Montrealers paid their final respects to the late Fr. Emmett Johns, better known as “Pops” at a public visitation at City Hall this evening. The two-day public viewing period comes after weeks of mourning that began when the prominent homeless advocate passed away earlier this month.
Pops, who funded Dans La Rue, is remembered by his fellow Clergy as an “inspiration”. Father Robert Gendreau of the archdiocese of Montreal said Pops had “a gift, which is that he could see people, especially young people, who had a lack of love”, especially those who were homeless.
Many others spoke of Pops’s immense kindness, describing him as a man who would not “judge” others for their actions, and would always offer a helping hand or ear.
One of the first to arrive at the viewing was Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who had worked with Pops in her days as a community organizer before entering politics. She was joined by City Councillor Robert Beaudry, who serves on her executive committee overseeing both economic development and Montreal’s homeless community.
The public viewing will resume tomorrow in City Hall’s Hall of Honour from 1:00pm until 6:30pm. Montrealers will be able to bid their final goodbye to Pops at his funeral at Saint Patrick’s Basilica on Saturday morning.