Dozens of pc28Catholics gathered at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica for a sombre Easter Monday mass, mourning the death of Pope Francis — who they remember as humble, kind and open-minded.
Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, died Monday. He was 88. The Vatican said he died of a cerebral stroke that put him in a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.
The Catholics at St. Michael’s grieved his death with acceptance and admiration.
“This is the first death of the Pope I’ve experienced as I’ve understood my faith more,” said churchgoer and Oakville resident David Venturi. “And I feel at peace and happy in a strange way — in a good way.”
“I think this is the peace you get from experiencing funerals, the tradition, understanding the faith and what happens after death. So it’s mourning and there’s peace as well.”
Father Joshua Roldan, a pastor at St. John’s Parish in pc28who led Monday’s mass at the basilica, was caught off guard by the news of the Pope’s death, especially after Francis addressed thousands of worshippers from St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.
When he realized the news was official, he immediately went to his parish to pray.
“He was like our father giving us a final blessing,” he said of Sunday’s Easter address. “I remember hearing his voice and going, ‘Thank you, Lord, for giving us someone like Pope Francis.’”
Roldan was ordained in 2013, the same year Francis became pope. He remembers being at his seminary the day white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, signalling a new pope had been chosen.
Father Joshua Roldan, a pastor at St. John’s Parish in Toronto, was caught off guard by the news of the Pope’s death.
Nick Lachance/pc28StarJoining a crowd around the TV, Roldan watched Francis step onto the balcony at St. Peter’s Square towards the worshippers. He was struck by his humility as he bowed before the crowd and asked them to pray for him.
“I remember in this moment, seeing a man who was just humbled by the call to become the Holy Father, but also reminding us all that the Pope, too, is human, just like everyone else,” Roldan said. “He reminded us of that constantly — that we all need God’s mercy, we all need God’s love.”
At St. Michael’s, some churchgoers crowded in the courtyard after the service, and others remained seated, continuing their prayers. As they exited the cathedral, they kneeled or bowed in a sign of worship.
The Canadian flag outside the cathedral was at half-mast. The city announced that flags on official flagpoles at pc28City Hall, Metro Hall and the civic centres will also be flown at half-mast until the end of the day of the funeral, yet to be scheduled.
Churchgoer Gary Toneguzzo, who’s in his late 60s, said the Pope’s advocacy for the poor and pursuit of world peace left a lasting impression.
“He had such a personal touch with people, and it was so evident when he went around kissing babies or to people with disabilities. He had a really warm personal response and this radiant smile,” Toneguzzo said. “Pope John Paul II was great with the crowds. Pope Benedict was a great scholar … but Pope Francis just brought something different to it.
“He brought it back down to Earth.”
David Venturi, who lost his faith for nearly a decade before returning to Catholicism during the pandemic, clutches a Bible as he says he’s grateful to have experienced Pope Francis’s leadership.
Nick Lachance/pc28StarFather Frank Portelli, rector of St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica, says in some sense it’s providential that the Pope died during the Easter Octave, the eight days commemorating Jesus’s death and resurrection.
“The pain and the sorrow that we feel when someone passes is proportionate to the amount that we love,” he said. “Their sadness reflects the love they have for Pope Francis.”
His death begins a weeks-long process filled with centuries-old traditions leading to the election of a new pope. The conclave will culminate with 135 cardinals — including five from Canada — voting behind locked doors in the Sistine Chapel.
While it’s considered unlikely a Canadian cardinal will be elected, they will participate in the process. Toronto’s two cardinals, Thomas Collins and Frank Leo, represent different ends of the spectrum: Collins, 78, is likely too old to be seriously considered, while Leo, 53, was only elevated to the position last year.
It’s unlikely a Canadian will replace Pope Francis, but here are the top candidates.
It’s unlikely a Canadian will replace Pope Francis, but here are the top candidates.
Leo will lead a mass at St. Michael’s on Tuesday morning for the repose of Francis’s soul before flying to Rome to join the conclave proceedings.
“Since 2013, our shepherd has guided the flock lovingly and served as a global ambassador of peace, hope and love,” Leo said in a statement shared by the Archdiocese of Toronto. “The Holy Father’s humility, compassion and care for others, most especially the poor and marginalized, has served as a powerful witness and a reminder of our daily call to reflect the face of Jesus to all those whom we encounter.”
Venturi, who lost his faith for nearly a decade before returning to Catholicism during the pandemic, said he is grateful to have experienced Francis’s leadership.
He hopes there is space for mourning and reflection before attention turns to the future.
“I’ve seen different sides,” he says of the opinions on Pope Francis’s legacy. “I hope it’s a legacy of love.”
Francis came to Canada in 2022 to deliver a long sought-after apology for the role Catholics played in the Indigenous residential school system.
Francis came to Canada in 2022 to deliver a long sought-after apology for the role Catholics played in the Indigenous residential school system.
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