The Latino Catholic faithful in Charlotte are mourning the death of Pope Francis, remembered as a champion for immigrants, the poor and other marginalized communities.
Pope Francis died early Monday morning at 88. Born in Argentina, he was the first pope from the Americas, the first Latino and the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church.
"He was more than just a pope," Claudio Bonus said. "He was a person who arrived with humility, with many messages that went beyond any particular opinion that any pope has ever had — to Catholics and people in general."
Bonus, 53, moved to Charlotte from Argentina about 20 years ago. As an immigrant, Francis' message always resonated with him.
"The immigrant is a person who sometimes doesn't have many opportunities, so we have to build bridges, not walls, so it's another of his phrases that will make a difference," Bonus said.
Bonus identifies as Catholic but says he doesn’t attend church regularly. Still, he says Francis showed people how to have compassion, regardless of one’s faith.
“It's really surprising to see people who say they don't believe in religion at all," Bonus said. "They said, ‘I'm an atheist, but I felt sad for the loss of this man — for the values he held and for the messages he had.’”
Bonus says Francis also brought greater acceptance of Latino culture into the Catholic religion — and, he thinks, might have brought Argentinian soccer a little extra luck. He hopes the next pope continues Francis' legacy.
