Pope Francis by Fabrizio Maffei / Shutterstock.com
CV NEWS FEED // Following the death of Pope Francis, bishops and Catholic leaders across the United States have issued a wave of heartfelt tributes, which the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has gathered into a growing online collection.
The statements, submitted by dozens of bishops and archbishops from dioceses nationwide, express deep gratitude for Pope Francis’ ministry and reflect on his impact on the global Church. In addition to episcopal voices, major Catholic institutions and organizations — including religious orders, educational leaders, and charitable networks — have also shared condolences, prayers, and personal reflections.
The extensive response spans every major region of the country and includes remarks from current and retired bishops, leaders of national Catholic groups, and prominent figures in Catholic education, media, and service. The tribute page continues to grow as more statements are submitted in the days following the pope’s passing.
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s statement urged the faithful to respond with action inspired by the late Pope’s witness.
“Pope Francis called on us all to give more, sacrifice more, and care more about the poorest and most vulnerable, from the tiny infant in the womb, to the elderly and infirm, to the migrant and the refugee,” he said. “Let us take inspiration from his words and example and put that inspiration into action. That is the greatest tribute we could give to him.”
>> Political, religious leaders offer condolences in wake of Pope Francis’ death <<
Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City reflected on the pope’s legacy as one shaped by hope and missionary witness.
“There is a certain fittingness — and poetic beauty — that the Lord called his servant home during the Easter octave and Jubilee of hope,” he said.
Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn recalled the pope’s legacy in light of the Easter season.
“Pope Francis’ earthly pilgrimage has ended, but his Heavenly journey has just begun,” he said. “May God be good to him and reward him for the compassion he exhibited to His people.”
He praised the Holy Father’s compassion, humility, and commitment to human dignity, saying Pope Francis “will always be remembered for his profound respect for the dignity of all people.”
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of USCCB, paid tribute to Pope Francis’ pastoral outreach and leadership on the world stage.
“He renewed for us the mission to bring the Gospel out to the ends of the earth and offer divine mercy to all,” the archbishop said, emphasizing the pope’s outreach to “those on the margins of the Church and of society.”
Archbishop Broglio also pointed to the Holy Father’s defense of human dignity, noting his “strongest and clearest expressions in the defense of the dignity of the human person from conception to natural death.”
He remembered the pope’s prayerful support for the US bishops’ work on behalf of “the migrant, poor, and unborn” and described a recent encounter with the pope during a Jubilee Mass: “Despite the challenges of his health, he was with us and even used a slight gesture to salute the group of bishops who concelebrated the Mass before he boarded the vehicle to return to Santa Marta.”
Calling for continued prayer, Archbishop Broglio closed his remarks by uniting the bishops of the United States in mourning and gratitude: “We mourn the passing of our Holy Father and beg Saint Joseph to accompany him. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.”
Catholic Charities USA also praised the late pope’s leadership. Kerry Alys Robinson, the organization’s president and CEO, called Pope Francis “a modern-day prophet” who was not intimidated by global crises but instead “called for a more merciful, charitable, just and other-centered world.” She described him as “a pope of the people, a pope of surprises, a pope of joy and a pope of tenderness.”
Curtis Martin, founder of missionary organization Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), released a statement calling Pope Francis’ life “a testament to preaching the Gospel with joy, humility, and love — not just in words, but through action.”
>> Knights of Columbus join in mourning: Supreme Knight reflects on Pope Francis’ impact <<
