DETROIT – On this Easter Monday, Catholics from around Metro Detroit are paying tribute to the late pontiff, also known as the People’s Pope.
Easter Monday’s Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament was solemn as the faithful reflected on Jesus’s resurrection.
“It feels like family, a family loss,” said Sharon-Mattee Stephen, a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. “When I heard it, I was like, I had to be here.”
Pope Francis is remembered as a reformist who shifted the church’s mission to serve those often overlooked in society.
When Pope Francis assumed his position, the world saw a shift. Instead of merely telling people to serve their communities, his parishioners witnessed him actively serving.
The late Pope spent his papacy searching for the overlooked, a mission that resonates with the homeless advocacy in Detroit bearing his name.
Fr. Tim McCabe, president and CEO of the Pope Francis Center, reflected on the pontiff’s personable nature.
“He began his ministry to the poor in Argentina, where he worked in the slums. That just got into him—it formed him as a priest, as a bishop, as a pope," said McCabe.
At Capuchin Soup Kitchen, Brother Gary Wegner emphasized the importance of looking beyond the exterior to see the person.
“No human being is a problem, but sometimes we can decide that some people are a problem,” said Wegner.
As for what Pope Francis’ legacy will be in Metro Detroit, Fr. McCabe didn’t hesitate.
“I think it will be this place and those who really show compassion and concern for the poor. It’s a legacy that cares for the least among us,” McCabe said.
