‘He was here to unify’: Montrealers remember Pope Francis as gentle, inclusive religious leader

Shocked and saddened by the news of Pope Francis’ death, Montrealers are remembering the pontiff as an empathetic figure who touched the lives of millions.

The “People’s Pope,” who famously washed the feet of prisoners and promoted a less judgmental Church, died at the age of 88.

“No matter what religion you were, he was here to unify people and had good words for everybody,” Gaëtan Langlois told CityNews outside Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral on Monday.

“The image I have of him is that he was open minded, respectful of all communities and nationalities. A gentle pope,” said another Montrealer.

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During his 12-year papacy, the Argentinian-born pope emphasized service to the poor and inclusion of marginalized communities.

“We just went past Holy Week and on Thursday night, Jesus washed the Apostles’ feet,” said Larry Héron. “So the pope does the same thing. And, you know, he would wash the littlest person’s feet, you know, maybe most people don’t want to touch him, but not the Pope Francis, you know, he got on his knees and showed an example.”

In Canada, Francis’ legacy is particularly defined by a 2022 visit; he was in Quebec City in July of that year. He called it his “penitential pilgrimage” during which he personally apologized to Indigenous communities for the Catholic Church’s role in operating residential schools.

Francis spoke of his “sorrow and shame” for the abuses committed and later condemned the residential school system as a form of cultural genocide.

“He brought a sense that yes, there were sufferings and we need to recognize the sufferings,” said Christian Lépine, the Archbishop of Montreal. “But at the same time, there’s hope because yet again we’re all human beings and we can learn to walk together on the path of reconciliation and peace. But it begins with truth.”

While his health struggles were known — including a partial lung removal, colon surgery, and repeated respiratory infections — he remained active until his final days, last seen publicly on Easter Sunday at the Vatican. His death was confirmed by the Vatican early Monday.

“What he said in his message on Sunday is that believe that peace is possible,” Lépine said. “There are winds of war and he mentioned where in the world there are winds of war and there are polarizations. But we need to believe that peace is possible so that we need to learn to hope in peace.”

Cardinals, most of them appointed by Francis himself, are preparing for the conclave to choose his successor. The cardinals will set the start of the conclave after they arrive in Rome in the coming days.

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“He did a lot of work to help people across the world, his death is sad because he really had an impact that sets an example for the next pope,” a Montreal resident said. “I’m looking forward to seeing who will replace him.”

–With files from The Canadian Press