Photo courtesy of Bishop David J. Bonnar Bishop David Bonnar meets with Pope Francis during a trip to Rome in September 2022. Bonnar and other religious leaders are remembering Pope Francis, who died Monday at age 88. Bonnar was chosen by Pope Francis as a bishop.

YOUNGSTOWN — Local religious and other leaders reacted to the news Monday morning of the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88.

Francis made history as the first Latin American pontiff.

Bishop David Bonnar said in a statement, “The news of Pope Francis’ death today is a cause of great sadness for the whole church and certainly for me personally as a bishop chosen by him nearly five years ago.”

“The Holy Father in word and deed brought a pastoral vision to the church centered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Bonnar said. “In this Easter Octave, we behold the great mystery of our faith that climaxes in the resurrection. May Pope Francis see the face of God today.”

Bonnar has scheduled a special Mass for 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Columba Cathedral in Youngstown to remember the life of Francis.

Bonnar said he always felt a special bond with Francis.

“He was very gospel-centered. He emphasized the joys of the Gospel and gave us a strong foundation for us to live out our faith,” Bonnar said.

On Monday, Bonnar celebrated Francis in his Easter Monday Homily at a Mass at St. Columba Cathedral.

“Yesterday, we saw the images of (Pope Francis) on the balcony of St. Peter’s giving the blessing of the City and the World. Today we gather in this Mother Church of the diocese and join the entire world in praying for his eternal rest and happiness,” Bonnar said.

He said the special Mass on Thursday will afford the public an opportunity as a local church to give thanks for the vision and voice of Francis.

“We are planning to echo this prayer with the distribution of a prayer card made available soon to our parishes featuring the image of the Holy Father on one side and a prayer for him on the other,” Bonnar said.

“While there is great sadness that comes with the death of Pope Francis, we find solace in the words of Jesus. We thank Almighty God for his pastoral vision rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the vocabulary he left us with such words like joy, love, hope, mercy, encounter, accompaniment, listening and compassion, just to name a few. We must go forth and speak this language all the while rejoicing in the resurrection and the hope that Pope Francis is at peace, free from all suffering, seeing God face to face in his Kingdom. May Pope Francis rest in peace, Amen,” Bonnar said.

GOVERNOR’S STATEMENT

Governor Mike DeWine issued a statement Monday noting Francis’ devotion to all people.

“Fran and I are saddened by the death of Pope Francis. He was an inspiration to us and to millions around the world. His genuine love of and devotion to all people – the poor, the unborn, those without a home, those emigrating to build a better life for themselves and their families, those of all faiths and those with no faith – was evidenced to the world from the day he was selected to serve as pope until his last public appearance on Easter Sunday.”

DeWine continued, “His work directly with the poor was a testament to his life of great humility. He spread the Gospel up until the very end of his life on this Earth, making a special effort to do so on Easter. Pope Francis brought hope to the world through his compassion for all.”