job and going on some dates. 'But that question never really went away.' The diocese eventually sent him to St. Charles Borromeo , a seminary near Philadelphia. He graduated in May. 'When I joined the seminary and met the kind of men that I could be serving alongside for the rest of my life, I was even more encouraged,' he said. 'Because they're exactly the type of guys that I want to be my brothers.' ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. 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