LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Following the news that Pope Francis died on Monday at the age of 88, Father Jim Sichko, a priest who serves the Diocese of Lexington, released a statement on Monday that highlighted his gratitude for the pope.
It is with a heavy heart that I join the world in mourning the passing of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis. A shepherd of deep compassion, unwavering humility, and boundless mercy, Pope Francis embodied the very heart of Christ for our time. His love for the poor, the forgotten, and the broken opened the doors of the Church wider than ever before, reminding us all that mercy is not a concept—it is a way of life. As a Papal Missionary of Mercy, personally commissioned by Pope Francis, I am profoundly grateful for his trust, his witness, and his fatherly love. While his physical presence among us has come to a close, the mission he so passionately championed—God’s mission of Mercy—lives and continues on. The river of mercy does not stop flowing. It continues through each of us who dare to love, to forgive, and to serve. Pope Francis lit a fire that cannot be extinguished. His legacy calls us now more than ever to be signs of hope in a hurting world. May his soul rest in the peace of the Lord he so faithfully served. And may we, in his honor, keep the doors of mercy wide open.
Fr. Sichko, Papal Missionary of Mercy
Attached to the statement were photos that depicted Father Sichko's time with the pope.
Click here to find statements from Governor Andy Beshear and Senator Mitch McConnell.
