Bishop Mueggenborg of the Reno Diocese was appointed to his position by Pope Francis. He also had the chance to meet the Pope. When he heard of his passing, he was deeply saddened.
“After the sadness and the shock kind of wore off. I really had a deep sense of gratitude for the 12 years that we did have Pope Francis leading the church,” he said.
Preparations to choose the new Pope are now underway, as the Cardinals gather in Rome. However, the conclave to select a new pope won’t begin until at least May 6 and during this time, they will be isolated.
Pope Francis was known as the Pope of the poor and was seen as progressive and that resonated with many Bishop Mueggenborg said.
“People perceive Pope Francis as having changed things, and yet very little of what Pope Francis did was necessarily new. What he did do is he reprioritized some things. And I think that he called us to have the right priorities for the world that we live in today,” he said.
He said over a million people will attend his funeral Saturday, including several world leaders. Following the funeral there will be a nine day mourning period. The Pope requested to be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major next to an icon of Mary and the child Jesus.
Bishop Mueggenborg will be traveling to Rome after the funeral to pay his respects. During the mourning period, he asked that local parishes host memorial masses.
