Politics
Cardinal Blase Cupich on Death of Pope Francis: ‘I Ask That God Comfort Us, But Also Strengthen Us’
Pope Francis pauses during an interview with The Associated Press at The Vatican, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (AP Photo / Domenico Stinellis, File)
Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, has released a statement on the death of Pope Francis. Francis died Monday at age 88 after several months of declining health.
“I have received word that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has died. In this moment of profound loss for me personally and for the Church, I take this moment to express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the gift of his papacy and to pray for the repose of his soul,” Cupich wrote. “The finest memorial we can offer is to re-form our hearts as Pope Francis asked — to see our brothers and sisters, to listen to them and to offer our prayers and actions that all may experience the fullness of God’s promise. As we mourn his passing, I ask that God comfort us, but also strengthen us to remain steadfast in carrying on the work of restoring our Church’s place in the world as a source of hope and an advocate for those in need.”
Cupich has been Archbishop of Chicago since 2014 and was elevated to cardinal in 2016 by Francis. In that role, he will be among the cardinals eligible to participate in a conclave to choose the next pope.
