Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger spoke Monday evening after the death of Pope Francis earlier in the day and before holding a special mass in the pontiff's honor.
VIDEO: Pope Francis, leader of Catholic Church, dies at age 88
Weisenburger spoke at a press conference at 5:30 p.m.
RAW VIDEO: Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger speaks about the life and death of Pope Francis
He held a special Mass of Suffrage for the repose of the Holy Father's soul at 7 p.m.
The mass took place at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
Pope Francis, the 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88.
The Vatican announced Francis died at 7:35 a.m. on Monday, one day after Easter, due to a cerebral stroke leading to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
"Francis returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church," said Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber. "He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
The pope was recently released from the hospital after complications from pneumonia in both lungs.
Francis was born in Argentina in 1936 as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He's the son of Italian immigrants.
As a student, he worked as a nightclub bouncer and considered a career in chemistry before entering a Jesuit school in 1958.
There, he rose through the ranks, becoming a priest, archbishop of Buenos Aires and finally a cardinal in 2001.
In 2013, he became the first Latin American and the first Jesuit pope.
He chose his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the poor — a name he strove to embody throughout his papacy.
Much of his teachings focused on the impoverished. He denounced certain tenets of capitalism in early writings, remarking, "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?"
He also emphasized environmental stewardship, referring to the planet as our "common home" and urging the faithful to take responsibility for its care.
