Pope Francis, 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, died Monday morning after suffering from a stroke that led to irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis became the first Jesuit and first Latin American pope when he was elected in 2013. Over the course of his papacy, he focused on a more open and accepting church, service to the poor, and calls for peace, including efforts to end the war in Gaza.
Catholic students said they looked up to Francis and were saddened by his death.
“For many young Catholics, Pope Francis made us feel seen and heard,” said Dayanna Falcones, a freshman majoring in international studies. “He was really progressive on topics that are usually frowned upon in the Church. That’s something I really loved about him.”
Sophomore Kat Joslin-Martinez shared a similar sentiment, recalling the moment she learned of his death.
“When I heard about the pope’s death, I didn’t believe it at first and thought it was a rumor, but when I saw it was true, I was saddened because growing up he was a leader to my family. We all looked to his interviews and statements for guidance,” she said.
The St. Francis of Assisi University Parish and Bama Catholic held a memorial prayer service following the parish’s noon Mass on Monday.
“Today, Bama Catholic joins with the entire Catholic Church in mourning the loss of the Holy Father Pope Francis,” Matthew Heidenreich, co-president of Bama Catholic, said in an email. “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
Heidenreich added that young members of Bama Catholic have been “consistently inspired by his leadership, guided by his teachings, and strengthened by his example of charity.”
Francis chose to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome instead of the Vatican Grottoes, where popes are traditionally buried. “The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus,” he said in his will.
Martinez said that she thinks Pope Francis was “accepting and inspirational.”
“In my opinion, he’s the greatest pope there’s ever been, because he truly cared about spreading God’s word more than judging people,” she said.
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