A framed photograph of Pope Francis stood beside the altar at Star of the Sea Catholic Church Monday morning as parishioners gathered for 9 a.m. Mass, many having just learned of the pontiff’s death hours earlier.
Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell announced Monday that Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. Vatican time (1:35 a.m. Eastern) at age 88, just one day after making his final public appearance during Easter celebrations.
“I turned on my TV first thing, they announced it. I wasn’t on the TV for two minutes. I started crying,” said Marge Thibodeau of Marblehead, who attends Mass every day. “I saw him yesterday giving the blessing before I went to Easter dinner with my family. He was struggling with every word.”
For Monsignor Timothy J. Moran, pastor at Star of the Sea, the pope’s declining health had been evident in recent appearances.
“I had tuned in to his Urbi et Orbi [traditional blessing given by the pope on solemn occasions] blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s yesterday, and I could see that it took every ounce of strength for him just to say just the one sentence of blessing,” Moran said. “It was pretty clear that he was reaching the end of his physical strength.”
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, was elected in 2013 following Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation. He became the first Latin American pope, first Jesuit pope and first pope from outside Europe in more than 1,200 years.
Parishioner Charles Arrigo of Marblehead recalled one of Francis’ most famous statements that characterized his inclusive approach to ministry.
“When they asked him about people who were gays, they were more inclusive. And I have a family member who is and he said, ‘Who am I to judge?'” Arrigo said.
McGreevy, who recently began reading the pope’s memoir titled “Hope,” reflected on what made Francis’s papacy distinctive.
“He was such a human pope who encouraged everybody to enter the Catholic faith, or just the faith wherever you are,” she said. “He wrote different encyclicals [formal letters or teaching documents written by the pope] on nature, on human relationships, on the acceptance of people, no matter what. The acceptance of people, no matter who they were or what direction they took in life. And I admired him so much for that.”
Senior Deacon John E. “Joe” Whipple noted Francis clarified an essential aspect of Catholic teaching.
“He clarified the aspect of the faith that says we’re not in this just for ourselves alone, that we’re a church that is reaching out to the whole world, a church that is not exclusive, a church that is inclusive of everybody who will be part of it,” Whipple said.
When occasionally asked his opinion about Francis, particularly from those critical of the pope’s progressive stances, Whipple would respond simply: “He’s the pope we need at this time.”
Moran identified the early pandemic as producing one of the most powerful moments of Francis’s papacy.
“One of the most dramatic moments was in the middle of the pandemic,” Moran told the Current, seated in the parish rectory. “He stood in St. Peter’s Square, and just invoked that blessing of God. The square was completely empty. Just him and a cross behind him on the front stairs of St. Peter.”
Rabbi Jenn Mangold of Temple Emanu-El in Marblehead offered an interfaith perspective on the pope’s legacy.
“Pope Francis brought tremendous light to this world through his compassion, kindness, humility and courage,” Rabbi Mangold said. “His commitment to interfaith dialogue was truly impactful. May his memory inspire us to do our part in repairing the brokenness of the world today.”
Following Francis’s death, the Vatican will begin a nine-day mourning period. His body is expected to lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica beginning Wednesday for public veneration. A conclave to elect a new pope will likely begin approximately 15 days after his death.
Parishioners at Star of the Sea expressed hope that Francis’s emphasis on inclusivity and outreach would continue under new leadership.
“Pope Francis appointed many of these cardinals,” Ann McGreevy said. “I am hoping that they really carry on his legacy in many ways, especially when it comes to humanity.”
Arrigo shared similar sentiments about priorities for the next pope: “Peace in the world and total human rights, and the right of the church to accept because when I was a kid, a priest said to me, ‘God makes no bad people.’ And I always remember that.”
Moran hoped the next pontiff would “continue the emphasis on the witness to the gospel in the context of the whole world,” explaining this means that “the words of Jesus speak to the challenges of the world and open doors to move forward.”
For many Marblehead parishioners, McGreevy said the timing of Francis’s death following Easter holds spiritual significance, offering consolation amid their grief.
“His suffering is over,” McGreevy said. “When I woke up this morning and saw it, I thought, ‘His suffering is over.'”
Leigh Blander contributed reporting.
