Parishioners in Alice flocked to St. Joseph Catholic Church for noon mass Monday, April 21, after learning of Pope Francis's death, mourning the loss of the spiritual leader many considered humble and faithful.
"I actually opened my phone this morning to social media and that's how I learned of his passing," said Carla Medina Zambrano.
Carla Medina Zambrano, Catholic parishioner at St. Joseph, told me she was in shock. While she knew the pontiff was ill, his death still came as a surprise.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936, served as a priest, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and Cardinal before becoming Pope in 2013. He died from a stroke after being released from the hospital following a five-week battle with pneumonia.
"He was a very positive and fair person. And he always wanted peace, world wide peace, and he loved everybody and accepted everybody and so I want to be more like that," Zambrano said.
Father Chris Beccerra of St. Joseph Catholic Church held a special prayer for Pope Francis during the afternoon mass, noting that the Pope's attributes are ones all Christians should strive to embody.
"That's what Pope Francis did with his call. To be mindful of - yes the important things like worshipping God, but at the same time - as we go along to also focus on the smaller things. You know like reaching out to the poor, the marginalized. Being better stewards," Beccerra said.
Delia Garcia, a 78-year-old parishioner, believes we should follow Pope Francis's example.
"I respected the pope for his idealistic - not judging people, but their beliefs - that God would take care of us," Garcia said.
Parishioners at St. Joseph agree that Pope Francis's legacy centers on Christian love for everyone, and they're asking for continued prayers for those mourning and for Vatican officials who will be choosing the next pope.
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