Hamilton clergy in Rome mourn death of Pope Francis and say 'we must carry forward' his legacy

As thousands stitchery successful St. Peter's Square successful Vatican City connected Saturday greeting to bid farewell to Pope Francis, churches crossed Hamilton are holding masses and memorials to people the passing of the spiritual person whose papacy near a profound content connected section Catholics.

"We mourn, but we besides hope," said Fr. Will Meehan, a Hamilton clergyman presently studying successful Rome. "Pope Francis has been the Pope passim my enactment and ordination. His writings shaped my theological journey."

Meehan is among respective members of the diocese who recovered themselves successful Rome during this time, oregon who made plans aft the Pope's decease to question determination for the funeral.

Fr. Luis Inácio, subordinate pastor astatine St. Joseph Parish successful Hamilton, had travelled to Rome for an unrelated canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Catholic Church's archetypal millennial saint, when helium learned of the Pope's passing. 

"It was unexpected, yet successful a way, not," helium said. "Life is but a breath. I recovered myself successful supplication astatine Santa Marta, beside his body. It was a privilege to beryllium determination and to commune for him."

Inácio described the ambiance successful Rome arsenic reverent and emotionally charged. "We are sad, but not without hope. Pope Francis was a witnesser to humility, to simplicity. Even successful his last nationalist moments, helium appeared arsenic a shepherd."

Hamilton is the second-largest English-speaking Catholic diocese successful Canada and has heavy ties to the broader church. 

According to the Diocese of Hamilton, the portion serves implicit 620,000 Catholics crossed much than 120 parishes, with a clergy of astir 170 priests and covers the counties of Brant, Bruce, Grey, Halton, Waterloo, Wellington, and 4 Townships successful Dufferin County.

As of the 2021 Census, astir 29 per cent of Hamilton's colonisation identifies arsenic Catholic, making it the largest azygous spiritual radical successful the city. 

Influence connected the adjacent procreation of priests

Seminarian Matteo Villela, primitively from Hamilton and presently studying Catholicism at the Royal English College successful Spain, was among those who travelled to Rome for the canonization event. 

"Being successful St. Peter's, surrounded by radical from each implicit the world, you consciousness the universality of the church," helium said. "It reminded maine that immoderate happens successful the religion affects america all."

Villela added that galore young Catholics felt a heavy transportation to Pope Francis, who became pontiff successful 2013. "He's the lone Pope I remember," helium said. "His bequest of idiosyncratic transportation and pastoral attraction volition signifier however galore of america attack the priesthood."

"He was incredibly personable. People connected with him deeply. That quality to beryllium present, to listen, to ask, 'What bash you need?'—that's indispensable for the Church moving forward," Villela added. "I've seen it successful however helium related to recently joined couples, for instance. That pastoral warmth is thing we should each transportation into ministry."

"On a applicable level, our existent seminary enactment guidelines came nether his papacy successful 2015. The twelvemonth I'm spending successful Spain was made mandatory nether those reforms," helium said. 

Each of the 3 clergymen emphasized Hamilton's transportation to the planetary Catholic community.

"Wherever I go, I correspond my diocese," said Fr. Inácio. "Even connected holiday, I americium a clergyman from Hamilton."

Back successful Canada, section churches person acceptable up memorials, celebrated masses and invited parishioners to commune for the repose of Pope Francis' psyche — successful the week starring up to the ceremonial and continuing passim the weekend.

Hopes for the adjacent papacy 

The Diocese of Hamilton, portion grieving, says it besides stands acceptable for what comes next.

"We request to unrecorded the Gospel by promoting bid and charity," Father Meehan said. He besides stressed the request for unity nether the adjacent pope. 

Fr. Inácio echoed that perspective, saying Pope Francis modeled a Church focused connected "communion, participation, and mission." He added, "Reform is not astir changing the Gospel, but astir renewing however we unrecorded and preach it."

He reflected connected the challenges facing the adjacent pope—from planetary struggle to economical inequality—and said, "The adjacent person indispensable talk with contented to today's problems. Pope Francis leaves a bequest we indispensable transportation forward."

"We entrust him to God's mercy," said Fr. Meehan. "And we commune for the Cardinals arsenic they hole to elite a caller shepherd. I spot that the process volition beryllium filled with prayer, conscionable arsenic this clip has been."

The wide for Pope Francis begins astatine 10 AM CET oregon 4 americium ET. CBC peculiar sum starts 1 hr sooner, astatine 3 AM ET.

We're 'still successful shock' Hamilton deacon says

Juan Carlos Veliz said helium and his wife, Maritza, are "still successful shock" pursuing the Pope's death.

Veliz said his woman is simply a life-long Catholic, and she was the 1 who encouraged him to go much progressive successful the religion aft they moved to Hamilton from Guatemala. He present serves arsenic a deacon astatine Our Lady of All Souls Roman Catholic Church connected Barton Street West.

The mates had a accidental to spot the Pope successful idiosyncratic successful St. Peter's Square astatine the Vatican portion connected a pilgrimage to Rome past year. "You spot the pictures and you perceive radical talking astir it but erstwhile you get truthful close, similar we did, it's a wholly antithetic feeling," Veliz told CBC Hamilton.

"It's thing that you cannot picture really, like, however unfastened helium was to beryllium with people, to beryllium astir them."

Veliz said helium was astir to permission for enactment erstwhile helium archetypal saw the quality that the Pope had passed away. "It was unbelievable, I couldn't judge it astatine the beginning. I'm inactive sad, we're inactive successful shock," helium said.

"We knew it was coming but we weren't expecting it, particularly aft they archer you he's recovering, he's feeling better. Last nighttime we were talking astir him and were saying 'is it true?' We don't privation to judge it."