The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium Archbishop Luc Terlinden has reacted with emotion to the death of Pope Francis. "He was a great shepherd with a big heart. I am happy to have been able to meet him," Archbishop Terlinden said during at press conference in Mechelen (Antwerp Province) on Monday.
As the Head of the Belgian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Terlinden praised the Pope's great commitment to peace and to the Church. “He was very aware of the great challenges facing the Church in this secular world”
"I had the honour of meeting him during his visit to the country in September. He was a very gentle man, like a grandfather at the end of his life. He had a great sense of humour and said to me at the time: You're still so young, have you had First Communion yet? (Archbishop Terlinden is 56) So, I was very touched and moved by his passing”.
Mgr. Terlinden adds that the date of Pope Francis’ death is particularly symbolic. "On a day when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, I see his death as a sign of hope”.
"A great pastor with a big heart and a man of great simplicity".
Archbishop Terlinden described the Pontiff as a good shepherd with a big heart and a man of great simplicity, who also left his mark on the Belgian Church. “During his visit to the country, he took a lot of time to meet victims of sexual abuse and to listen to them. For us, in the Belgian Church, this was a sign that he was encouraging us to strengthen our policy of combating sexual violence within the Church”.
Archbishop Terlinden called on all Catholics to pray for Pope Francis, but also to thank God for his pontificate. The flags at the Archiepiscopal Palace in Mechelen and cathedrals across the country will be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning for the deceased Pontiff.