South Florida Catholics reflect on the legacy of Pope Francis

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Pope Francis’ bequest is being felt profoundly successful South Florida, particularly astatine Belen Jesuit Preparatory School successful southwest Miami-Dade, wherever helium holds a peculiar transportation arsenic the archetypal Jesuit pope.

“God gave Pope Francis to the religion for immoderate clip and erstwhile his ngo was implicit helium was called home,” said Father Willy, president of Belen Jesuit.

The Argentine-born pontiff was besides the archetypal Latin American pope — a favoritism that resonates with Belen, a schoolhouse founded successful Cuba with beardown ties to Latin America.

“Pope Francis was a precise important pope for america … archetypal Jesuit pope … archetypal Latin American pope and arsenic you cognize Belen has its roots successful Latin America … we started successful Cuba,” Father Willy said.

Willy said the nonaccomplishment is particularly meaningful successful South Florida not conscionable due to the fact that of the ample Catholic population, but due to the fact that of the values Pope Francis stood for.

“I deliberation it’s besides important due to the fact that … contented of migration … this pope had taken the pb cosmopolitan dependable for the dignity of the immigrant,” helium said.

Across South Florida, Catholics gathered successful supplication astatine section churches to grant the pope and bespeak connected his life.

“We should stay hopeful and support the religion that has brought america together,” said Priscilla Odom of Coral Gables.

“We came to commune truthful the Catholic religion has the contented to take the close leader,” added Paola Arias, besides of Coral Gables.

Despite his presumption arsenic the person of the Catholic Church, those who met Pope Francis accidental helium carried himself with humility and heart.

Father Willy recalled gathering him unexpectedly astatine a tiny meal spot successful Rome.

“So I thought it was a precise beauteous speech … wasn’t planned … nary assignment … it was conscionable telephone it a Godincidence,” helium said.

Coral Gables Commissioner Kirk Menendez besides had the accidental to conscionable the pope astatine the Vatican.

He talented him a stuffed carnal mascot from St. Theresa School named Louis.

“He grabbed Louis, looked astatine and yelled ‘this is adorable’ and helium intelligibly was a kid astatine heart,”’ Menendez said.

Father Willy noted that adjacent successful his last days, Pope Francis remained devoted.

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