Calgary Catholics mourn Pope Francis and reflect on his legacy

A message of hope and compassion in honour of Pope Francis was planned for Calgary Catholics heading to church for Easter Monday service.

Calgary Catholics are mourning the death of Pope Francis and remembering him as a compassionate and humble man that tried to make the church more inclusive.

“He really was someone who wanted to be present with people and to allow his presence to bring hope—to bring a sense that their life had purpose and meaning,” Reverend William McGrattan said.

McGrattan is the bishop of Calgary and the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

He believes it’s symbolic Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday.

“We as Catholics and Christians believe in the promise of the resurrection and eternal life. To pass in this time, where we are gathering for such a significant event, and in the life of the faith in the church, it’s providential that in some ways God has taken him on this day,” McGrattan said.

Some of those who attended St. Mary’s on Monday say they were shocked and saddened by the news.

“I was surprised. We’d heard he was sick before and had recovered, so I was surprised. Right away I prayed for the repose of his soul,” St. Mary’s parishioner Kathy Roe said.

In 2022, Pope Francis came to Maskwacis, Alta., and visited the site of a former residential school.

He made a historic apology for the church’s role in residential schools.

“He acknowledged that a deep wrong and harm had occurred. I think for many people that was very meaningful ,” University of Alberta professor Matthew Wildcat said.

Wildcat grew up in Maskwacis and multiple generations of his family went to the residential school.

The 88-year-old pontiff died on April 21 in Vatican City, hours after giving the blessing over Easter Sunday mass.

The Vatican says he slipped into a coma before suffering a stroke and irreversible heart failure.

“For us Christians, there’s always hope. He just went to the next room. Eternity,” St. Mary’s parishioner Ceasar said.