deeply mourned the passing of the Holy Father Francis, the first pope of Latin American origin, which occurred on Monday at 7:35 a.m. (Vatican time) at the age of 88, after a painful illness.
In a
heartfelt message published on the
Archdiocese of Lima's website,
the cardinal reflected on the life and path of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis), highlighting his commitment to the most vulnerable, as well as the joy and enthusiasm that defined his papacy.
"Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to inform you that, after having received the message from the Holy See regarding the passing of Pope Francis to the House of the Father, we share this sad news with you and thank God for the immense joy we have always received from the constant presence of the Holy Father, who worked for the Church and for humanity until the last day of his life," he expressed.
The cardinal stated that the Holy Father was a constant witness to the life of Jesus Christ "and embodied His transparency in life."
"We ask all of you to pray for Francis so that, from the Kingdom of God, he may continue to give us the strength and spirit to witness to Him vividly, especially amid the needs of the weakest and poorest, of the marginalized, and the last in society around the world," he added.
Likewise, the Peruvian monsignor thanked the Holy Father for "all his generous dedication."
Moreover, he expressed the hope that "the Church continues to carry out all the synodal projects he was able to intensify, guide, and propose, so that we may have a Church that is up to the challenges of the world’s difficult situation."
Monsignor Castillo also mentioned that he has been summoned to the initial reflection meetings ahead of the next Supreme Pontiff's election.
"The first general congregation of cardinals is scheduled for 9 a.m. on April 22," the priest detailed in a moving video shared by the Archdiocese of Lima.