President and Taoiseach lead tributes to Pope Francis

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The President and Taoiseach have paid tribute to Pope Francis as “a remarkable figure” who had a “profound commitment to alleviating suffering”.

President Michael D Higgins said Pope Francis had approached his papacy with “a unique humility” and advocated for the importance of human dignity.

President Higgins also said Pope Francis had sought to play a “positive role” on issues such as attitudes to women and the LGBT+ community in the Catholic Church.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Pope Francis was an “exceptional” leader who held “a special place in the hearts of Irish people”.

Tánaiste Simon Harris called Pope Francis “a remarkable figure” who “bore his illness with great dignity and courage”.

Mr Higgins said: “As President of Ireland, may I with all those across the world, from their different stations in life, who have expressed such profound sadness on learning of the death of Pope Francis.

“Pope Francis, in his important messages and in the presentation of his papacy with a unique humility, sought to show in the most striking and moving of ways the extraordinary importance of the spiritual as a powerful source of global ethics in the challenges of contemporary life.

“On the vital issues of our time – such as global hunger and poverty, of climate change and justice, of the plight of migrants and indigenous peoples, of the dispossessed, of the fundamental necessity of global peace and diplomacy – Pope Francis’s voice constituted a consistent invocation of a shared humanity that is represented by acknowledgement of the essential dignity of each human person.”

Mr Higgins said he and the Pope had discussed these issues “at length” during five meetings they had during his papacy.

He said that during the Pope’s 2018 visit to Ireland, as part of the World Meeting of Families, Francis had spoken of “the scandal of child abuse, including in the Church, and its consequences for victims and families”.

“On such matters, and on others, such as attitudes towards women and those of the LGBTQ+ community within the Church, Pope Francis sought to play a positive role,” Mr Higgins said.

“I recall at the end of our meetings, he would say as to his work on such issues, ‘it is very difficult’, as he asked for and offered prayers.

“It is important that the steps he took are built upon as they constitute a source of hope in the years to come.”

Mr Martin said he had been impressed by Pope Francis when he met him during his visit to Ireland in 2018.

“I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Dublin Castle during that visit and was impressed by his vision of a Catholic Church that is open, comionate, and focused on the needs of the most vulnerable,” the Taoiseach said in a statement.

“He shared with us his deep concern with the issues of social justice and human rights, and his profound commitment to alleviating suffering.”

He said that people would also the Pope’s “expression of pain and shame” during the visit over historic child abuse in the Catholic Church.

“During his visit to Ireland, many will also Pope Francis’s expression of pain and shame about historic child abuse in the Catholic Church and his outrage about the failure of Church authorities to adequately address these appalling crimes.”

Meanwhile, Mr Harris said the 2018 visit “was particularly significant, inspiring hope and renewal within the Church”.

The Tánaiste said his influence “transcended the Vatican, offering moral leadership during times of uncertainty”.

“On behalf of the people of Ireland, I offer my condolences to His Eminence Cardinal Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, the entire Roman Catholic Church, and all those mourning his loss worldwide,” he said in a statement.

“Pope Francis’s commitment to justice, peace, and human dignity touched millions. Through his advocacy for the poor, his calls for interfaith dialogue, and his focus on environmental issues, he was a beacon of hope and a voice for the voiceless. He urged us to care for the Earth as a moral responsibility, integral to the Christian faith.

“Pope Francis also worked to make the Catholic Church more inclusive, promoting reconciliation, unity, and comion over division.

“His emphasis on mercy, healing, and reconciliation continues to resonate in our efforts towards addressing the challenges of the past and building a more inclusive future.

“His teachings on poverty, migration, and refugees remain relevant as we confront global inequality and division.”