Pope Francis praised Bishop Gumbleton as ‘a good shepherd’ in letter before his death
April 11, 2024
» Continue to this story on National Catholic Reporter
CWN Editor's Note: Pope Francis praised the late Bishop Thomas Gumbleton for his “testimony as a pastor, a good shepherd,” in a letter written in January, for the prelate’s 94th birthday, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
“They say that bad weeds never die,” the Pope also reportedly wrote in the letter, which the Reporter did not publish.
Bishop Gumbleton, who served as auxiliary bishop of Detroit from 1968 until his retirement in 2006, died on April 4 at the age of 94. The outspoken prelate, who was known for his opposition to the Vietnam War and advocacy for peace, also dissented from Catholic teaching on homosexuality and women’s ordination.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark “arranged for the Pope to write to the legendary bishop,” Sister Sue Sattler, a close friend of Gumbleton, told the Reporter.
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