Latin American cardinals pay tribute to Pope Francis

The death of Pope Francis deeply shook the Catholic Church. In Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, the cardinals expressed their regret with words full of faith and gratitude, evoking the legacy of a close, humble and firmly pontiff committed to the most vulnerable.

Mexico

In Mexico, Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega shared a message on social networks regretting the departure of the Holy Father. He said that “the world loses a shepherd, but heaven wins a soul that loved tirelessly.”

“Pope Francis, sowed the gospel with your gestures, broke walls with your closeness and showed us that tenderness can also change the story,” he said.

For his part, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes presided over a mass in the Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico City. During the homily, he recalled that Pope Francis lived his ministry “as a good successor of Peter”, and stressed that “he was always determined to extend the presence of the Church among the poor and most vulnerable of society, in different ways.”

Also in Mexico, Cardinal Emeritus Felipe Arizmendi pointed out that Pope Francis struggled to create a “church close to the people and solidarity with the pains of humanity, in the style of Jesus.”

He told ACI Press that Pope Francis focused “on Jesus Christ and, precisely, delivered to serve not only within the Church, but to all humanity: poor, migrants, wars, climate change, universal fraternity, etc.”

Cuba

From Cuba, Cardinal Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez sent A video store in which he recognized the legacy of the Pontiff, pointing out that his spiritual leadership “has also invited to serve peace, to serve, the surrender, to serve everything we can in favor of the more they need it.”

Nicaragua

In Nicaragua, Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solórzano He celebrated a mass In the cathedral of Managua, Immaculate Concepción. Visibly moved, he confessed to feel full of pain for the loss of who considered a close friend, someone with whom he shared a deep affection.

He stressed that one of the teachings that marked him most was “to look at the crucified and in that look find the comfort and find the strength.”

He also indicated that “I did not want an enclosed church, but an open -door church. Go, go around the world as Christ himself had driven us. He taught us to be true promoters of unity and walk together.”

Guatemala

For his part, Cardinal Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri also said goodbye to Pope Francis through A video message. There he described him as “the Pope of closeness, was the Pope of mercy, was the Pope who taught us to put ourselves in the shoes of the other and open our heart to the most vulnerable.”

El Salvador

Cardinal Emeritus Gregorio Rosa Chávez shared on Facebook Sadness for the death of Pope Francis who considered him as a “symbol of dialogue and commitment to the most vulnerable.”

“His departure leaves a deep emptiness not only in the Catholic Church, but also in millions of people who saw in him a figure of hope. Today, humanity remembers his legacy and remembers with pain and gratitude,” he said.