Chicago's Blase Cardinal Cupich remembers Pope Francis after death: "Moment of profound loss"
Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, a day after making a surprise appearance outside the Vatican on Easter Sunday to greet well-wishers.
The Archbishop of Chicago, Blase Cardinal Cupich, shared his reaction to the news of what he called a "profound loss" in the following statement:
"I have received word that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has died. In this moment of profound loss for me personally and for the Church, I take this moment to express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the gift of his papacy and to pray for the repose of his soul. The finest memorial we can offer is to re-form our hearts as Pope Francis asked - to see our brothers and sisters, to listen to them and to offer our prayers and actions that all may experience the fullness of God's promise. As we mourn his passing, I ask that God comfort us, but also strengthen us to remain steadfast in carrying on the work of restoring our Church's place in the world as a source of hope and an advocate for those in need.
Cardinal Cupich will hold a memorial Mass for Pope Francis at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Holy Name Cathedral. No ticket is required, and anyone is welcome to attend.
The memorial mass will also be livestreamed on the Archdiocese of Chicago YouTube page. After that mass, Cardinal Cupich will leave to attend the pope's funeral and then the conclave.
CBS News Chicago's Joe Donlon spoke to Cardinal Cupich back in February about what losing Pope Francis would mean to him.
READ MORE: Chicago Catholics mourn Pope Francis
"It is a loss for us, and yet, I come at this with a deep sense of appreciation that I live at a very historic moment of a person who has, I think, made an impact on the church for many years to come," Cardinal Cupich said. "So I guess my grief is calmed by a sense of appreciation and gratitude."
Cardinal Cupich remembered the pope for being inclusive and having an "ease with people."
Mass will be held at Holy Name Cathedral three times Monday, at 7 a.m., 8 a.m. and noon, with the pope's portrait on the altar. Pastors leading Mass shared words about Pope Francis, what he meant to the church and his legacy.
Bishop of Gary Robert McClory also released a statement, saying in part, "Pope Francis lived out the joy of the Gospel from the first day of his pontificate until his last breath. 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."
"We unite in prayer with Catholics around the world and all people of goodwill in gratitude for the life of our Pope Francis and pray during this Easter season," Bishop McClory's statement continued. "As we celebrate His resurrection, that our Lord will bless Pope Francis with the reward of eternal life."
Cardinal Cupich reflects on Pope Francis' values, passion
Cupich's relationship with Pope Francis goes back years. Chicagoans will remember the occasion in November 2016 when Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, and a large delegation traveled to Rome to celebrate a new position for Cupich. Pope Francis elevated Cupich to cardinal — an elite group of the highest-ranking papal advisers.
Donlon asked Cupich what he remembered most about his time with Pope Francis, or the conversations they had.
"I think that he always respected the people he talked to. He wanted to really listen, he didn't mind tough subjects being brought up, and he wanted to really hear from people, and he had a wicked sense of humor," said Cupich.
Cupich noted the famous sign mounted outside Pope Francis' room at the Vatican's Domus Sanctae Marthae hotel. It read, "Vietato lamentarsi," or, "Whining forbidden."
"But he also was an individual who I think made sure that people were not excluded unnecessarily; that we would look for ways in which the divorced and remarried, the LGBTQ community, the people who were struggling in their faith and maybe had left the church — that we have to look for going to the margins to bring them in," Cupich said.
Pope Francis would come to lean on Cardinal Cupich for a number of key assignments — handpicking him to take part in a 2018 worldwide meeting to discuss the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage, contraception, divorce, and other issues relevant to contemporary Catholic families.
"He had a palpable sense of the real presence of Jesus — not just as somebody who rose from the dead 2,000 years ago, but is active now," Cupich said, "and he always tried to look for where Christ who's alive in the Church is leading us."
Pope Francis was famously outspoken, and took stances on issues to which even people within the Church took exception. He spoke out in support of immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and diversity and inclusion in the church — and his words were, if not misconstrued, may have been interpreted in ways that were perhaps convenient to an ideology and met with resistance, many have pointed out.
Cupich emphasized that Pope Francis was against ideologies.
"He wanted to make sure that as he said, realities are greater than ideas. What's the reality of people's lives? That's what he wanted to be in touch with," Cupich said. "What's the reality of an immigrant who's been here 30 years, doesn't have documents, raised a family, started a business, employed other people — now all of a sudden, they're going to be deported? Do we just go ahead looking at that person in terms of an idea that a law has been broken in terms of not having documents, or do we look at the reality of the situation in a human way, so that common sense doesn't become uncommon?"
But the reality, of course, is that it's getting harder in all quarters to be middle-of-the-road. Pope Francis took stances that were divisive not just in society at large, but within the Church.
Cupich said Pope Francis believed in coming to common ground, and the cardinal called for the same himself.
"Can't we come to a common ground with regard to the immigration issue? It's been said that the immigration protocols that the nation wanted to follow would make sure that we secured our borders and that streets would be safe from any criminals. Nobody's against that. I think we want to do that. But how do you deal with the fact that we have a broken immigration system that is not due to the people who have come here, but the lack of initiative on the part of elected officials over generations to deal with it?"
Meanwhile, the movie "Conclave" came out just last year — but the last actual conclave was a dozen years ago.
Cardinal Cupich's predecessor, Francis Cardinal George, took part in the 2013 conclave at which Pope Francis was ultimately selected to replace Pope Benedict XVI, who had resigned. After Pope Francis was selected, George spoke highly of the new pope to CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine.
"He is a very straightforward man, and he has a heart for the poor," the late Cardinal George said in Rome at the time. "And consequently, he gets in trouble sometimes. He got in trouble with his own government. He has been in trouble with religious people as well, because he stays very close to the poor — and that is a sign that you are listening to the Lord."
Now, Cardinal Cupich — who did not see the movie — will be participating in a real conclave to select a new pope.
"All I know is that I see the rules for how it's going to be done. I'm going to go there and learn. I'm a novice at this. Some of the cardinals have been to other conclaves earlier — they've been to the one in 2013," Cupich said. "So I'm just going to be quiet and listen to see what's asked of us, and do my best to participate."
Chicago and Illinois officials react to pope's death
Pope Francis made his lone visit to the United States in late September 2015, with stops in Washington, D.C., where he visited with President Barack Obama at the White House and addressed a Joint Session of Congress; New York City, where he addressed the United Nations General Assembly, held a procession through Central Park, and held a mass at Madison Square Garden; and Philadelphia, where he held a mass and visited Independence Mall as the World Meeting of Families was taking place.
Pope Francis did not visit Chicago on that trip. The last pope to visit Chicago was Pope John Paul II, who held a mass before a teeming crowd in Grant Park in early October 1979.
But Pope Francis was respected and beloved by many in Chicago.
Illinois and Chicago officials also reacted to the death of Pope Francis Monday morning.
"We have lost the messenger, but we must hold fast to the message of Pope Francis to love and respect one another," said Illinois Senator Dick Durbin in a statement. "In a world of hate and fear, Pope Francis' message of peace and understanding is needed now more than ever."
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama released a statement on Pope Francis' death, writing: "Pope Francis was the rare leader who made us want to be better people. In his humility and his gestures at once simple and profound – embracing the sick, ministering to the homeless, washing the feet of young prisoners – he shook us out of our complacency and reminded us that we are all bound by moral obligations to God and one another. Today, Michelle and I mourn with everyone around the world – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – who drew strength and inspiration from the Pope's example. May we continue to heed his call to "never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope."
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also commented on the death of Pope Francis in a statement, writing: "Pope Francis, the people's pope, will be remembered as a faith leader who gave voice to the voiceless. He fought for the rights and the dignity of the poor, prisoners, migrants, and outcasts as part of his vision for peace and social justice. Guided by his deep faith in God and humanity, Pope Francis advocated for a world without war. His legacy will live on in the hearts of the millions of people throughout the world who took comfort in his message. May he rest in peace."
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IIllinois) released a statement saying in part: "The world has lost a great messenger for peace and compassion. Pope Francis spent his life in service to those less fortunate and used his influence as Pope to advance the causes of environmentalism, peace, and equality. He led with humility and the biblical call to welcome all, including refugees and immigrants. ... My thoughts are with the millions of Catholics who mourn his passing, and I stand with those around the world who grieve the loss of this moral giant. In these difficult times, the best way to honor Pope Francis's memory is to follow his example by extending mercy and kindness to all those around us."
DePaul University President Robert Manuel released a statement on the pope's death, writing in part: "As a Catholic and Vincentian university, we felt a deep spiritual resonance between Pope Francis and our patron, St. Vincent de Paul. Both lived as reformers — affirming the sacred dignity of those most in need and seeking out those on the margins of society. Their examples challenge us to be more faithful, more just, and more loving."
Fr. Michael Pfleger says he backed Pope Francis when it wasn't always popular
Pope Francis has been described as a compassionate man who welcomed "imperfect Catholics" — one of the many attributes that made Fr. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina Parish in Chicago's Auburn Gresham neighborhood, one of the pope's biggest supporters.
Pfleger had the pleasure of seeing Pope Francis in 2015 when the Pope spoke before Congress.
"To watch him, and to watch the faces of the people — many who were uncomfortable, you know, with what he was saying — but bold about, strong about it," Pfleger said, "and I think for me that day, I was proud to be a Catholic and to be a priest."
Pfleger's pride in the pope is strong. The St. Sabina pastor applauded Pope Francis' advocacy for immigrants, his support of women holding leadership positions in the church, his embrace of divorced couples, and his respect for members of the LGBTQ community.
"When he came out and said priests can bless people in gay unions, lesbian unions, my God — there were not just priests, there were bishops, there were cardinals that confronted him, said they're not going to follow that," Pfleger said.
But Pfleger backed the pope. He didn't hesitate when Michael Thiry and Nathaniel Washington asked for his blessing.
"The hate that I got from Catholics, from other priests," Pfleger said, "and it was always interesting to me, because you know, for years, I would get conservatives saying, 'You need to listen to the pope.' And now I'm doing something the pope has said: 'Well, the pope's wrong in this, and you need not to follow this.'"
But Pfleger said he followed the pope because it was the right thing to do — something he knows the pope would appreciate.
"The fact that he remained true to himself, that's something that's very important to me; something I try to do — to realize that no matter what you do, you're going to be hated," Pfleger said. "But if you're going to be hated, be it for something you believe in."
Fr. Pat McGrath, S.J., pastor of Old St. Pat's Church in Chicago, emphasized how the pope never lost touch with the people in his flock.
"I think he meant a lot to the Catholic Church and beyond. I think he was a pope that was accessible to people of all faiths, and he had a way about him — I think he had both a public persona in addition to the deeper theological trends of things that he wrote that really touched people. And he had a pastor's heart. He knew how to be with his people," McGrath said. "He would say to priests all the time: 'You need to be pastors first. You're not CEOs of NGOs or of small nonprofits. You're pastors. You're supposed to be with the people.' He loved that phrase that the shepherds should smell like the sheep."
McGrath met Pope Francis twice on brief occasions at gatherings, and explained the kind of impression the pope made.
"In person and in close proximity, he was incredibly warm and gracious, and he clearly liked being around people and being with people — and that was evident to the end," he said.
What happens next after Pope Francis' death?
Though Pope Francis has requested some changes in how he will be remembered, there will be plenty of ritual and ceremony in the coming days as nearly 1 billion people worldwide honor his life.
First there will be nine days of mourning and a period of transition for the Vatican. The College of Cardinals will temporarily take over the rule of the church and the pope's funeral will be held within six days in St. Peter's Square.
Pope Francis requested to be buried outside the Vatican at one of his favorite churches, the first pope in a century to choose to do so.
Then, two to three weeks after the funeral, the College of Cardinals will hold a conclave in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. Cardinal Cupich is one of the voting cardinals who will attend that conclave to pick the church's next leader.
On the day of voting, the chapel is sealed off and the cardinals are locked inside until a pope is elected. Two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope, and if no one receives that majority another round of voting takes place.
There is no set time for the conclave. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 in 24 hours, but one 13th century conclave took three years.
