Debate contribution: Pope Francis

Debate contribution by Ms Michelle O'Neill on 28 April 2025.

MLA

Ms Michelle O'Neill

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

28 April 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Assembly Business

Heading

Pope Francis

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4913202

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.

I had the privilege as First Minister of attending the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. It was a honour to join world leaders to pay our respects to a man who defined the best of human values. It is therefore with great sadness that I today express my deepest condolences following the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. I extend my sympathies to his family and to the people of his homeland, Argentina; to His Excellency Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, the apostolic nuncio to Ireland; to Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All Ireland; to Church leaders across this island; to the Jesuit community; and to Catholics everywhere who are mourning the loss of their spiritual leader. Pope Francis was a man of deep faith, profound humility and immense courage. He led the Catholic Church through a period of great change, challenge and renewal and did so with grace, integrity and a powerful sense of compassion for all people, particularly the poor and marginalised. He was a Pope of firsts: the first Jesuit to be elected to the papacy, the first Pope from the Americas, the first from the southern hemisphere and the first to take the name Francis, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the poor. Those firsts were not only symbolic; they reflected his vision of a Church that should walk alongside those on the margins and speak with honesty and courage to the challenges of our time. He once described himself as a man from the periphery, and, in many ways, that is how he led. He was the voice of the voiceless in a world increasingly defined by inequality, division and conflict. He spoke in defence of the downtrodden and the displaced and was never afraid to challenge those in power. Here in Ireland, many hold a deep and enduring reverence for the papacy, but, for Pope Francis in particular, there was a special affection. That bond was made all the more evident during his pastoral visit to Ireland in 2018 as part of the World Meeting of Families. Tens of thousands travelled to see him, and, for many, his visit remains a cherished moment of connection and inspiration. During the visit, Pope Francis met the survivors of clerical sexual abuse. He listened to their pain and publicly acknowledged the institutional failure of the Church and the grave errors and repugnant crimes committed within it. His words were both a reckoning and a call to action. He challenged the Church and society to do more: to listen, to protect and to heal. He also spoke passionately in support of the peace process on this island. He expressed his hope that we would overcome every remaining obstacle and give birth to a future of harmony, reconciliation and mutual trust. Those words continue to resonate today. They serve as a reminder of the work that remains in building a shared, united and peaceful society for all. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis was a progressive voice on many global and social issues. He spoke with compassion on LGBTQ rights, calling for respect and inclusion. He denounced the rise of political extremism and the dehumanisation of migrants, and, in recent years, he emerged as one of the most vocal moral authorities condemning the ongoing war in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians and access to humanitarian aid. He challenged the indifference of the global community and reminded us that peace is not passive but must be pursued with courage and conscience. Pope Francis will be remembered as a spiritual leader, a unifier and a man of deep moral conviction. He certainly practised what he preached. He lived simply, led humbly and never stopped advocating for the dignity of all people. His legacy is one of compassion, courage and hope, and his loss will be felt profoundly here in Ireland and across the world. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

666 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:25 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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