Sorrow as Pope Francis dies
By Daniel O'Neill
“It was an honour to meet him, he was a very humble man, a man very much aware of people’s needs. He gave me and my family full attention when meeting him and spoke about how he was looking forward to coming to Ireland.”
Those were the words of city councillor Tony Fitzgerald following the news of Pope’s Francis passing this week. Pope Francis passed away peacefully on Monday morning at 7.35am. His funeral is scheduled to take place at 10am on Saturday in front of St Peter’s Basilica.
Cllr Fitzgerald spoke to the Cork Independent about his meeting with the Pope during his time as lord mayor in 2018 and described his experience of meeting him in the Vatican. He spoke about how he presented gifts on behalf of the people of Cork like a book of aerial pictures of Cork by Dennis Horgan and a candleholder and talked to the Pope about his upcoming trip to Ireland.
He said: “He was a man of great leadership, of great compassion and a man of understanding of a changing world. Overall he was a great leader of the Catholic faith. Him being with the people on Easter Sunday is a remarkable attribute to a man who wanted to be among the people.”
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “Pope Francis' long and distinguished papacy was marked by his unwavering commitment to the principles of compassion, peace, and human dignity.
“He spoke out for the poor, the marginalised, and the oppressed. His solidarity with refugees, his calls for climate action, and his insistence on global peace and equality set him apart as a champion of justice in the modern world.
“Pope Francis holds a special place in the hearts of the Irish people. During his visit to Ireland in August 2018 for the World Meeting of Families he was welcomed with a warmth and enthusiasm that spoke volumes about the respect and affection in which he was held by Irish people.
“During his visit to Ireland, many will also remember Pope Francis' expression of pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church and his outrage about the failure of church authorities to adequately address these appalling crimes.”
Meanwhile, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross also expressed his sympathies: “I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Rome in May 2017 and, like so many others, was affected and influenced by his human gentleness and empathy. We have all been conscious of and have witnessed his frailty and vulnerability as, with immense fortitude, he endured his suffering but continued resolutely to fulfil his calling and duty. May he rest now in God’s peace and rise in glory.”
A book of condolences in memory of Pope Francis will be opened by the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Joe Carroll and the Chief Executive of Cork County Council Moira Murrell on Friday in Cork County Hall.
It will be available for the public to sign in the foyer from noon on Friday and during office hours.
No book of condolence at City Hall
A Cork TD has expressed his disappointment with City Hall for not opening a book of condolence for Pope Francis.
Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn described it as a “graceless and tactless decision” adding the decision needs to be reversed.
The TD for Cork North Central said the decision taken by Cork City Council not to open a book of condolence for Pope Francis is “generating real hurt and disappointment” among residents.
He said: “There is simply no reason why Cork City Council cannot follow the example of city councils elsewhere in the country who have opened a book of condolence- especially for people who live on the south side of the city.”
“I am aware that a book of condolence will be available at the cathedral and that is right and proper. But we must recall that Pope Francis was not just a beloved spiritual leader to billions of Catholics, he was also a head of state, who wielded his enormous public influence across the globe and here in Ireland for the common goof of the most disadvantaged. It is incredible that Cork City Council felt it could just ignore this political and diplomatic reality. Its failure to provide the bare minimum in terms of respect is deeply regrettable.”
A spokesperson for Cork City Council said the Lord Mayor’s office was in consultation with Bishop Fintan Gavin in relation to a book of condolences for the Pope.
The spokesperson said a book of condolences has been opened at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Shandon and online. The Lord Mayor attended the cathedral on Wednesday morning to sign the book of condolences and is encouraging councillors, and the wider community to sign it at the cathedral.
“It is appropriate to have one book for condolences for the people of Cork to express their mourning in unity. Hosting the book of condolences in the cathedral also affords the people of Cork the opportunity to pray after paying their respects to the late Pope Francis. A mass is due to take place Friday at 7.30pm in the cathedral. All are welcome to attend the mass to pay their respects.”
Speaking on Tuesday, the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Dan Boyle said: “On behalf of Cork City Council and the people of Cork, I want to express my sincere condolences on the passing of Pope Francis to you, the church, the Catholic Community in Cork and to all those who mourn his loss. I am saddened by the loss of a leader who helped redirect and repurpose the Catholic Church towards more traditional Christian values of helping the displaced and dispossessed. He used his papacy to encourage compassion, peace and equality. May his legacy continue.”
Additional reporting by Niamh Áine Ryan