Hudson Valley remembers Pope Francis who met ‘people on the margins’
He is being remembered as a pope who led with mercy, compassion and someone who really listened.
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The legacy Pope Francis leaves behind around the world and in the Hudson Valley is being felt deeply.
"He asked us to pray for him, and we asked him to pray for us," said Msgr. Joseph Giandurco.
Giandurco is a pastor at St. Patrick's Church in Yorktown Heights. He also serves as the dean for Northern Westchester parishes.
He saw Pope Francis earlier this year when he visited Rome.
He was surprised when he heard Monday morning that the pope passed away.
"I was surprised in the sense that I've seen the pictures from Rome yesterday, the pope didn't sound well but he did make a couple appearances," Giandurco told News 12.
The legacy Pope Francis leaves behind reaches far.
"Go to the people on the margins, he himself decentered his own power. He paid his own bill in 2013 after he was elected pope,” said Elena Procario-Foley, Ph.D, professor of Jewish-Catholic studies at Iona University.
He is being remembered as a pope who led with mercy, compassion and someone who really listened.
"He said the church's job, our job is to go to the people where they are, especially the people on the margins. The people who are hurting, the many migrants across the globe," Procario-Foley told News 12.
As his loss is mourned, there's also a lot of questions about what's next.
Religious leaders say the funeral will likely be within the next week, possibly next Monday.
Then the conclave process to elect the next pope needs to begin in the next 10 to 20 days. Officials say that could likely start May 5.
