Montanans react to the passing of Pope Francis

HELENA — Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88. On Monday, Montanans remembered and paid tribute to the Catholic leader known for reformation and mercy.

“Pope Francis, like every Pope, brings himself to the papacy. The lord calls a specific man to step into that role and he certainly brought his own perspectives and views to really lead us as a church, to challenge us,” Cathedral of St. Helena Rector Fr. Marc Lenneman. “He was challenging. He invited the church to go to the margins in a way that was good for us to ponder and to consider and to live. And then at the same time, as much as he did some things that were new and firsts for him, he was also simply a disciple of Jesus Christ.”

On Monday, black wreaths and bunting adorned the front doors of the Cathedral of St. Helena. The great bell of the cathedral rang 88 times for the Pope's 88 years of life. A display was set up in the Chapel of St. Joseph, and a special mass will be held on Thursday, April 24, at 5:30 p.m.

Watch the full story:

The days following Easter are traditionally a time of celebration for Christians. The next nine days for Catholics will be days of mourning, although Fr. Marc Lenneman says the two are not mutually exclusive.

“Those two things come together in actually a beautiful way,” explained Lenneman. “Because Pope Francis in this jubilee year, this special year of the catholic church, has designated the theme of ‘hope’ and that we are pilgrims of hope and that we’re actually going home to the Father. That our true home is not on this Earth, but it is with the Father in heaven. Pope Francis has completed that earthly pilgrimage.”

President John Cech of Carroll College, a private Catholic college, said Francis lived a life of dedication and universal love.

“Pope Francis’s legacy is one of compassion, humility, and a relentless pursuit of justice and dignity for all people. His example as a true disciple of Christ has inspired not only the global Catholic community but also countless individuals of goodwill throughout the world,” said Cech in a statement.

A pope has a significant impact on their church and abroad. Leaders across the world paid tribute to Francis on Monday, including Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.

“Susan and I join Christians across Montana and around the world in mourning the loss of his holiness, Pope Francis. After leading a life of service to the Lord, Pope Francis leaves a legacy of kindness and understanding toward the most vulnerable among us. His humility was an example for us all. As we celebrate the Easter Season, let us be reminded of his humility and service to others, using our God-given gifts to bless one another,” said Gianfote in a press release.

Gianforte joined President Trump in ordering flags at half-staff in honor of Pope Francis. Flags will fly at half-staff until sunset on the day of the pope's internment.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis served as the pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years. He was a pope of many firsts. Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first pope born in the Americas, the first to address a joint meeting of Congress in the U.S. and the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula.

Francis had a reputation as a reformer. He changed the church's views on the death penalty, saying it was unacceptable in all cases, fostered LGBTQ outreach, allowing priests to bless same-sex couples and and advocated for world leaders to address climate change.

He also issued a formal apology in 2018 for sexual abuse by priests. In 2022, he issued another formal apology for the church's role in Native American boarding schools. Francis traveled to Canada to address survivors fof those schools and descendants directly.

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the indigenous peoples,” said Francis at the 2022 ceremony.

A funeral will be held for Pope Francis following the nine days of mourning, and then the Cardinals will meet to elect the next pope.