Northern Ontario bishop remembers Pope's humility and kindness

Catholics around the world continue to reflect on the passing of Pope Francis, by sharing stories and memories of him.

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Monday. The Vatican said Francis died of a cerebral stroke that put him in a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio became leader of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, after Pope Benedict XVI resigned.

He made history in 2022, when he apologized for the "deplorable" conduct of some members of the Catholic Church in Canada's residential school system. He later said the system carried out a cultural "genocide."

Bishop Thomas Dowd, with the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, said he first heard the news of the pope's death early Monday morning when he started receiving text messages.

"My phone suddenly started buzzing and I thought 'who is sending me all of these text messages?" he said.

"And then I looked and realized, oh my gosh, the pope has passed away."

Dowd met Pope Francis several times and remembers him for his "humility, kindness and a sense of humour."

Dowd said Pope Francis even agreed to take a selfie with him.

"And he laughed and smiled and said sure, why not," he said.

"So I pulled up my phone and that's my first papal selfie ever. Another bishop even photo bombed us in the back. It's quite hilarious."

During a trip to Rome, Dowd said he got to spend a month with the pope for a special meeting on youth.

"I even had a chance to kid around with the pope," he said.

"At one point, 'I said Holy Father, I'm not after your job but here's what I would do in this situation.' He laughed and he looked at me said 'If you want to be pope, you can take it.' It shows the guy had a good sense of humour."

Dowd said he's inviting other Catholics to come together and remember Pope Francis.

"People of course are feeling their own feelings, they're having their own expressions of grief," he said.

"Grieving is a process and that's something we're going to live together."

A funeral for Pope Francis will be held on Saturday in St. Peter's Square. 

Cardinals from around the world will head to Rome to take part in a conclave to elect the next pope.