Our Tribute To Bishop Michael K. Francis

The Most Outspoken personality in contemporary Liberia has been silenced permanently by the power of death. Catholic Archbishop Michael K. Francis has finally given up the ghost following a prolonged illness.

His Demise Was announced on state radio Sunday, May 19, 2013 by the Archbishop of the Diocese of Monrovia Lewis Jerome Zeigler. According to Archbishop Zeigler, Bishop Francis died at 10:40 a.m.

Archbishop Francis Has been ill for about ten years prior to his death. However, it is not clear what may have been the cause of his death, but sources said he had been suffering from stroke.

News About His death shocked Liberians, especially Catholics who were worshiping when the information hit them. At the Sacred Heart Cathedral, there were weeping amongst members of the Church. Other Catholic Churches across Monrovia were stunned by the death of Bishop Francis.

“We’ve lost a great man…our father who defended the cause of the Liberian people during the terrible years of war is gone…this is a tragedy,” a member of the Catholic Church revealed to the NEWS on telephone.

Archbishop Francis Was known across Liberia and beyond as a fearless advocate of the Liberian people and the champion of press freedom and freedom of speech. He was particularly known as a critic of the regime of ex-Liberian president Charles Taylor. The late Catholic prelate often criticized President Taylor for his despotic style of leadership. Bishop Francis was the brain behind the survival of Catholic Radio Veritas and the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC) long before he got ill.

We Mourn The loss of Bishop Francis as a man who showed patriotism to Liberia and Liberians during his sojourn on earth. He will be remembered for his stance against rampant corruption, human rights violations, and abuse of power, among others. We call on all Liberians to mourn the death of Bishop Francis because he was a true Liberian who served as a voice of the voiceless, when tyranny became the order of the day, when corruption wore long sleeve and human rights violations became the language of Liberians and the international community.

We Pay Our tribute to the fallen hero whose voice remains an indelible mark in the ears of Liberian and foreign residents. We pray that God, the Almighty, will console the bereaved family and strengthen them through this difficult period of mourning.

As We Mourn the death of Bishop Francis, we ask the Catholic Church to take solace in the Lord because it is He who gives and He has taken away. May the soul of Bishop Francis and the souls of all faithfully departed rest in perfect peace and light perpetual shine on them.