Pope Francis invited the world to 'move forward together,' St. John's archbishop says
Pope Francis, 88, died on Easter Monday
The Archbishop of St. John's says he'll remember Pope Francis as someone who was not afraid to face controversy, and someone who wanted to bring people together.
"He was really challenging us to look at how do we lead the church, and how do we involve everybody in the way forward. So I think he's been a pope that certainly invited us to move forward together," Peter Hundt told CBC News on Monday.
Hundt was appointed by Pope Francis in 2018.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. He was head of the Catholic Church for 12 years and had recently been released from a five-week hospital stay after a bout of bronchitis that developed into pneumonia. He also showed signs of early kidney failure.
Francis made his final public appearance just the day before, giving a blessing and wishing people who had gathered at the Vatican a happy Easter.
"He was a pope that was very open about the fact that we as human beings need to do a better job of taking care of our planet," said Hundt. "He was never afraid to admit the mistakes that we've made as a church, the abuse that's been suffered."
Father Paul Lundrigan, of Holy Trinity Parish in Torbay, says that commitment to meeting with the public showed the kind of person Francis was.
"To have seen him out at Saint Peter's Square, going around with the people, being with them and giving blessings, he lived right up to the end the way that he had always lived his faith," Lundrigan said.
"It's a sad day for the church, but a day to reflect on how blessed we've been to have had such a wonderful leader."
'A more progressive pope'
Gemma Hickey, president of Ending Clergy Abuse, says many people are feeling the loss of Pope Francis.
In recent years, Hickey has been working with Vatican officials to address gaps in how the Catholic church addresses abuse.
"Certainly, he was a more progressive pope in many ways than others. And he certainly opened doors to dialogue where others fail to do so in terms of the clergy sexual abuse crisis," Hickey said.
Lundrigan says Francis took risks in addressing abuse in ways others haven't. He also spoke on the role of women in the church and 2SLGBTQ+ Catholics, and famously visited Canada in July 2022 to advance reconciliation efforts and apologize for the abuse brought on in residential schools.
"It has opened the door for a lot of people who felt pushed out and left out," Lundrigan said. "He has started something that we can't stop."
Cardinals from around the world — including four from Canada — will soon gather in Rome for a conclave in the coming weeks, where a new pope will be elected.
Hickey hopes Pope Francis' successor will be more inclusive of survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members. They're also keeping a close eye on names being circulated as possible candidates, and how they have handled clergy abuse while in positions of power.
"We're looking at those names very closely, looking at their records," said Hickey. "There seems to be a trend moving toward conservatism everywhere all over the world, unfortunately."
Hundt says the search will seek out a person with the values of Christianity — such as humility and honesty — but says the work will transcend traditional labels and values.
"I think we have to remember that the Catholic Church is Catholic, which means universal," he said. "Those labels of liberal, conservative, progressive, sometimes they hide the fact that there's a need for a much broader view of things."
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With files from Heather Gillis