Manitoba remembers Pope Francis’ legacy as province mourns

People in Winnipeg are amongst the millions across the globe mourning the loss of Pope Francis, who passed on Easter Monday at the age of 88, and for catholic leaders here in Manitoba, they say while the holy father will be missed, he has moved on to a better place.

The Vatican News indicated Pope Francis died as a result of what officials said was “a stroke, followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse,” ending his 12-year pontificate.

For church leaders here in Winnipeg, while they are mourning the loss of Pope Francis, they say his death marks a new beginning, not an end. 

“He was blessing the pilgrims in Rome yesterday afternoon, and all of a sudden, it took a turn – but we’re really happy for Francis and sad for us,” said Winnipeg’s Archbishop, Murray Chatlain.

“For Pope Francis, we believe he is going on to a better place and will receive reward and peace for his service. For us, it’s like losing a grandpa. A really good grandpa, he’s the leader and the person who’s been guiding and challenging us, so personally, I really feel his loss.”

Archbishop Chatlain recalls the time he actually spent with the Pope, saying he even had a chance to shake his hand.

“I was really struck by his simplicity,” he said in an interview with CityNews. 

“Even though he is in one of the highest-powered positions, he lived with such a simplicity, and I would watch him shake the hand of the person holding the door open, as carefully as he would shake the hand of a dignitary from some government. I just really respected his care for all,” he said. 

Chatlain says he feels a defining moment for Pope Francis was his apology in 2022, which the leader of the Catholic Church described as a “penitential pilgrimage,” acknowledging the effect of the system was “devastating for the people of these lands.”

“He really had a heart for their suffering, and he made that visit, came very humbly and openly, and apologized from his heart,” he said. “And again, reconciliation is challenging work, but it was a real modeling of the importance and need for it, and I am really grateful he made that effort.”

Archbishop Chatlain says he’s confident Pope Francis’ good work will continue, saying local members of the church will be gathering at St. Mary’s Cathedral this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. for a memorial mass to honour his legacy, give thanks for his work, and pray for the new Pope. 

Also offering insight into the passing is Niigaan Sinclair, professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba and son of the late Hon. Murray Sinclair, who led Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. His father played a key role in encouraging the Vatican to acknowledge the harm of Canada’s colonial past. 

While not a Christian, he was saddened by the Pope’s death Monday, saying when it comes to leaders of the Catholic church, Pope Francis’ legacy will be remembered as one that pushed the church forward. 

“I think very highly of the pope,” he said, calling Francis the most progressive Pope in history. 

He said all Canadians should be thankful for the work Pope Francis did in bringing forward the Papal apology, as his father, Sen. Sinclair, felt it was critical, as he knew the immense footprint the Church has in Indigenous and First Nation communities. 

“Pope Francis responded to Call to Action 58. Anytime that you have a Call to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Achieved, it’s a good day. Pope Francis gave us that day.” 

Sinclair says he hopes the work Pope Francis did around Truth and Reconciliation continues with the next Pope to lead the Church, saying he hopes it doesn’t experience the same regression the United States is seeing under Donald Trump, who he says “wants to turn back the clock.” 

“My fear is that many of the forces within the Catholic Church that Pope Francis did a very good job – a very strong job – to remove from very influential positions who were frankly perpetrating violence,” he said. “Who were perpetrating divisions, especially when it came to the LGBTQ2S+ communities, racialized communities, and then also communities that are impoverished.” 

He says for too long, the Church moved away from these vulnerable communities, and he wants them to continue to be included in the Church, no matter the changes in Vatican City.

“The Church has really become a place of not progressive inclusion, but has moved in some significant steps in that direction because of Pope Francis,” he said. 

“My hope is that the church will not see a purpose, and it frankly should not, to want to eradicate, exclude, or disclude people who they worked very hard to get over the past 10-or-so years, that the Pope has worked very hard to bring them into the Church.”

Many mourning loss of Church leader 

Here in the province of Manitoba, the death is hitting particularly hard, as the Pope was widely commended for his 2022 apology, which Indigenous leaders and advocates have been wanting for decades. 

“On behalf of the Government of Manitoba, I offer my condolences to Catholics across our province, our country, and around the world on the passing of Pope Francis,” said Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew on social media.

“He will be remembered for his humility and his commitment to service. His apology to Indigenous peoples in Canada for the wrongs of the past was an important step on the path of reconciliation, and it was meaningful to many, including my own family.” 

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham is also one of the many people to offer his thoughts and condolences to Church members mourning, saying in a statement, the Pope will be remembered “for his warmth, approachability and gentle pastoral presence.”

“In a world scarred by conflict, he was a strong voice for peace. Throughout his papacy, he was an eloquent and compelling advocate for the victims of war, for refugees, and for those who lack adequate food, shelter, and medical care.” 

As the leader of a multi-faith city, Mayor Gillingham said he admired and appreciated Pope Francis’ lifelong effort to “promote dialogue and mutual understanding between people of all faiths and backgrounds.”

President of the Manitoba Metis Federation David Chartrand said in a statement he was struck by the Pope’s “sincerity, his desire to listen and the sincerity of his apology” during the 2022 meeting to which he led a delegation of survivors. 

“The National Government of Red River Métis will honour these efforts and the apology given to us by Pope Francis through the display of the Self-Government Agreement he signed, and his gift of a symbolic olive branch to our Nation in our new heritage centre when it opens in 2026,” the statement explained.

“Pope Francis truly took a profound and heartfelt interest in the events of the world, and used his position and his voice to speak on behalf of the innocent and the downtrodden, and to hold aggressors accountable for their actions. His voice of compassion and reason will be missed.”

MKO also offered its condolences following the death, saying Francis was a man “who took significant steps towards reconciliation,” calling the visit and apology in 2022 “a step towards healing.”