Protestants Join Catholics in Remembering Life of Pope Francis

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Protestants have joined Catholic leaders in commenting on the life and death of Pope Francis. The Pope passed away Monday from complications of a stroke.

Johnnie Moore (Evangelical leader): “Evangelicals pray for the Catholic Church, as they mourn the passing of Pope Francis and prepare to select his successor. As an evangelical, I participated in Pope Francis’ historic pilgrimages to the United Arab Emirates… I am so grateful for his historic efforts to build bridges between Catholics and Muslim countries, an effort which helped all Christians.” [Additional quote *]: “For his entire papacy, the cross he wore around his neck was a cross once worn by a martyred priest in Mosul, Iraq. He carried with him every day, the memory of the persecuted church.”
Franklin Graham: “Pope Francis passed away this morning after battling health issues. He was able to have meetings and appear at some of the Vatican’s Holy Week observances in just the last couple of days. I had the opportunity to meet and talk with him last year when I went to Naples to preach. Pray for the Catholic Church as they begin the process of selecting another pope.”
Samuel Rodriguez (National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference): “We mourn the passing of Pope Francis, a visionary leader of faith and a tireless advocate for the marginalized. His life was a testament to hope — the hope that the Church can shine as a beacon of light in a darkening world.” “Now, more than ever, that message is needed, and today, we have lost one of its most steadfast champions.”
Alejandro Rodríguez (Youth With A Mission Argentina): “He respected the institutions but built bridges on the foundation of relationships. When we were together, we were not the pope and the pastor. We were Jorge and Alejandro.”
Marcelo Figueroa (Presbyterian, Argentine Bible Society): “We laughed a lot. He is a good porteño [person from Buenos Aires].”
Luis Palau (International Evangelist): [Recalled Francis as] “a very Jesus Christ-centered man.”
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe (Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church): “In 12 years as the Roman Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis transformed our theology of the environment and recognized the need for LGBTQ+ people to feel heard, seen, and included in their church.”
The Rev. Robert A. Dowd (Notre Dame University President): “Through his heroic and prophetic ministry, he has inspired and challenged us to respect the God-given dignity of all people and the integrity of creation.”
Kerry Alys Robinson (Catholic Charities USA): “More than any public figure of his time, Pope Francis emulated what he advocated. His authenticity came from his radical belief in God and commitment to be Christlike.”
Justin Welby (Former Archbishop of Canterbury): “It is with a deep sense of personal sadness that I mourn the death of my friend, His Holiness Pope Francis. With our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, we give thanks for his life of faithful service.”
Cardinal Timothy Dolan (Archbishop of New York): “You couldn’t choreograph it any better than what happened, the last time we saw him, Easter Sunday… the last words of blessed Easter as he gave us his blessing.”