Also attending the Armagh press conference Archbishop Dermot Farrell of Dublin and Primate of Ireland commented on the sad news, saying, “Pope Francis’ life has been a radical dedication to the gospel. Throughout his pontificate, he modelled and preached God’s good news of justice, mercy, and forgiveness.”
In Thurles Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly SMA of Cashel & Emly said, “Pope Francis’ ministry was characterised by his commitment to the poor and marginalised, to leading global awareness about the common home that we all share on this planet. One of Pope Francis’ abiding legacies will be his call to all to share our beautiful world for the benefit of all.”
In his message Archbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam said, “The news of Pope Francis’ death draws from us feelings of gratitude and appreciation, for this son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, who became Pope, The Rock – ‘You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.’”
Also in the west, Bishop of Galway and of Clonfert, Bishop Michael Duignan, said, “Pope Francis was an ever faithful servant in the vineyard of the Lord. In word and deed, he pointed to a loving and merciful God who reaches out to embrace all people. He had a big heart for the poor, the migrant, the marginalised.”
In his statement, Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ of Down & Connor quoted the Holy Father’s Easter 2025 Urbi et Orbi message and said, “In his address only yesterday, Pope Francis spoke these prophetic words: ‘The Resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion … All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of Life.’”
Bishop Paul Connell of Ardagh & Clonmacnois commented on the sad news stating, “Pope Francis has now been called home to the Father’s house. We come from God and we all return to God. At this Easter time we are reminded yet again of the hope that Christ’s resurrection brings, and we pray that the Lord will take Pope Francis home and reward him for the good that he did in this life.”
Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick said that Pope Francis has cast a light forever on a road of “humility, humanity and hope” for us all to travel. Bishop Leahy continued, “From the very first days of his ministry and throughout it, Pope Francis championed the cause of the poor and marginalised. He reminded us time and again of our shared responsibility to protect our common home, the Earth, and called us to a simpler, more grounded life that shunned privilege and excess.”
Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork & Ross said, “In what was to be his last pastoral message to the faithful on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis said: ‘All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of Life.’”
Paying tribute to the Holy Father, Bishop Michael Router, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh, said,”Pope Francis’ vision for the Church, rooted in synodality, reinvigorated the teachings of Vatican II, and called for a greater sense of communion, participation, and mission among the people of God. The fruits of this vision will serve as an enduring guide for the Church in the years to come.”
Carlow-based Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin said,”Pope Francis will be remembered for many things and there will be much commentary over the next while, but, for me, his message of inclusion and mercy was key. “The name of God is mercy” he reminded us. And now we commend him to the mercy of God.”
In his statement, Bishop Niall Coll of Ossory commented, “The first Latin-American to be pope, Pope Francis insisted right from the start that a key focus of his pontificate would be on ‘the peripheries’. His preaching, teaching and travels brought him to many of the poorest and most marginalised communities on the earth to remind them of their human dignity as children of God.”
Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Achonry and of Elphin, concluded his message saying, “One of my own abiding memories of Pope Francis was when I was with the other Irish Bishops at a meeting with him during our Ad Limina visit to Rome in 2017. After an hour of listening and responding to us, he got up and walked towards the other end of the room, coming back with a bottle of water and a glass, saying quietly under his breath, ‘the poor translator has no water’.”
Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan of Waterford & Lismore recalled the times he had met the Holy Father saying, “I met Pope Francis three times. For me there was something very lovable about him and very warm. He had a great smile. I admired his courage. His gestures to the marginalised were extraordinary. The way in which he embraced the disfigured man several years ago now showed the depth of his humanity. His pastoral visits to prisons, hospitals, care-centres, drug rehab units, to seek out the poor and distressed, his heart-rending appeal to the crucified Lord in Saint Peter’s Square in the rain during the covid epidemic, his apostolic journeys to countries which are not deemed important on the world stage – all these things will long remain with me.”
Bishop Tom Deenihan of Meath paid tribute to Pope Francis by remembering the Holy Father’s election twelve years ago in 2013, stating, “I watched the news of Pope Francis election on TV twelve years ago and there was much commentary on the Pope that came from the ‘Ends of the world’, and on what type of papacy was in store. It became immediately clear that this would be a different papacy. Even the name Francis indicated a desire to put the poor, the marginalised, fraternity and ‘Sister Earth’ at the centre. Looking back now and reflecting on Pope Francis’ time as Pontiff, his choice of name was, in itself, a manifesto that he successfully lived up to.”
Bishop Ray Browne of Kerry also commented on the sad news of the death of Pope Francis, stating, “From the moment he chose the name Francis, following in the footsteps of Francis of Assisi, rooted in humility he signalled a papacy of building peace, care for the poor, and love for all of God’s creation. He constantly emphasised the need for all of us to take care of our planet, our common home. Like Saint Francis he alerted us to the ‘Cry of the Earth’ and ‘Cry of the Poor’, all creation united by the love of the Creator.”
In his statement Bishop Larry Duffy of Clogher spoke about how Pope Francis reached out to other Christian Churches and communities and to people of other faiths. Bishop Duffy continued saying, “He exemplified dialogue as a pathway to addressing the many questions we all face whether as people of faith or as brothers and sisters living together in this world. This sense of listening and dialogue also found its place in our Church structures, with his emphasis on synodality – of listening to each other and discerning the promptings of the Holy Spirit and of walking together in terms of us all being co-responsible for our Church at every level.”
Cavan-based Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore stated, “We give thanks for the Holy Father’s strong pastoral leadership in making the Gospel message relevant with warmth and compassion to the whole world. He drew our attention to the widening gap between rich and poor, the increasing levels of migration and the harm being done to planet Earth due to the current global economic model. He challenged us to take up our responsibilities of being created by God in interrelationship with each other and with all of creation.”
During these days of mourning, Masses are being celebrated around the island to facilitate parishioners to gather and pray together for the happy repose of the soul of Pope Francis. Books of Condolences have been opened in cathedrals, basilicas and churches.
The Bishops’ Communications Office in Maynooth has made available digital Books of Condolence for people to record their sympathy and these are available on the homepage of catholicbishops.ie, on the Irish bishops’ social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and on BlueSky.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
ENDS
