Government officials led by Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis signed the book of condolences for the passing of Pope Francis at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral on Tuesday.
Mr. Davis recounted his 2023 meeting with the late Pontiff outside of the church. He said, “I can say I met a humble person. A man who had time for people, who expressed his concern not just for people but for the planet on which we live. At the point he and and I met because he has just issued his laudatum on climate change and its impact in the world, reminding us as human kind that the world was entrusted to us to manage with care and that care seemed to be missing. And at the same time he was recognizing that something had to be done.”
Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Michael Pintard was also on hand and spoke highly of the late Pope. “He was a fierce advocate for small island states and in the Catholic community he was will known for his activism around marginalized communities. And so we show him as someone who expressed values that we believe have made difference globally and values that should inform,” he said.
Minister of Housing of Urban Renewal, the Hon. Keith Bell is a devote Catholic and shared his feeling of loss. He said, “I’ll always remember his famous words which remains ‘one who has mercy does not fear death.’ Those words resonate with me at his passing.”
The book of condolences for Pope Francis is open until Friday.
