News of Pope Francis’ death lead to an outpouring of support locally and across the globe.

In New Ulm, Bishop Chad Zielinski of the New Ulm Diocese said in a statement: “With a heart formed by Christ the Good Shepherd, Pope Francis responded to his call as Shepherd of Souls of the Universal Church with an outpouring of Christ’s mercy. His papal motto,”Miserando atque eligendo” (By having mercy and choosing him), was truly the heart of his pastoral leadership.”

Zielinski cited Pope Francis’s receive visit to Regina Coeli prison on Holy Thursday, where he

typically would wash feet on Holy Thursday.

“He delivered a message of God’s mercy and hope, being a light of Christ to others. In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis unleashed a pastoral vision that invited all into a renewed encounter with Christ,” Zielinski said. “This renewed personal encounter with Christ is profoundly transformative. It moves us into action to run forth as missionary disciples. The Holy Father saw the Church herself as a missionary disciple on the move to those in need.”

Zielinkski said Pope Francis was passionate in reminding Church leaders to never forget those on the peripheries.

“In his first Chrism Mass homily as pope (March 28, 2013), he reminded the priests and bishops that the vulnerable, neglected, and those on the margins are to be of top concern,” Zielinski said. “Go out into the villages and homes of the faithful of God. He challenged us to be ‘shepherds living with the smell of the sheep.'”

Zielinski said when he heard Pope Francis say this he immediately identified with his invitation, because he grew up on a small family farm with sheep.

“Pope Francis will be forever etched in my heart and soul,” he said. “While serving at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, I was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks on December 15, 2014. As one who

served three combat tours as a military chaplain, I immediately embraced Pope Francis’s vision of the

Church as a field hospital that was amidst those suffering, crying for mercy, forgiveness, and hope.

The Holy Father repeated on many occasions that we are missionary disciples of mercy and

forgiveness.”

Bishop Zielinski had the honor of meeting Pope Francis three times; in 2015, 2016 and 2020.

“He exuded a profound joy, compassion, and love of the Lord. These personal encounters, his preaching, and his witness have transformed me as a bishop to be an ambassador of mercy,” Zielinski said. “We entrust Pope Francis to the merciful hands of Christ that he passionately preached about for so many years.”

Minnesota politicians also responded to the Pope’s passing.

“Saddened to hear about the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis today,” Congressman Brad Finstad said in a statement. “As the first pope from the Americas, Pope Francis dedicated his life to serving the Church and spreading God’s message to every corner of the world. His leadership was driven by a compassion for others and a profound love for people of every faith. Jackie and I are praying for our Church and all those mourning the loss of one of God’s most faithful servants. May he rest in peace.”

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said in a statement said “John and I mourn the death of Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church with humility and hope. He encouraged each and every one of us to consider our responsibility to uplift those most in need. He did not just preach that value, he lived it.”

Klobuchar visited Vatican City in 2014 and saw Pope Francis address a crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Square.

She said in his address he finished by blessing those with disabilities first. It was something he always did.

Klobuchar was also part of Francis’s escort committee when he address Congress in 2015.

“That speech was a resounding call for us to put aside our differences and come together with a renewed spirit of cooperation in pursuit of the common good,” she said. “One moment in particular stood out to me from that day – as the Pope was getting ready to address thousands of people gathered on the Mall, one of the security guards plucked a woman out with her baby, who Pope Francis blessed. He understood that faith exists in the moments big and small.

“Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of humility, compassion, and faith that will continue to inspire us all.”

The significance of Pope Francis dying immediately after Easter Sunday was not lost on other members of the faithful.

New Ulm resident Kyle Krenz said he was struck by the Pope’s passing, but felt it was his goal to hang on through one more Easter. Krenz was deeply impacted by Pope Francis’ life

“This is a Pope who carried a message of universal love, with special attention for the poor and marginalized, and strove to unite those from opposite ends with them; to demonstrate that we are all deserving of respect and love, not just from God, but from each other,” Krenz said. “He also cared about the earth, and tasked us to care more for it, and guard it, addressing climate change and pollution, and reminding us that we are stewards of this place we live. That’s the message I’ve taken away from Pope Francis, and regardless of your beliefs or faith level, I think it’s one we could all respect.