Roman Catholics around the globe are mourning the passing of Pope Francis, Peterborough Bishop Daniel Miehm among them.
The Vatican says cause of Pope Francis’ death was a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
Pope Francis died Easter Monday at age 88, his death coming after a lengthy hospital stay for double pneumonia and what seemed a recovery of sorts that saw him visit a prison in Rome and later greet a cheering crowd in St. Peter’s Square outside the Vatican.
Bishop Miehm, who’s Diocese covers a swath from North Bay south to Lake Ontario and from Orillia to Quinte West, met Pope Francis on three occasions and says, based on his recent activity, he was quite surprised when he heard the sad news.
Bishop Miehm says a memorial mass will be held this Wednesday (April 23), 7 p.m., at the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains.
Speaking to Pope Francis’ legacy, Bishop Miehm says he tried to live his life as ‘a humble shepherd,’ adding his 2022 apology for the Roman Catholic Church’s role in Canadian residential school buses bolstered his legacy even further.
Noting ‘The Holy Father sets the tone,’ Bishop Miehm says the Conclave, which will choose a new pope, has an influential choice to make.
(Written by: Paul Rellinger)