Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan has paid tribute to Pope Francis who died this morning.
The death of the 88-year-old Pontiff was announced by the Vatican earlier.
Speaking to WLR News at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street, Waterford this evening, Bishop Cullinan said Pope Francis “connected with people in very simple ways”.
“He had a gift of showing the humanity of himself and of Jesus,” he said.
A series of events will take place within the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore this week to mark his passing.
This includes the opening of a Book of Condolence tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Cathedral.
“We will be praying for him in a special way,” said Bishop Cullinan.
“On Thursday, a week after Holy Thursday, all across the diocese we’re inviting churches to ring their church bell 88 times, once for every year of his life, at 12pm. In the evening, we will have Vespers (evening prayers) at 6.30pm in the Cathedral followed by Mass for our dear Pope Francis at 7pm.”
In the video below, Bishop Cullinan also shared his memories of meeting Pope Francis. ⬇?
Other tributes
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins said the Papacy of Pope Francis had “a unique humility” and that he “sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life.”
Former President Mary McAleese says Pope Francis did his best to move the Catholic Church into the 21st Century. Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin says he’ll be remembered as someone who “cared deeply about each individual”.
The Association of Catholic Priests said: “Since the death of Pope John XXIII during the Second Vatican Council, no Pope has garnered not just the respect that almost inevitably is associated with the office of Pope but the warmth and love of a man who captivated the world with his humanity and mediated the Gospel of Jesus through kindness, gentleness, mercy and, above all, through the hope he lived and represented in our world and in our Church.”
Waterford Ministerial meeting
Waterford Minister and Government Chief Whip Mary Butler has also shared her memories of meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican to mark St. Patrick’s Day in 2024.
He was presented with a Waterford Crystal bowl of shamrock by Minister Butler and this was the first time in which such an event was held between a representative of the Irish government and a Pope to mark St. Patrick’s Day.
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