Pensacola gathers to mourn the late Pope Francis
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — At Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Pensacola, people gathered Monday to reflect on the passing of Pope Francis.
Mobile archbishop responds to Pope Francis' death
Bishop William Wack, like so many others, woke up Monday morning to the news.
'Even though we expected, well, he was old; he was frail, even though we knew Pope Francis was going to die, anytime a loved one dies, it always comes as a shock,' Bishop Wack said.
'He did change the way we minister to others, asking us to be more humble, asking us to work for peace, reminding us to care for creation, reminding us to pay attention to those on the margins, especially the poor and those in war-torn areas,' he added.
Messages of love were felt and received by others outside the Catholic Church.
'We're not Catholic, but we have many, many Catholic friends, and we're Christian, and we just completely respect the church and everything they've done, their presence, so we're sad to see him pass,' Jim Ryder, a Pensacola resident, said.
'I remember the exact day he was actually picked to be the Pope,' Kate Rocheleau, another Pensacola resident, said. 'I was in middle school, and in our religion class, we were watching the whole deliberation and the counsel. And when he got picked, him coming out, it was a huge thing, and now that I'm 25, it's crazy he's gone.'
Bishop Wack said Catholic churches in Northwest Florida will honor the Pope as the period of mourning begins.
Mobile's Catholic community mourns Pope Francis' death
'I've asked all our priests to celebrate a Mass for the eternal rest of his soul,' Bishop Wack said. 'We will pray for, pray with, the church as they put his body in the simple casket in Rome at the same time.'
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