Hoosier Catholics pay tribute to Pope Francis
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Prominent Catholics throughout Indiana are paying respects to Pope Francis, who died Monday at the age of 88 due to complications from pneumonia.
Archbishop Charles Thompson, who was appointed to lead the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 2017 by Pope Francis, said the pontiff “held a consistent vision of the truth that valued human life in all its dimensions.”
“I was able to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican during an ad limina visit in 2020, and it has been my privilege to learn from his teaching and example during the past 12 years,” Thompson said in a statement posted on the Archdisocese’s website. “The late pope’s desire for openness, dialogue and transparency offered us many opportunities to see firsthand how he responded to the pastoral and social challenges of our time.”
Francis, history’s first Latin American pope, made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday—a day before his death—to bless thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square, drawing wild cheers and applause. Beforehand, he met U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
He performed the blessing from the same loggia where he was introduced on March 13, 2013, as the 266th pope.
“Pope Francis lived out the joy of the Gospel from the first day of his pontificate until his last breath,” said Bishop Robert McClory of the Diocese of Gary. “He consistently reminded us that the Church should be looking outward to love and accompany others as they draw closer to Jesus. The best tribute that we could give to Pope Francis is to show someone today how much Jesus loves them by what we say and do.”
Rev. Robert Dowd, president of the University of Notre Dame, said the university community joins the world in mourning Pope Francis’ passing. He and the Notre Dame board of trustees last met with the pontiff in February 2024.
“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,” Dowd said in written remarks. “The Holy Father’s life and witness call us to awaken from indifference to the suffering of others, to embrace our responsibilities to one another and to be agents of faith, hope and love for a world in need. As Pope Francis often reminded us, no one is far from God’s merciful love, and the Church must be a ‘field hospital’ to warm hearts, heal wounds and open doors.”
Francis’ death sets off a weekslong process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St. Peter’s for the general public, followed by a funeral and a conclave to elect a new pope.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.