Locals mourn the Pope who championed social justice

Tens of thousands of local Catholics are mourning the passing of Pope Francis, who died on April 21. 

Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay Anthony Randazzo said Pope Francis was a faithful servant of the poor and protector of Creation, and will be remembered for his humility, mercy and parity.

In a post on social media yesterday, the Bishop wrote that Pope Francis was a courageous leader, whose papacy will be remembered for its call to reform, to embrace mercy, and to build bridges of understanding.

“A champion of humility, simplicity was a hallmark of his papacy. Well before his election to the head of the Catholic Church, he was well-known for his simple lifestyle, living in a small apartment when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, cooking his own meals and taking public transportation,” the post stated.

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“He also sought to open the Church’s arms wide to embrace people from all walks of life, particularly those who had historically felt neglected by it. 

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“He was a fierce champion of social justice and made it one of the defining characteristics of his papacy.”

In 2024, Pope Francis, speaking about 2025 being a Jubilee Year, called for it to be a year of hope and patience in the face of much suffering in the world.

Special mass services are being organised from April 28 among the 10 Catholic Churches across the Central Coast. 

Over 75,000 Coasties identified as Catholic in the last census. 

The Broken Bay Diocese includes the Coast, the Northern Beaches and the North Shore.
The Bishop has written a letter to parishioners, which can be found at the Broken Bay Diocese website www.bbcatholic.org.au