Lodi-area religious and political leaders pay respects to Pope Francis
Apr. 22—STOCKTON — Several local religious and political leaders commented on the death of Pope Francis Monday, offering prayers and condolences to remember the life of the 266th leader of the Catholic Church.
"Today, we join with people across San Joaquin County and around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis," San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Paul Canepa said. "As the leader of the Catholic Church, he was a powerful voice for compassion, dignity, and justice. His humility, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalized resonated far beyond religious boundaries. For the many Catholics in our community and for countless others of all faiths, his legacy of kindness, service, and humanity will continue to inspire. May he rest in peace."
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Pope Francis was the church's first Latin American pontiff, appointed to the post in 2013.
Taking his name from St. Francis of Assissi, he was also the first pope from the Jesuit Order and the first born or raised outside of Europe since the eighth century Syrian pope Gregory III. The Vatican said Pope Francis died of a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure.
Bishop Marion Cotta of the Stockton Diocese asked those in local Catholic congregations to remember Francis in their prayers during the Octave of Easter.
"Let us keep him and the Church in our prayers during this Easter Season," Cotta said. "May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace."
The Cathedral of the Annunciation, located at 400 W. Rose St. in Stockton, hosted a bilingual Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass beginning on Monday evening.
The diocese said parishes throughout the county were planning special services to honor Francis, but details were not available at press time.
In a social media post Monday, St. Mary's High School in Stockton said students were able to meet Francis during a European excursion to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City several years ago.
"In the summer of 2018, student representatives from Saint Mary's waited patiently for hours to share a blessed moment with our beloved Pope Francis," the school said. "It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for members of our Ram Family."
Bishop Jaime Soto of the Sacramento Diocese said he remembered the day Bergoglio stepped out on St. Peter Basilica's balcony as pope. Before imparting his first apostolic blessing, Soto said Francis asked the crowds of the piazza, as well as those watching online, to pray for him.
"What followed was a stillness — a calm — that may have encircled the globe," Soto said. "We were one Church united in prayer for the newly elected Holy Father as he began his pilgrimage of hope."
Soto encountered Francis several months afterward during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, where he spoke about Jesus planting the seed of his word into the hearts of the young.
"He asked the boisterous multitude to be quiet, to let the seed go deep into their souls, and let Jesus speak to their hearts," Soto said. "The rowdy rustling of the youthful crowd took on the stillness of sacred sanctuary, with only the soft rhythmic murmurs of the waves lapping on the sands. Everyone waited for the word of Jesus to speak to them."
In a statement issued Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Francis led with his love of peace and creation, and sought to protect and lift up the vulnerable.
"He championed human dignity, especially that of the poor, called the world to urgent climate action, condemned the death penalty, and confronted painful truths — including the Church's role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples," Newsom said. "His papacy was characterized by moral courage, a profound respect for all creation, and a deep conviction in the transformative power of love to heal and unite. As we mourn His Holiness, we honor him by choosing to believe that a better world is possible through grace and kindness, and through fellowship with our neighbors, no matter our differences."
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