Statement of Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan on the death of Pope Francis

22 Apr 2025

  • Book of Condolences for people to record their sympathy on the death of Pope Francis is now available on the homepage of catholicbishops.ie, and on the Irish bishops’ social media platforms of Facebook, Instagram, X, and on BlueSky
  • Link to video clips and addresses of Pope Francis during his August 2018 visit to Ireland

Statement
I am very sad to hear of the death of Pope Francis.  I had seen video footage of him as he sat in his wheelchair on that well-known balcony in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday imparting his blessing to the city and to the world for the last time.

He was different from his predecessor but then all popes are different and in my adult life I have been very blessed to have met three giants: Pope Saint John Paul, Pope Benedict and Pope Francis.  

I met Pope Francis three times.  For me there was something very lovable about him and very warm.  He had a great smile.  I admired his courage.  His gestures to the marginalised were extraordinary.  The way in which he embraced the disfigured man several years ago now showed the depth of his humanity.  His pastoral visits to prisons, hospitals, care-centres, drug rehab units, to seek out the poor and distressed, his heart-rending appeal to the crucified Lord in Saint Peter’s Square in the rain during the covid epidemic, his apostolic journeys to countries which are not deemed important on the world stage – all these things will long remain with me.  I think Pope Francis has helped the world to remember the poor and to keep in mind those whom society can reject.  For me he truly was a living example of the saintly man whose name he took.

Now that he has died I can see more clearly what his messages to us were.  Like all people of faith he knew what was essential in life and what was frivolous.  He could not abide sloth or affectation or excess. He wanted a Church in which more and more people would play their role in the building up of the Church.  He knew what he wanted to achieve but like all human beings he did not achieve them all.  He too had to live with limitations.  In the world, we are called to do our best and let God do the rest.  Pope Francis, seemed to me had no problem with saying and doing unpopular things.  He was not courting popularity.  He was made of strong stuff.

I was touched by the way in which he dealt with his visit to Ireland in 2018.  He reached out with love and of course the people loved him.  They flocked the streets to see him pass by and his beautiful visit to Knock was touching in its simplicity and showed his child-like devotion to Our Mother Mary.  Whenever he returned to Rome after a foreign trip he went to Saint Mary Majors Basilica to lay a bunch of flowers before Our Lady and say a prayer of thanks for her intercession.

As he gave the blessing on Easter Sunday I blessed myself too – glad to receive a blessing from this holy man, totally dedicated to God and His Church.  Having just celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead I confidently pray that our dear Pope Francis will receive a kindly welcome from the Saviour and that he will rest in peace in the Father’s house.

ENDS

  • Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan is Bishop of Waterford and Lismore