Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When I woke up on Monday morning to a text message from a dear priest friend that simply said, “The pope died!”, I didn’t want to believe it and was in shock while I confirmed the news from various Catholic news sources. We all know that he had been struggling with his health over the past few months and have been praying for him, but I don’t think any of us expected this the morning after Easter. Our late Holy Father has been one of constant prayer, as he demonstrated in various ways. From the beginning of his papacy, he was conscious and constantly asked everyone to pray for him. Now that God the Almighty Father has called him to Heaven, it is all the more important and necessary for us to pray for him. Pope Francis was a good, prayerful pope who taught us the beauty of mercy and hope, while staying true to the Doctrine and Dogma of the Catholic Faith. He never strayed from the Truth, while encouraging us to be there for our neighbors in need.
My entire priesthood has been under the pontificate of Pope Francis and I know that he has demonstrated many things to me that I desire to grow in. His beautiful love for our Blessed Mother, for example, is one that I have looked at and found deeply striking and necessary in my life as a Priest of Jesus Christ. As we continue in this Jubilee Year of Hope, let us be people of hope and prayer. I offer this quote from Pope Francis, taking from his Extraordinary Moment of Prayer during the Coronavirus in March, 2020, “The Lord asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and meaning to these hours when every- thing seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens so as to reawaken and revive our Easter faith. We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by his cross we have been redeemed. We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love. In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: he is risen and is living by our side. The Lord asks us from his cross, to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look towards those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and foster the grace that lives within us. Let us not quench the wavering flame (cf. Is 42:3) that never falters, and let us allow hope to be rekindled.”1
As we enter this time of “Apostolica Sede Vacans,” meaning Vacancy of the Apostolic See, where the Chair of St. Peter is empty, I encourage you as your pastor to pray. Pray for our late Holy Father, Pope Francis. Pray for the College of Cardinals as they prepare to enter the Conclave and elect the next successor to St. Peter and Supreme Pontif.
.
________________________
1 Pope Francis. Extraordinary Moment of Prayer during the Epidemic. 27 Mar. 2020, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Vatican.va, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/ homilies/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20200327_omelia-epidemia.html