Following the death of Pope Francis, WNC faithful mourn the pontiff
By Jose Sandoval
April 22, 2025 at 5:32 PM EDT
On a somber Monday evening, more than 100 parishioners gathered at St. Eugene Catholic Church in Asheville to grieve the death of Pope Francis.
“ Truly it's a day of sorrow for the universal church but also in particular for the Church of the Diocese of Charlotte,” Diocese of Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin said in a press conference on Monday.
“Many Catholics, close to 600,000 Catholics here in our diocese and Western North Carolina, wake up this morning to the sad news and realize the one thing that is assured for all of us is that death is not the final answer.”
After the announcement of Francis’ death, Catholic churches in the diocese of Charlotte - which includes Western North Carolina - canceled all Monday activities. Instead, all churches opened their doors for an evening service for the late pontiff.
The diocese includes more than 550,000 Catholics, 93 churches, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries.
Pope Francis, the first-ever Latin American pope, died Monday at the age of 88 in the early hours of Easter Monday.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, a top Vatican official, announced from the Casa Santa Marta Monday morning. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
The pontiff had been battling different medical problems like pneumonia and bronchitis. His official cause of death was a stroke, followed by a coma and heart failure, according to Vatican officials.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Dec. 17, 1936, he was the son of Italian immigrants.
Rising through the ranks as a Jesuit priest in Argentina, Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013.
He was the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi and the first from the Global South, according to NPR.
During his 12 years of papacy, Francis was very outspoken on different issues. He showed support to the LGBTQ community, the environment, the poor, reached out to other faiths, and spoke out to demand justice for marginalized communities.
A parishioner photographs a portrait of Pope Francis following a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (4999x3333, AR: 1.4998499849984999)
Fr. Patrick Cahill has been the pastor at Asheville’s St. Eugene for 14 years. He said the death of Francis hits differently compared to when the church lost Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict.
“ I'm 45 years old and he (Francis) was elected Pope after I was ordained a priest in 2007,” Cahill said. “He's really helped shape and form my ministry as a pastor because I look at him as a pastoral priest. Who is doing everything he can to welcome everyone he possibly can into the embrace of the church. That's been my model and example that I've been trying to follow, too.”
Parishioners visited St. Eugene to pray throughout the day Monday.
During the mass, Cahill told a story of when he met Francis in 2021 when he was visiting a priest friend of his in the Vatican.
“I introduced myself and was able to connect with him in a very informal way,” Cahill said. “It was one of those moments that I'll never forget because I've got to see him and experience his presence and his kindness and also how present he was. It was like he almost knew what I was gonna say.”
The mass, led by Cahill, started off in English, followed by a devotion of the rosary in Spanish, then closing with the liturgy in English.
It was a “nice way” to honor where the parish is at in this particular place and time since Hispanic parishioners make up approximately 40% of the attendees at St. Eugene, according to Cahill.
Francis, who was the first ever Latin American pope, held a special connection with the Latino/Hispanic community, says Cahill.
“ It's a particularly passionate connection,” Cahill explained. “Having a pope from Argentina, from South America that understood that culture so well. His parents were from Italy, so he had that immigrant experience. Many people could connect and identify and be in solidarity with him because of his life experience.”
One of those parishioners, Martha Galarza, told BPR in Spanish that Francis was the best example of humility.
“He is like Saint Francis of Assisi, who was a humble saint,” Galarza said. “We must carry on that legacy of humility, because he achieved so much and brought so many souls to Christian life through that path, through humility.”
“He said that he did not want saints in the Church, he wanted sinners. In other words, we have to follow his path. And that is what he has left us as his legacy. May the next Pope who comes follow his legacy because it would be very sad if the legacy of Pope Francis were not continued because we need it.”
The diocese of Charlotte will be hosting a service in honor of Pope Francis at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Huntersville on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
“ Truly it's a day of sorrow for the universal church but also in particular for the Church of the Diocese of Charlotte,” Diocese of Charlotte Bishop Michael Martin said in a press conference on Monday.
“Many Catholics, close to 600,000 Catholics here in our diocese and Western North Carolina, wake up this morning to the sad news and realize the one thing that is assured for all of us is that death is not the final answer.”
After the announcement of Francis’ death, Catholic churches in the diocese of Charlotte - which includes Western North Carolina - canceled all Monday activities. Instead, all churches opened their doors for an evening service for the late pontiff.
The diocese includes more than 550,000 Catholics, 93 churches, 20 schools and more than 50 ministries.
Pope Francis, the first-ever Latin American pope, died Monday at the age of 88 in the early hours of Easter Monday.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, a top Vatican official, announced from the Casa Santa Marta Monday morning. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”
The pontiff had been battling different medical problems like pneumonia and bronchitis. His official cause of death was a stroke, followed by a coma and heart failure, according to Vatican officials.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Dec. 17, 1936, he was the son of Italian immigrants.
Rising through the ranks as a Jesuit priest in Argentina, Bergoglio was elected pope on March 13, 2013.
He was the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi and the first from the Global South, according to NPR.
During his 12 years of papacy, Francis was very outspoken on different issues. He showed support to the LGBTQ community, the environment, the poor, reached out to other faiths, and spoke out to demand justice for marginalized communities.
A parishioner photographs a portrait of Pope Francis following a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (4999x3333, AR: 1.4998499849984999)
Fr. Patrick Cahill has been the pastor at Asheville’s St. Eugene for 14 years. He said the death of Francis hits differently compared to when the church lost Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict.
“ I'm 45 years old and he (Francis) was elected Pope after I was ordained a priest in 2007,” Cahill said. “He's really helped shape and form my ministry as a pastor because I look at him as a pastoral priest. Who is doing everything he can to welcome everyone he possibly can into the embrace of the church. That's been my model and example that I've been trying to follow, too.”
Parishioners visited St. Eugene to pray throughout the day Monday.
During the mass, Cahill told a story of when he met Francis in 2021 when he was visiting a priest friend of his in the Vatican.
“I introduced myself and was able to connect with him in a very informal way,” Cahill said. “It was one of those moments that I'll never forget because I've got to see him and experience his presence and his kindness and also how present he was. It was like he almost knew what I was gonna say.”
The mass, led by Cahill, started off in English, followed by a devotion of the rosary in Spanish, then closing with the liturgy in English.
It was a “nice way” to honor where the parish is at in this particular place and time since Hispanic parishioners make up approximately 40% of the attendees at St. Eugene, according to Cahill.
Francis, who was the first ever Latin American pope, held a special connection with the Latino/Hispanic community, says Cahill.
“ It's a particularly passionate connection,” Cahill explained. “Having a pope from Argentina, from South America that understood that culture so well. His parents were from Italy, so he had that immigrant experience. Many people could connect and identify and be in solidarity with him because of his life experience.”
One of those parishioners, Martha Galarza, told BPR in Spanish that Francis was the best example of humility.
“He is like Saint Francis of Assisi, who was a humble saint,” Galarza said. “We must carry on that legacy of humility, because he achieved so much and brought so many souls to Christian life through that path, through humility.”
“He said that he did not want saints in the Church, he wanted sinners. In other words, we have to follow his path. And that is what he has left us as his legacy. May the next Pope who comes follow his legacy because it would be very sad if the legacy of Pope Francis were not continued because we need it.”
The diocese of Charlotte will be hosting a service in honor of Pope Francis at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Huntersville on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.