FIRST ON FOX: Faith leaders from across the country are sharing reaction and insight with Fox News Digital as the world mourns the loss of Pope Francis, who died at age 88 on Monday, April 21.
Francis served for 12 years as pontiff. He was the first Jesuit to serve as pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
Dr. Alex McFarland, youth, religion and culture expert, is the author of more than 20 books. He told Fox News Digital on Monday morning, “Christians everywhere, regardless of affiliation, should extend loving condolences and prayers for Catholic believers who are mourning the loss of Pope Francis. Belief in the Triune God and in Christ, the Son, unites us (I John 5:1), along with so many other core truths of the Christian faith. Let us unite in prayer for the Catholic Church to be clearly led at this time by God’s Holy Spirit and His Word.”
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McFarland is director of worldview for Charis Bible College in Woodland Park, Colorado, and co-hosts the “Truth and Liberty” TV broadcast. He is heard live daily on 200-plus stations of the American Family Radio Network.
Here are thoughts from other faith leaders as well.
Pastor Wendell Vinson, co-founder of CityServe and based in Bakersfield, California, told Fox News Digital, “Today, we join with the Catholic Church and people of faith across the globe in mourning the death of Pope Francis. A man known for his humility and care for the least of these, his life is a shining example of service to those the world has often overlooked.
“This same spirit characterized his work on behalf of the persecuted and oppressed around the world.”
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He added, “Pope Francis’ legacy reminds us of the critical importance of cooperation between faith groups and that more good can be accomplished when we work together.”
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, shared with Fox News Digital, “Catholics around the globe are mourning the death of Pope Francis. He touched millions of the faithful, including non-Catholics and non-believers. When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio assumed the role of Pope Francis, his down-to-earth style captured the plaudits of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It was his unscripted, and often spontaneous, manner of speaking that made him so authentic and appealing.”
Added Donohue, “It also got him into trouble, especially when speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane following a trip overseas. On many occasions, following a chat with journalists, the Vatican press corps had to clarify what he meant. But no one criticized him for not speaking from the heart.”
He went on, “Unfortunately, the end of his pontificate was troubling. His approval of a Vatican document that allows priests to bless same-sex couples was met with widespread criticism. Indeed, it was so divisive that it seriously undid much of the goodwill he previously earned … For the most part, the media treated Francis with kindness.”
Donohue also said, in part, “The pope’s strong defense of the rights of the unborn, and his condemnation of gender ideology, sat well with conservative Catholics. But they were not happy when he refused to honor questions regarding his apostolic exhortation, ‘Amoris Laetitia’; prominent prelates sought clarification on some doctrinal issues.
“The Holy Father was clearly more critical of conservative bishops than he was their liberal counterparts.”
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He added, “Even more significant, his attack on traditionalists, especially those who favor the Latin Mass, were frequent and lacking in nuance.”
Donohue also noted in comments to Fox News Digital, “Pope Francis made his mark on the Church, much as John Paul II and Benedict XVI did. It remains to be seen whether his successor will hew more closely to his stance than that of his predecessors. May he rest in peace.”
Pastor Jesse Bradley of Grace Community Church outside Seattle, Washington, commented to Fox News Digital, “The Bible is clear that we need to pray for our leaders. We can pray for Pope Francis, for his soul. There is no greater goal than to hear, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’ from Jesus. God has called all of us to shine His light in a dark world.”
Bradley added, “Pope Francis had an appreciation for creation and a heart of compassion. His leadership included prayers during the pandemic even when Saint Peter’s Square was empty. His passing comes the day after Easter, which is a clear reminder that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Death is not the end of the story — because Jesus is victorious and the grave is empty.”
He also said, “The invitation from our Lord is for everyone. If the pope had a message today, it would be that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life — and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6) and John 3:16, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.’”
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Bradley continued, “The pope dedicated his life in service to God, and we can turn to Jesus now with all of our hearts. There’s no greater decision than to follow Jesus both daily and eternally. Grace is an undeserved gift, heaven is real, and Jesus died for our sins. During this time of grieving, may we be comforted by these everlasting truths and indestructible hope.”
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC) and a leading expert on religious persecution around the world, told Fox News Digital, “As an evangelical leader, I reflect on Pope Francis’ passing with gratitude for his service and heart for the poor. His leadership inspires us to call for a renewed commitment in the Catholic Church to the Bible’s authority as the guide for faith and practice.”
King added, “Despite our theological differences, evangelicals and Catholics stand united in proclaiming Jesus Christ as the world’s only hope. As the Catholic Church navigates this transition, we pray for revival and a shared devotion to lifting up Jesus as the way, truth and life.”
King is also the author of “The Whisper,” a 30-day devotional that reveals spiritual lessons “from the prisons of the persecuted.”
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement that said, in part, “Pope Francis will long be remembered for his outreach to those on the margins of the Church and of society. He renewed for us the mission to bring the Gospel out to the ends of the earth and offer divine mercy to all.
“He has also taken advantage of the present Jubilee to call us to a profound hope — one that is not an empty or naïve hope, but one grounded in the promise of Almighty God to be with us always.”
Archbishop Joseph D’Souza, based in India, told Fox News Digital, “Pope Francis was a voice for unity and understanding among all faith groups amid increasing polarization, and I join the Catholic Church as they grieve his death. His legacy reminds us that ministry must not be limited to those who belong to our faith or those who agree with us. It must be for all people.”
“Pope Francis championed the dignity of all humankind, regardless of their social standing or faith tradition. His dream was for the church to become a field hospital — and it is our responsibility to see that dream realized for the good of humanity. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis embodied the humility and courageous care for the least of these, carrying on the great tradition of his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi.”
In an original op-ed for Fox News Digital, Rev. Robert Sirico wrote, “If there is any one thing that can be agreed upon by all parties about Pope Francis’ pontificate, it is that it was disruptive and ambiguous on several levels. Many will rush to make an assessment of his legacy, but this is premature, if not injurious. After all, we are still assessing past pontificates — never mind the broader legacy of Vatican II — and their implications for the life of the Church.”
He added, in part, “As the first pope from the Americas — though of Italian immigrant parentage — his election was historic. While improbable, it is not entirely inconceivable the next conclave could result in the first African pope since ancient times, especially considering the Church’s dynamic growth on the continent.”
Sirico is author of “The Economics of the Parables” and of “Defending the Free Market: The Moral Case for a Free Economy.” He is co-founder and president emeritus of the Acton Institute.
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