Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik reacts to death of Pope Francis
Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik has released a statement on the death of Pope Francis.
Francis died Monday at 88, the Vatican announced, a day after blessing thousands of people in St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday.
Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to a hospital on Feb. 14, 2025, for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy.
Zubik released a statement mourning Pope Francis' death:
'With deep sorrow, respect, and love, I join the faithful of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and people around the world, in mourning the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
'Pope Francis led the Church with extraordinary humility, compassion, and courage. He reminded us that mercy is at the heart of the Gospel, and he consistently called us to encounter one another with tenderness and care—especially the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten. His voice echoed far beyond the walls of the Church, inviting people of all backgrounds to walk together in peace, justice, and love.
'On the occasions I had the privilege of being in the presence of the Holy Father during visits to the Vatican, what struck me most was not just the dignity of his office, but the warmth of his heart. His attention to each person, his gentle spirit, and his genuine kindness left a lasting impression on me and so many others. He was a shepherd who smelled like his sheep—and the world is better for it.
'I ask all in our diocese to join me in praying for the eternal repose of his soul, and in giving thanks for his life and witness. May Pope Francis now rest in the peace of the Risen Christ whom he so faithfully served. And may the Holy Spirit guide the Church in this time of transition.'
Zubik told Channel 11 that special masses will be held for Francis.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
17 hours ago
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Minister must learn to juggle conversations
Dear Miss Manners: I am a ministry leader at my church and am well-known within the congregation. After the church service, many people like to stay in the lobby for a few minutes to chat. I find myself often in an embarrassing situation that I don't know how to handle: Suppose I've been chatting with someone, let's call them Person A, for just a minute. Then I feel someone, Person B, touch my shoulder or arm to get my attention. I turn to see that it's another friendly person who wishes to chat.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
PASTOR COREY BROOKS: The power of building always beats the power of politics
A few weeks ago, a young man that I will call James came up to me and said, "You know, Pastor, I've never built anything before." I looked at him, surprised. "I'm not playing with you, Pastor. Everybody is front of a phone or TV or they just hanging out." He took his hammer and I watched him rejoin the others in building a shed on the side of my church on the South Side of Chicago. It is not a massive shed but it is north of 1,200 square feet and needs flooring strong enough to handle heavy equipment and a roof strong enough to withstand the weight of snow in the winter. James' comment surprised me because I have always been a builder. I grew up in a small country town in Tennessee and we were always building something. I can remember how I learned to use a hammer and how I had to train myself to hit a nail flush. If we weren't building, we were always repairing something from farm equipment to the toilet in the house. Building was always in my blood. There are many preachers, especially in Chicago, that prefer the political scene and the power of politics. While I have to partake in politics here and there for my church, I far prefer the power of building. For me this is not a cliche but a universal human truth. What greater power is there than building a man or woman, especially a lost soul, upward? What greater power is there than building a physical structure that provides a home for these people to woodshed and develop their talents? That is why I have invested so much of my time over the last 14 years to my 100,000-square-foot Leadership and Economic center that is currently halfway through the building process. Though the center will offer a wide variety of skill-building services, the one idea that inspired it was the trades. I've been running trades classes at my church for as long as I can remember. We were never set up for it, but we brought in the saw tables, the blades, the drills, and sawdust was everywhere. We brought abandoned houses as projects to teach the youth in our neighborhood how to build. Many of them have gone onto careers in construction. Though our kids come from very humble beginnings through no fault of their own we want them to have every advantage in the world. A community of builders is far more desirable than a community of dependents. One of them was a young father of two kids and came from a broken family and had no true education to speak of. I could see the desperation in his eyes and I knew he would be tempted by the easy money of crime. Instead, he joined one of my trades cohorts and today is a forklift driver. He's one of the best I've seen — it's like watching a ballet when it operates. James comes from the same world of broken families, broken schools, and a life organized around government dependency that does not value the art of building. So to watch him build this structure along with others is to watch the building of human talent in dignity within him. As the day was coming to an end, I went back down to check on the progress and I asked James how he was feeling. "I'm tired, pastor," he said with a proud smile. You can only smile like that after you've put in a hard days' work. I know we are living in a world today that moves in lightning speed. There's much chaos, but I think people still understand the value of building that comes with the trades. President Donald Trump recently posted online: "I am considering taking Three Billion Dollars of Grant Money away from a very antisemitic Harvard and giving it to TRADE SCHOOLS all across our land. What a great investment that would be for the USA, and so badly needed!!!" I could not agree more. The trades will be at the heart of my new center and we will adapt to the modern times by adding the power of AI into the building process. Though our kids come from very humble beginnings through no fault of their own we want them to have every advantage in the world. A community of builders is far more desirable than a community of dependents. As I walked with James to the front of the church, I asked him, "Did you know that Jesus was a carpenter?" James smiled and the next Sunday I saw him at church for the first time.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Solid Rock Church holds services morning after fire damages building
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Center Point Fire District says the Solid Rock Church fire was accidental and started just before 8 p.m. Saturday night. Solid Rock pastor Larry Ragland says the damage to the building is extensive. 'It was chaos. It's still a blur, to be honest with you. At first, we thought it was a smoke event, lighting outside that had got into the building, but then we found out there was a fire inside,' Ragland says the fire devasted his church. The side of the building where the flames broke out is where the gymnasium and youth facility are located. The flames didn't reach the sanctuary, but the sanctuary still sustained heavy smoke damage, making it unsafe to host services. Body found in vehicle in Northport Walmart parking lot, investigation underway That didn't stop the Solid Rock Church from gathering Sunday morning for their Pentecostal service. 'There is no way we are going to celebrate the birth of the church and not be at the church,' Ragland said. 'We had over 10 people saved. We baptized 25 people in the parking lot. Tremendous, tremendous service.' Ragland says he expects to make an announcement later this week about the future of the church at Solid Rock. He says if you would like to support the church, you can do so on their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
