Nevadans reflect on Pope Francis’ life, death, influence — PHOTOS

Southern Nevadans on Monday mourned the passing of Pope Francis, whose historic decision two years ago forever changed the Catholic landscape in the valley.

Pope Francis created the Archdiocese of Las Vegas in May 2023, marking the first new archdiocese in the United States in nearly two decades and the first in Nevada.

The historic designation included the state’s first archbishop, George Leo Thomas, and a newly established ecclesiastical regional province. Las Vegas leads the regional province as the Metropolitan See, or archdiocese, joined by the Reno and Salt Lake City dioceses, which are Suffragan Sees.

The Argentine-born Francis was the first pope from Latin America and the first from the Jesuit order. He’d led the Roman Catholic Church for a dozen years following his election in 2013.

On Monday, following a proclamation from President Donald Trump, Gov. Joe Lombardo ordered that state flags be lowered in memory of Pope Francis, 88.

Government officials, religious leaders and residents across the valley reflected on the pope’s life, death, and lasting influence.

Rep. Susie Lee, in an emailed statement, called Francis a “great leader who put compassion for humans above all else.”

“I loved Pope Francis. I am so sad to hear of his passing, and my heart goes out to the millions of people who, like me, valued his leadership,” Lee said.

Mourners lined up at the Archdiocese of Las Vegas on Monday, where they signed a memorial book that will eventually be sent to the Vatican.

‘Really humbled by what he did’

Las Vegas started as a diocese in 1995, and Thomas was appointed bishop in 2018. He said he was sent to Las Vegas because of the “exponential growth” of Catholicism in the area. The church received 800 new Catholics on Easter of this year, and a couple of the parishes have more than 40,000 conversions, according to Thomas.

To complete his elevation to archbishop, Thomas and a group of pilgrims from Las Vegas traveled to the Vatican in June 2023 to attend the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, an annual liturgical feast, where Pope Francis presented him with a pallium, a blessed vestment made of wood that symbolizes “sheep being carried on the shoulders of a shepherd.”

“I felt, in many ways, really humbled by what he did and what he chose for us,” he said.

Thomas said Pope Francis’ biggest legacy will be his vocal advocacy for immigrants and the poor.

“He called out what he said was the ‘globalization of indifference’ and ‘indifference toward the poorest of the poor.’ He was challenging world leaders not to forget the immigrant and the poor. That has been an enduring theme of his papacy for the last 12 years,” Thomas said.

That advocacy, Thomas said, also provided an impetus for the Archdiocese of Las Vegas to raise those concerns.

Thomas said he’s met with government leaders, including the governor and sheriff in Las Vegas, to “beg them to be courageous in their advocacy for the immigrant community.”

‘Inter-religious dialogue’

Another important component of Francis’ papacy was his comfort with other religious leaders, which Thomas said was due to his upbringing in Buenos Aires around Eastern European neighbors. That comfort, Thomas said, led to “inter-religious dialogue.”

Congregation Ner Tamid’s Rabbi Sanford Akselrad and Cantor Jessica Hutchings honored Pope Francis’ legacy.

“Throughout his papacy, he stood firmly against antisemitism, nurtured meaningful interfaith dialogue, and extended a hand of friendship to the Jewish people,” the two said in a statement Monday. “His legacy is one of a mensch. He modeled respect, justice, and bridge-building between faiths. May his memory be a blessing.”

‘A pope who spoke from the heart’

Christian businesswoman Missy Day, who grew up Catholic and later became nondenominational, said she always admired Pope Francis’ heart.

“Regardless of whether you’re Catholic or not, you have a certain reverence for the Pope,” Day said. “Pope Francis was a pope who spoke from the heart with affection. He encouraged others to be servants and got back to the root of how we can all care for one another. He highlighted the importance of personal witness by imparting joy and drawing others to the gospel.”

Anthony Tanare, of Las Vegas, saw a notification on his phone while he was at the gym that the pope had died.

Tanare and his wife, Vilma, then headed to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church to say a prayer. The Summerlin church was open for a funeral Mass. Tanare, a lifelong Catholic, felt connected to Francis through the pontiff’s common touch.

“He was open to everybody, common people, everyday people, and even our leadership.”

To avoid creating a distraction, the humble pope waited to take his last breath until after Easter, Tanare added. “He prayed a little bit longer, and then he said, ‘OK, tomorrow I’m coming in.’”

“Pope Francis was a true shepherd of God’s people, a man who lived out his faith with humility, compassion, and courage. He taught us all that the Gospel calls us to be people of mercy and love, and that we must work to build a world that reflects these values,” Thomas said. “He was a voice for the voiceless, a champion of the marginalized, and a friend to all who sought his counsel.”

Details regarding upcoming memorial Masses and other prayer events will be announced on LVCatholic.org and the Archdiocese’s social media channels.

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com. Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X. Investigative reporter Mary Hynes also contributed to this report.