WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Four Catholic sisters spoke on the passing of Pope Francis, what it means to the Catholic church, and what it means to them.
- Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, 2025, at his Vatican City residence, Domus Santa Marta, at the age of 88.
- He died from a stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
- The Vatican announced his death at 7:35 a.m. local time.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
He's the Holy Father, leading the catholic church through easter celebrations, but just a few hours later, he passed away at 88 from a heart attack resulting from a stroke.
“Obviously—after getting over the shock, um, I think we are all deeply saddened because as faithful daughters of the church, we see the Pope as our sweet Christ on earth,” Sister Maria Francisco Molina of Waco said.
Sister Maximillian Marie Garretson and her three sisters, all teachers at Bishop Reicher Catholic School, discuss what his passing means to them and the world.
“To experience the Easter celebration and now he gets the eternal Easter, we pray, so we do pray for our Holy Father, and that's probably the most important thing as faithful daughters of the church we can be doing right now,” Sister Garretson said.
I told you about Sister Garretson and a group from Bishop Reicher High School meeting the Pope in Rome this past January. Memories, she says, she will cherish forever.
“They had no expectations to really, you know, meet the Pope and have such a close encounter with him. And so it's just an added kind of grace and joy from our pilgrimage that they were probably among the last to shake his hand, especially among the young people,” Sister Garretson said.
“Just to be able to tell him when we shook his hand in that audience, just that we loved him and that we were praying for him, and just to be able to show him. That support because he is the successor of Saint Peter on earth, and to be able to say to the successor of Peter, you know, we love you and we're praying for you, that was just a really powerful moment for me,” added Sister Maria Benedicta Bete.
The era of The People’s Pope is at an end, but for the faithful, Pope Francis will never be forgotten.
“We needed someone visible here on Earth in addition to his presence in the Blessed Sacrament to lead us and, and I think knowing that now that that spot is vacant until the conclave happens, until we have a new pope, um, just kind of is striking,” Sister Zelie Marie Bosse concluded.
