Weyburn’s Catholic community is mourning the death of Pope Francis, who passed away Monday morning at the age of 88. The global head of the Roman Catholic Church leaves behind a legacy marked by humility, reform, and a focus on making the church more inclusive and accountable.
Father Valentine Amobi, parish priest at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church in Weyburn, reflected on the significance of Pope Francis’s pontificate during an interview Monday morning.
“For this Pope, he worked really hard... to make the church a listening church, a church that is fraternally welcoming,” Father Amobi said. “He worked hard on accountability, too, to make the church accountable for whatever happens in the church.”
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the son of Italian immigrants. He trained as a chemist before joining the Jesuit order in 1958. Ordained a priest in 1969, he quickly became known for his deep humility, intellectual rigour, and dedication to the poor. He rose through the ranks of the Church in Argentina and was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, later becoming a cardinal in 2001.
On March 13, 2013, he was elected as the 266th pope, making history as the first pope from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in over 1,200 years. He was also the first Jesuit pope.
Father Amobi noted that Francis’s background helped reinforce the global nature of the Church.
“The church is universal,” he said. “It doesn’t matter your language or your country... If you walk into any Catholic Church, be it in France, in Canada, in the United States — it’s the same thing. The same readings, the same culture.”
In the wake of Pope Francis’s passing, Father Amobi explained the process now underway to select a new pontiff. Following confirmation of the pope’s death, there is a period known as sede vacante — Latin for "the seat being vacant" — before the cardinals gather in Rome for a conclave.
“They will vote for the new Pope,” Amobi said. “There might be a two-thirds majority needed… and we wait for the white smoke.”
Locally, the Diocese will coordinate memorial events, and parishes, including St. Vincent de Paul, will hold special prayers. “Right now, we have nine days of prayer and mourning for the Pope,” Father Amobi said.
He also shared a personal reflection on Pope Francis’s guidance to clergy.
“One of the things that strikes me... is being a priest, it always reminds the priest that you have to smell like the sheep. If the shepherd is not smelling like the sheep, it’s not a true and authentic shepherd.”
Pope Francis’s tenure was not without controversy, particularly over statements that were sometimes misunderstood or interpreted in different ways by the faithful and media alike. But Father Amobi emphasized that while interpretations vary, the core of Catholic teaching remains unchanged.
“The church is one and universal, and the doctrine remains the same,” he said. “People give it different interpretations... but it’s still the same thing. Nothing has changed.”
A memorial mass in Weyburn is expected to be announced later this week.