A Shepherd Until the End: Mourning Our Holy Father

Following the great joy of Easter Sunday, we awoke on Monday sadly hearing the news of the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. Of the images I saw of the Holy Father as the various news agencies reported on his death was one from his first day or so after being named the successor to the Apostle Peter. It was as he stood in his new white robe, signifying his new role, at the counter of a Roman hotel, paying his bill for the days he had stayed there during what would come to be his election. Right there we likely knew we had a Pope who would surprise us with his actions and words.

He spoke often on ancient themes, mostly about mercy and hope, but he applied them to modern situations. His words were often accompanied by actions, showing us prophetically the message he was communicating. He called for his priests to be “shepherds with the smell of the sheep.” Washing the feet of inmates at a jail on Holy Thursday, embracing children who were sick, and visiting people in villages on the fringes of the earth, he was as he is often described, “The people’s Pope.” 

To see again the images of what we now know would be his last day on earth: he did as he so often had, mingling among the people of Vatican square; blessing, hugging and smiling at the people, all whom he loved with the love of a spiritual father. No one could have scripted a more perfect departure from earth, except our God in heaven. For the last breaths he took were among the people he had been called by the Holy Spirit and the Church to serve. May he rest now in peace. 

But his desire for unity has been seen this week. We live at a time we continually speak of as divided, so many are coming together to grieve, offer condolences, and speak of this man called “Francis.” The news outlets are devoting an impressive amount of time to telling his story. Leaders from across the globe are traveling to bid him farewell. Father Dan and I have received notes of condolence from pastors of other denominations in our community. And on Monday, I went to Walmart to buy some black material to put around our picture in the gathering area of Pope Francis. A young man waited on me and cut the fabric from the bolt of material. He asked what the material was for. I explained to him I was a Catholic priest, that the leader of our Church, Pope Francis, had died and I wanted the material to drape around his picture. The young man, in a very serious tone, offered, “I am sorry for you and your church.” A spirit of unity Francis longed for. 

Respectfully the Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis has been postponed. Carlo, who died of leukemia in 2006 at age 15, is known for his devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Born in 1991 in London and raised in Milan, he is the first millennial to be beatified by the Church.

However, the Church will still be celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday this week and will have devotions on Sunday afternoon. We will also be celebrating First Holy Communion with many of our kids this weekend. Unfortunately, I am not able to be with our kids this weekend as they celebrate their First Communion. As a Diocese, we are short on priests this weekend and are struggling to find priests to cover all of our parishes since some of our international priests are taking their vacation back to see their families in India. In addition, we have a pastor who is hospitalized. As a result, one of us priests needs to help to provide the Eucharist to another parish. The parish we need to help is one where I also serve as pastor. While I very much want to be with our kids and their families here, I had to make the tough decision to go and serve at another parish I am responsible for. However our kids will be in my prayers, and I look forward to offering them Communion for many weeks to come.