'The gift of Pope Francis:' Oklahoma leaders share statements of hope in wake of pope's death
Oklahoma Catholic leaders shared statements about Pope Francis, who died on Monday. He was 88.
"We are saddened this Easter Monday to learn of the passing of Pope Francis, who has been called home to the Father's house. This ecclesial moment offers us the opportunity to consider the work of God in and through those He has called to serve Him and His people. Over the past few weeks, I have been reflecting upon the life and ministry of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.
"From the first moments of his papacy, he sought to utilize prophetic gestures as a principal means of his universal pastoral ministry. Pope Francis was a shepherd for whom the Church's witness to the world was at the forefront of his mind. His special pastoral concern for the marginalized, the disenfranchised and the excluded in society was always first and foremost when proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
"He charted the course of his papacy with the publication of his 2013 post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation called the 'Joy of the Gospel' (Evangelii Gaudium). He wrote about the need for a renewed proclamation of the Good News of Jesus' incarnation, passion, death and resurrection. He called for this Kerygma to be at the center of the life and the witness of the Church.
More: Pope Francis, 266th occupant of the throne of St. Peter, has died
"There is a certain fittingness — and poetic beauty — that the Lord called his servant home during the Easter octave and Jubilee of hope. In a certain sense, Pope Francis began and ended his service of the Petrine Ministry with the theme of hope. We give thanks to almighty God for the gift of Pope Francis. We pray for the repose of his soul, and we pray for the universal Church in this time of transition.
"With gratitude for his ministry, we bid our prayerful farewell to Pope Francis and commend him to the Lord. We now turn with great confidence to the Father and pray for the one whom He will choose to shepherd the Church as our next pope, the Vicar of Christ and Bishop of Rome.
"Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us."
"The light of faith: this is how the Church's tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Jesus. These are the first words of 'Lumen Fidei,' the first Encyclical of Pope Francis at the beginning of his pontificate.
"As a Jesuit priest, then bishop, then cardinal, and finally as our Holy Father these past 12 years, Pope Francis dedicated his life to inviting all to see and know Jesus Christ, the light of the world, the light of faith and the loving Savior.
"His heroic service, well past the age most people retire and begin to rest, is a testament to his burning desire to make Jesus known, especially to those on the margins. Now, as we commend him to God, let us take up and continue the ministry of the Church: Spreading the good news that Jesus is Lord and loves and saves all who put their faith in him."
"Today, Oklahoma joins over a billion Catholics mourning the loss of Pope Francis. For twelve years, he led the Catholic Church, embodying Jesus' call to Matthew ― 'Follow me' ― a command he often reflected on throughout his pontificate.
"I remember when he addressed Congress in 2015 and spoke about the need for empathy and the importance of working in the best interests of all people. May he rest in peace with the Lord."
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Pope Francis dies at 88: Oklahoma leaders remember his message of hope
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