By Julia Train
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff and a tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized, died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke and heart failure, the Vatican announced. Just a day earlier, he had appeared in a wheelchair to bless crowds in St. Peter’s Square during Easter Mass.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis was the first Jesuit and the first non-European pope in more than a millennium. He was elected in 2013 following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. Francis quickly set a new tone for the Church, focusing on social justice, climate action and outreach to the world’s most vulnerable.
Local Catholics responded with a mix of admiration and reflection.
Lisa Hindman, a parishioner at St. Katharine Drexel in Egg Harbor Township, calls herself a “cafeteria Catholic,” disagreeing with the Church’s stances on gay marriage, abortion and women’s roles in Church leadership.
“He was a good man and he was a humble man, and I hope that we get someone really just like him, because I think he was trying to modernize some of the ideas and put more women in control,” Hindman said.
Francis’s legacy is controversial to Catholics.
Although he upheld traditional teachings on marriage, he urged priests to welcome LGBTQ+ individuals and nontraditional families. His progressive views on global issues won admiration worldwide, though some conservative Catholics criticized his leadership style and accused him of diluting the Church’s beliefs.
Patrick Simpson, who attends St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Somers Point, acknowledged that divide.
“It’s split into you’ve got people out there that, you know, [go] through the roof for Pope Francis, and then you have a lot of criticism out there. And I think that you have to take the good, but you also have to equip yourself over a decent level of discernment,” said Patrick Simpson from Ocean City. “At the end of the day, we’re aiming for Christ first, and that’s really the most important message.”
Simpson appreciated Francis’s global presence and unity-driven approach but was uneasy with some of the pope’s more controversial positions, such as interfaith inclusivity and same-sex blessings.
Thomas Walheim, who attends Latin Mass at St. Gianna Beretta Molla in Northfield weekly and hosts the Catholic podcast “The Things That Don’t Change,” reflected on the timing of the pope’s passing.
“It’s a bit of an ironic time for Catholics. We just came out of the season of grieving the crucified Christ and now we are in this place of joy and galation and rejoicing is resurrection,” said Walheim. “For Catholics, Easter isn’t just one day. There’s the Easter octave, which is eight days along, and then there’s Easter tide, which is 50 days long. So it’s a whole season of feasting. This is a joyous time. And on the first day of that our holy father passes away, and we are back in grieving mode.”
He compared the moment to losing a parent.
“When it comes down to it, when all is said and done, he was my pope and he was the leader of the Church…I think that’s how a lot of people are feeling right now with Francis’ passing, is that they might not have agreed with every decision he made, but he was the father of our Church, and it’s hard to see him go,” he said.
World leaders and Catholics across the globe are mourning Francis, remembered for his compassion, courage and willingness to open long-closed doors. According to the Vatican, his will requested a simple tomb in Rome.
Within two to three weeks, the Church will convene a conclave to elect a new pope, with the choice to either continue Francis’s global, inclusive vision, or return to a more traditional path.
His funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. In his final will, Francis requested to be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, diverging from the traditional Vatican burial site.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
