Bay Area Catholics remember Pope Francis as 'great man - great for the people'

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Monday was an emotional day for many who attended mass at several churches across the Bay Area to remember Pope Francis.

Many joined the more than 1.3 billion Catholics around the world as they mourned the death of the church's highest priest.

"I think it's very telling as well that he died on Easter Monday, having celebrated the resurrection of Jesus just yesterday," said Bishop Oscar Cantu of the Diocese of San Jose.

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"He was a great man-great for the people, and I didn't know. I'm sorry," said Edward Escalante, who attended the service at Saint Mary's Cathedral.

"To thank him, to offer him to the lord for what he has done. Makes me cry. He has been a good pope," said Teresita Jacobo, who also attended the service."It is very sad. I can't talk."

Pope Francis led the Catholic Church for 12 years. His last message, hours before his passing, was about peace on Easter Sunday. Local faith leaders are urging the church to carry that message forward.

"It is a huge loss not just for Catholics but for people of goodwill and faith all over the world. Yesterday he wrote a sermon that was delivered on St. Peter's and the message was for immigrants, people who are homeless and suffering, he had a special place for them," said Donal Godfrey, Chaplain at the University of San Francisco.

Other Jesuits underscored what he stood for.

"The integrity of our common home, the earth. Here was a pope who called the conscience of the world to our responsibility to care for our common home, the earth, caring for migrants, caring for the poor," said Father Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, the Dean of the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University.

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Catholics across the South Bay are paying their respects for Pope Francis.

Catholics across the South Bay are paying their respects for Pope Francis.

Father Matthew Carnes expects many tributes will be pouring in.

"We're standing here in historic Santa Clara Mission, it was the first of the Santa Clara missions to be named after a woman, Saint Claire of Assisi, much like Francis of Assisi," Father Carnes said.

On Tuesday they will set up a space on the altar for photos and flowers.

Father Carnes said the Pope loved connecting with others.

"One is his just warmth in a sense being able to engage with people and seeing them for who they really are. You know he kind of had this grandfatherly thing of just kind of sitting down, pulling up a chair and being close to people," Father Carnes said.

Pope Francis was the first Jesuit ever elected to be pope. Father Carnes said he shares the same Jesuit spirituality with him. A spirituality that sees God active in each individual person.

"And because of that he would dialogue with anybody, especially with people who were told weren't as important to the church or felt not as an important in the church so dialogue with LGBTQ persons was something really important to him, dialogue with migrants, those on a journey, dialogue with women in fact putting women in important roles inside the Vatican," Father Carnes said.

During a midday mass in San Jose, you could see the emotion.

Newlyweds Kevin and Jenny Rose Bergnaga just met the Pope in October.

"Even though there were thousands of people there at St. Peter's Square that day he made it seem like you were the only people that he was there for. He didn't rush, we didn't feel any pressure to speak to him too quickly we spoke to him for a few minutes," Kevin Bernaga said.

San Rafael resident Heidi Kuhn has had the honor of meeting Pope Francis eleven times.

"I will never forget the precious eyes, the warmth of his hands the warmth of his soul. He was an extraordinary human being," Kuhn said.

Kuhn is the founder of a nonprofit called Roots for Peace.

They work to remove landmines and replace them with orchards around the world.

She launched a campaign of a white rose as a symbol of peace.

Kuhn spoke to us from her hotel room in Dallas. Kuhn will be joining General David Petreaus at EarthX.

"Coming from the city of Saint Francis, the city of San Francisco, I think it's our moral responsibility to bring flower power back, peace through agriculture may white roses bloom on former war-torn lands all over the world. That is a the prayer of a mother and a grandmother," Kuhn said.

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"He was so very ill, and you could see it but I think what I admired and still admire is the fact that he continued on. He took his role as pope very seriously, as I take my role as a teacher very seriously. He kept going through illness and through age. I think it was remarkable," said Brother Victor Kenneth, Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep Teacher and Director of the Brothers' Community.

Pope Francis had been hospitalized for over five weeks, battling pneumonia shortly before his death.

"One day he is out in the square waving at folks from the pope mobile and the next day he isn't. So I think for all of us, that shows the sanctity of our lives and makes sure that each moment we have is lived fully and well," said Brother Kenneth.

The Catholic Church will be in mourning for nine days. After that time, cardinals will begin the process to select a new pope.