ST. LOUIS— The St. Louis archbishop is remembering the life of Pope Francis after he passed away at the age of 88. A special Mass of remebrance was held at Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

What You Need To Know

  • A special Mass was held at noon at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

  • Most Rev. Mitchell Rozanski, Archbishop of St. Louis, commends Pope Francis's dedication to the poor

  • Pope Francis's policies reformed the catholic church forcing it to embrace ideas that many conservatives thought went too far while many liberals believed didn't go far enough

  • Pope Francis was the first pope from the western hemisphere, South America and of the Jesuit order

Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis posted on social media thanking Pope Francis and credited him for living out a life of discipleship to those most in need, a message repeated during the mass that drew attendees of all ages. 

"The best thing you can do for someone that has passed away, especially someone who is so crucial to our faith is to pray for them so it was really important to me and my family to come out to church today and to show our support and our love for the pope by praying for him here at mass," said Teresa Armesto, 16.

"Francis exemplified so much the hope for all of us brothers and sisters of the world in which we live," added Barbara Pereira, who was visiting from Jupiter, Fl.

Following the mass, Rozanski told a story about the time he and others met Pope Francis in 2019, prior to Rozanski's arrival in St. Louis in 2020.

"There was a pitcher of water and and two glasses sat there and during the meeting, which was almost about two hours long. He took the pitcher of water and he poured the water in the glass and he handed it to the translator because he knew the translator was working and that to me was the epitome of Pope Francis, his kindness, his looking out for others...just a simple little scene that would not be witnessed by many but it showed his concern for others but in so many magnanimous ways he reached out to others and challenged us to reach out, especially to those on the margins," Rozanski said

Condolences are also pouring in from Washington, D.C. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., was the first Catholic Republican elected to the U.S. Senate by Missourians. He released a statement this morning.

“Pope Francis was a dedicated servant of God and was devout in his efforts to spread the good news of Jesus’ great works while showing great compassion for those in need. As a Catholic, I am sad to hear of his passing this morning. Please join Jaime and me as we pray for Pope Francis, all those who loved him, and the Catholic community across the United States and world,” said Sen. Schmitt.

Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., shared a picture of her meeting Pope Francis last year. 

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth also issued a statement on Pope Francis' passing, saying:

“Pope Francis was a pillar of the Catholic Church, a beacon of hope, compassion and light in times of fear, hatred and darkness. Throughout his life, he taught us that in order to be great, we have to be good. He urged each of us to care for the poor, feed the hungry, be humble stewards of the Earth and treat others how we would want to be treated ourselves—even if they pray or live differently than us. His teachings remain as important as ever. May he rest in peace and may his spirit continue to uplift and guide all those who followed his sacred word.”

Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he became known by the papal name Francis, succeeding the late Pope Benedict XVI on March 13, 2013.

Francis was elected on a mandate to reform the Vatican bureaucracy and its finances, but he went further, shaking up the church itself without changing its core doctrine.

If being the first Latin American and Jesuit pope wasn't enough, he was the first to name himself after St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century friar known for personal simplicity, his message of peace, and care for society's outcasts and nature.

"Openness to God makes us open towards the marginalized of this world,” said Pope Francis. “And gives us the courage to leave the confines of our own security and comfort to become bruised, hurting and dirty as we joyfully approach the suffering other in a spirit of solidarity.”

Pope Francis rejected traditionalism of his papal predecessors, according to the Smithsonian Magazine, and defied expectation by pushing the church to modernize. While many conservative felt the reforms were too far, liberals thought they didn’t go far enough. He also was the first to appoint women to prestigious positions of the Vatican. 

During 2023, Pope Francis approved the blessing of same-sex couples.

Asked about a purportedly gay priest, he famously responded, "Who am I to judge?" — a welcoming message to the LGBTQ+ community and those who felt shunned by the church.

Francis changed church positions on the death penalty, declaring it inadmissible in all circumstances, and modified its stand on nuclear weapons by saying their possession was "immoral."

In 2015, he continued reforming the church denouncing wasteful consumption and endorsing the right of Indigenous peoples, per Britannica.

As the highest position in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis fought against the clergy sex abuse crisis seeing to extensive revisions to church law in 2021 that addressed the scandals forcing bishops to take action to stop sexual abuse.

Francis lived in the Vatican hotel rather than the Apostolic Palace, wore his old orthotic shoes rather than the traditional red loafers, and used compact cars.

The lasting impression Pope Francis left on people was his servitude for all, regardless of status, orientation and race.

“We all have the duty to do good,” said Pope Francis. “The common good has become global and nations must associate for their own benefit.”

David Suwalsky, S.J., Vice President of mission and identity at Saint Louis University, said Pope Francis kept to his Jesuit roots long after he reached the point where he was no longer bound to the order. While we don't know how quickly a second Jesuit might serve in the Papacy, Suwalsky said an equally important legacy is the work done to raise the voices and experiences of others with less access to power at the Vatican.

"It was very important to Pope Francis to bring in leadership from different parts of the world so that the church was less Euro or American Centric and I think it’s going to be really important for those Cardinals that are going to go into Conclave that are from what he would call the peripheries that their voices be heard, that their experiences are embraced and I think it’s really a significant contribution of Pope Francis to open those doors a bit wider," he said.

For more information on Pope Francis, including encyclicals, letters, messages, prayers and more, visit his page on the Vatican’s website by clicking here.