POPE FRANCIS HAS PASSED AWAY Pope Francis passed away on the morning of Easter Monday after several months of health struggles that for some time required hospitalization.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father," stated Cardinal Kevin Farrell from the Holy Father's residence in the Casa Santa Marta. "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." The Holy Father was 88 years old. He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the eldest child of an Italian immigrant who fled the fascist government of Benito Mussolini. As a young man, Bergoglio worked humble jobs, including a stint as a janitor. At the age of 21, he had part of one lung removed after a life-threatening bout of pneumonia. He joined the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Order) in 1960 after several years of seminary studies. He was ordained a priest in 1969. He served terms as the provincial superior of the Jesuits in Argentina and as Archbishop of Buenos Aires before Pope St. John Paul II appointed him a cardinal in 2001 – making him eligible for his eventual election as pontiff. Pope Francis was elected pope in 2013, and March 13 would have marked the completion of the 12th year of his papacy. CatholicVote Vice President Joshua Mercer stated following the death of the pope: "CatholicVote joins the world in marking the death of Pope Francis, the 266th successor of St. Peter. Pope Francis was the first Jesuit pope, the first from Latin America, and the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi." "Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis asked Catholics to reflect on the mercy of Christ, called all people to encounter the love of God, especially the poor and marginalized, and urged the Church to embrace its missionary identity," Mercer continued. "We give thanks to God for the gift of the pope, his brother bishops, and our Holy Mother Church. The days following a pope's death also call for intense prayer and fasting for the future of the Church as the cardinals gather to elect his successor." | 
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