Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the chief of New York’s almost 3 million Catholics mentioned Pope Francis’ loss of life the day after Easter couldn’t have been choreographed any higher.
“I was honored to participate in the conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013, and to have welcomed him here to New York in 2015,” Dolan mentioned hours after the 88-Argentina native, 88, died in Rome Monday morning following a sequence of well being points.
“He touched us all with his simplicity, with his heart of a humble servant. Trusting in the tender and infinite mercy of Jesus, we pray that he is, even now, enjoying his eternal reward in heaven.”
Dolan joined Catholics worldwide and throughout the town with remembrances of a religious chief identified for his humility and braveness for his strikes towards modernizing the far-reaching church.
Pope Francis presents a present of a chalice to New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan at Madison Sq. Backyard after saying Mass on September 25, 2015 in New York Metropolis, New York. (Photograph by Joe Vericker/Getty Pictures)
Regardless that Pope Francis had been sick for some time, battling double pneumonia in a current hospital keep that stretched past a month, Dolan mentioned he couldn’t recover from the timing of the pontiff’s loss of life.
“The last time we saw him, Easter Sunday … [he gave] the last words of blessed Easter as he gave us his blessing,” Dolan mentioned at Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral. “You couldn’t choreograph it better, the way he lived and the way he died. A great teacher.”
Mayor Adams mirrored on assembly the pope final 12 months, and ordered flags to fly at half-staff all through the town.
“Pope Francis led with kindness, grace, and faith as he helped build a better world and unite all people, regardless of their background,” Adams mentioned in an announcement. “His decades of spreading peace and love will forever be remembered.”
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Father Donald Haggerty leads mass in honor of Pope Francis at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Monday, April 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Day by day Information)
Gov. Hochul, who’s Catholic met Pope Francis throughout a Vatican local weather summit final 12 months.
She mentioned the pope “embodied the values Christ taught us daily: Serving to the much less lucky, calling for peace, and guaranteeing each particular person is handled as a toddler of God.
“We should all strive to carry on his legacy,” she added in an announcement.
Devoted all through the town — many Catholic, many not — mentioned prayers and shared remembrances of the Vatican’s first pontiff from South America.
However few had been extra particular than the recollections of the scholars and employees of Our Girl Queen of Angels Catholic Faculty, the East Harlem college Pope Francis visited throughout a 2015 journey to New York Metropolis.
“Dear children, you have a right to dream, and I am very happy to be here in this school,” the pope instructed the scholars that day. “In your friends and your teachers, you can find the support you need. Wherever there are dreams, there is joy. Jesus is always present. Because Jesus is joy, and he wants to help us to feel that joy every day of our lives.”
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Devoted pay their respects to Pope Francis at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Monday, April 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Day by day Information)
Sister Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, the New York Archdiocese Superintendent of Faculties, mentioned she was moved that day by his message of hope and encouragement.
“He was a living testimony to the power of prayer,” she mentioned in an announcement. “He repeatedly reminded us that our prayer is more than words. It is an encounter with the Lord who loves us.”
The pontiff’s New York journey was a whirlwind go to. He spoke on the United Nations’ Basic Meeting. He attended a multifaith ceremony on the 9/11 Memorial on the World Commerce Middle. And he went to Madison Sq. Backyard to ship a Mass to greater than 20,000 at The World’s Most Well-known Enviornment.
“I feel like he had a very merciful, loving approach to just all kinds of people,” Dylan Cambrie, 23, who was visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral from South Carolina.
“He had open arms toward people who may not come from a religious background, which I think made him a lot more of a popular Pope in the secular world as well. I know people who are not religious who still had a lot of respect for him.”
Parishioner Robert pays his respects in entrance of a photograph of Pope Francis on show contained in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint James in Brooklyn on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Theodore Parisienne / New York Day by day Information)
Cambrie mentioned he favored the pope’s outreach to refugees and immigrants.
“ I think with the current political climate, especially in the United States, that there’s a huge divide,” Cambrie mentioned.
“Even in the church, there’s a lot of people who I feel look down upon refugees and immigrants. And he was always very vocal about treating them with respect, and that they’re also souls trying to get to heaven. I just admire that.”
Even throughout his final full day on Earth, Pope Francis championed the folks of his world parish.
NYPD-installed bunting in honor of Pope Francis is pictured at St. Patrick’s Cathedral Monday, April 21, 2025 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/ New York Day by day Information)
His ultimate Easter deal with referred to as for an finish to worldwide violence and compassion for the world’s marginalized folks.
“There can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others,” he mentioned, in response to remarks launched by the Vatican. “May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions.”
Initially Printed: April 21, 2025 at 2:47 PM EDT
