Pope Francis was an exceptional Christian leader. He was too many people, both within his Church and to wider Christendom, a breath of fresh air. He reminded us that the values of Jesus- compassion, inclusivity and kindness - formed the basis of any civilised society. He was a great supporter of the global south and was on the side of the poor and the marginalised. Francis was committed to peace and reconciliation and reached out daily to the small number of Christians in the besieged area of Gaza

He was able to make the Christian Faith attractive and his humanity shone through.

I was fortunate to meet him three times and was impressed by his humility and depth of spirituality. He will be greatly missed.

May he rest in peace, and through the mercies of Christ, rise in glory.