Bishop Michael J. Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo has released the following statement upon the death of Pope Francis:
As we mourn the passing of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, we recall his profound impact on the church and the world. He delivered a consistent message of empathy for the poor, simplicity, mercy, care for creation, and defense of the precious gift of life, from conception to natural death.
Pope Francis was the 266th pope, the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from Latin America, and the first pope to take the name of Francis. His motto was miserando atque eligendo, which expresses the fact that, when Christ chose him for service in the church, he also had mercy on him as an imperfect human being.
I recall a conversation with him in 2019, in a question-and-answer session along with several other bishops, after making a retreat. I asked him, after so many years of ministry, what gives him hope. He responded, “I piccoli” (the little ones). He went on to explain that he finds hope in the small, humble, unpretentious people of the world. His advocacy for the poor and marginalized will be at the core of his legacy.
I will offer Mass for the repose of his soul at Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo at 12:10 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23. All are invited. I encourage all our people to follow the custom of praying the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be, and to recite the Rosary for the repose of his soul. In the upcoming days, Masses and novenas will be prayed for him in many of our local churches.
When the cardinals gather in Rome to elect his successor, we will all pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in their discernment.