A wave of mourning rolled through the local Catholic community on Monday following the news of Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88.

Francis’ memory continues to live on in the reforms he made within the church, aiming to make the community more inclusive. Though his messaging around climate change and capitalism received some backlash from conservative Christians, community members in the Valley on Monday overwhelmingly remembered the pope for his active outreach to poor and marginalized communities.

In the words of the Rev. David Aufiero of Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in South Deerfield, Francis will be remembered as “a pope of hope.”

Francis died early Monday morning and was the first Latin American pontiff in history.

Aufiero described Francis as a pope “that went out in the peripheries” of society to reach out and provide healing. He believes that Francis will be remembered for his hopeful spirit and efforts to reform the church into a more inclusive institution.

On Monday afternoon, Aufiero said he would ring the bells of his church to honor the pope’s life.

Remembering a life, legacy

In Amherst, a handful of Catholic students at the University of Massachusetts used their lunch hour to gather in the chapel of the campus’ Newman Catholic Center to recite a Divine Mercy chaplet together, a Catholic devotional practice that calls on God’s mercy.

They were led by the center’s chaplain, the Rev. Valentine Nworah, who arranged a portrait of the pope in front of the chapel’s altar.

As a chaplain to young people and a young person himself who studied for the priesthood under Francis’ pontificate, Nworah is particularly in tune with the late pontiff’s advocacy for the young.

“The whole pontificate of Pope Francis has always been led and inspired by his desire to be with the people and for the people in all aspects of their lives, you know, in their struggles and their successes, and in their pain and in their suffering,” Nworah said. “So for him, that was also working with young people.”

“It was at the heart of his pastoral ministry, being out there with the young people, working with them, journeying with them. And I remember one of the famous quotes that he said to the young people that young people must realize that they no longer belong at the back … They now belong to the front. You know, the church of today belongs to them, and they must live up to that expectation, to take it, to drive it, to ride it, to move it forward,” Nworah continued.

Among those praying alongside Nworah was student Mark Mendoza, who shared that “this was the first pope that I remember serving as head of the church when I was taking my faith more seriously. I think he’s done a wonderful job in regards to promoting the faith, serving as the head of the Catholic Church.”

“I think the church needed his example of humility,” he added.

But the progressive spirit of Francis wasn’t only for the young, and Goshen residents Don and Kathy Boisvert hope that the church doesn’t enter into a recession of sorts now that the progressive pontiff has passed.

After taking a moment to pray inside Our Lady of the Hills parish in Haydenville, Don Boisvert said about Pope Francis that “he’s been somewhat progressive, I hope there’s not backlash. I think of American politics, right? What happened after Barack? We got Trump.”

He continued, saying, “so I’m hoping there will not be a backlash so that we can maintain the movement forward in terms of encompassing the broader sector of people. That’s one of the things Pope Francis did right. He didn’t just restrict himself to visiting Catholics...He went to other nations where Muslims or Buddhists were the dominant religion. He wasn’t afraid to reach out. I’d like to see another pope who continues that outreach.”

For Don, the name of Francis, the name Jorge Bergoglio took after his election to the papacy in 2013, was significant.

“He took the name Francis, after Francis of Assisi. He is the patron saint of mother nature, of animals, and of people.” He said the late pope mirrored the saint whose name he chose since the pontiff spent his decade long papacy advocating for environmental protections and the plight of the marginalized.

Symbolic of the pope’s widespread impact and worldwide admiration were the messages the couple received in their email inbox on Monday morning.

Kathy shared that, “This morning what has been really, just very comforting and beautiful, is that we have friends that are of different denominations, but we have been receiving different emails, telling us what Pope Francis meant to them, even though they might be non-Catholic. It’s just amazing to receive those emails expressing condolences.”

And like Catholics worldwide, they can’t help but consider what lies ahead.

“I think the next three weeks are going to be very hopeful and exciting in the Catholic church. We’re all going to be saying and wondering ‘who?’” said Kathy, as her husband commented that the world will be, “Looking for the white smoke,” referring to the smoke that emanates from the Sistine Chapel after a new pope has been elected.

A group of Catholics who had headed to St. Jerome church in Holyoke for Mass were also adjusting to the news.

Noemi Hernandez said that she will always remember Pope Francis for his advocacy for peace and unity — and for sticking up for immigrants, people of different religions, the sick, and those in jail.

“He visited people who needed peace inside,” she said. “We are not different humans is what he was talking about.”

Mary Lavalee also said it is the late pope’s message of mercy that will be his legacy, and said that he showcased, “the humility to believe in God, and that we don’t all have the answers.”

Officials pay respects

Bishop William Byrne of the Diocese of Springfield also reached out to the community via written statement on Monday, recalling the pope’s welcoming nature and message of hope.

“Pope Francis was a clarion voice for the poor of the world, and all those on the periphery of society, challenging us all to see in them the face of God,” Byrne wrote. “I will be forever blessed by the memory of my meeting with the Holy Father two years ago. At that meeting, responding to a question I asked, he reminded those present that ‘everyone, everyone, everyone, everyone should be welcomed. We are all brothers and sisters seeking the Lord.’”

Byrne noted that the Universal Church is currently in its Jubilee Year of Hope. He described his community as “pilgrims on this journey of hope” and stated that the late pope’s “humble manner” serves as a model for all on that journey.

Throughout the day on Monday, local and state political officials also spoke out about Francis’ legacy, and the ways in which his messaging resonated with them.

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern described Francis as a personal “source of hope and inspiration in difficult times” in a statement released to the press. McGovern lauded Francis’ humble leadership style and the ways he made himself an example of actionable faith.

“His Holiness led with courage and compassion — and he understood that faith is about more than words, it’s about action,” McGovern wrote. “He didn’t just talk about feeding the hungry — he fed the hungry. He didn’t just denounce oppression — he fought for justice. He defended the dignity of immigrants and worked to end war and bring about peace. And in doing so, he taught people of all faiths how to live with integrity and purpose.”

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal released a statement on Monday similarly applauding Francis’ “boundless compassion” and focus on serving marginalized communities around the world.

“Over the last twelve years, he has become one of the most consequential leaders of our time, serving as a Pope for all people,” Neal wrote of the pope. “His humanitarian work was awe-inspiring, dating back many decades when he served the most vulnerable across Argentina, never faltering in his mission of serving the poor. Pope Francis strove to make the Church a beacon of mercy, unity, and service, reminding us that earth and all of its people are made in God’s image.”

Francis became known not only for his efforts to aid the poor, but also for his efforts to make the church more welcoming to LGBTQ+ Catholics. His progressive views prompted some discord among the church’s more conservative members, but also pegged him as a reformist voice within the community, leading others to view him as a breath of fresh air.

Among those who appreciated Francis’ welcoming spirit was U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

“Pope Francis was a force for good,” Warren wrote in a statement. “He will be remembered for his empathy for the most vulnerable among us, his advocacy for action on climate change, and his leadership to make the Church a welcoming place for all — which made so many people feel seen. My heart is with people across the world today mourning his loss.”

The late pope was recognized for concerning himself with human-caused climate change — particularly from the burning of fossil fuels — as the atmosphere continued to warm during his leadership. He pressed world leaders and individuals to act urgently in mitigating this issue.

Still, while Francis was unafraid to point out the global issues that worried him, he continued to remain uplifting, encouraging others to hold hope near to their hearts.

“His essence of compassion, humility and unbounded hope gave us joy, peace, direction and resolve,” Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey wrote in a statement. “I am forever grateful for the honor to have met Pope Francis and been touched by his warmth, kindness and humor. His life was a commitment to our sacred responsibility to care for others, especially the most vulnerable among us. In no other realm was that more evident than his dedication to climate, human rights, immigrant communities and the working poor.”

Throughout the Valley and the world on Monday, people could hear the chiming of church bells in the distance, ringing out in Francis’ memory. These bells signaled the end of his 12-year papacy and the beginning of a period of mourning, unifying the global Catholic community in his death just as he sought to in life.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com. Samuel Gelinas can be reached at sgelinas@gazettenet.com.