Catholic Identity & Mission News
It was with great sadness that we received the news of Pope Francis’ death on EasterMonday, April 21. Our faith tells us not to be sad for him, but rather for ourselves who will miss his leadership and presence in our daily lives. Pope Francis, and his lived example of faith in Jesus Christ, has informed our work here at St Peter’s over these past 12 years. Among many other things, we have engaged with ‘Pope Francis Tweets of the Week’, his writings in ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ and ‘Laudato Si’ and even next week, our Year 10 Reflection Days will again look closely at his encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’ as a means of encouraging greater fraternity and solidarity among our students here at the College, and in the wider world.
In this Year of Jubilee, Pope Francis called us to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and this has inspired our annual theme, and the narrative around our daily prayers, liturgical celebrations and works for social justice this year. We prayed for him and remembered him in the week ofhis death, and our RE classes learned about how the Church will now deal with his loss. Our students and staff have been deeply touched by the witness, work, and loss of Pope Francis and on Wednesday morning, we all gathered in House areas for a special liturgy dedicated to his memory. I offer excerpts of this prayer service here for your reflection:
After the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict in 2013, the College of Cardinals was called to Rome to elect a new pope. Some people mentioned Cardinal Bergoglio but he was not considered a real contender as there had never been a Pope from South America or from the Jesuit order. However, on only the second day of the conclave (the name for the gathering of Cardinals to elect a new pope), white smoke drifted from the Vatican chimney indicating that a new pope had been elected. It was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio from Buenos Aires – our new Pope Francis! That this new pope had selected the name Francis as his papal name (after St Francis of Assisi), was an immediate indication that he would have a great love and care for the poor, for ‘shaking things up’ for the common good, and for the environment. And as he appeared on the balcony of the Basilica, he bowed humbly before the masses and asked them to pray for him – such humility from the outset!
At St Peter’s, we are well aware that the first pope was our own St Peter. At his funeral, Pope Francis requested that this Gospel passage be proclaimed:
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
When Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him,‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’
He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’
He said to him a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted but when you were old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This he said to show by what kind of death hewas to glorify God.)
And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’
Pope Francis followed Jesus and occupied the ‘Chair of St Peter’ for 12 years as pontiff. Like Peter, he cared for God’s flock, and not just Catholics! Through his words, prayers and actions, Francis urged us to greater fraternity – to a love and care for one another as a united human family. He reached out to the poor, marginalised and forgotten because his faith was in a God of mercy, justice and love. He called for the Catholic Church to be a ‘field hospital church’ that runs towards pain, not away from it and to be a church of‘radical compassion’.
There are over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide and when Pope Francis was not traveling on missionary work, he would celebrate the Eucharist, teach and meet people, write, study and complete his papal duties from Vatican City. People flocked to see him and to hear his teaching of the Gospel for our modern world. He was always humble and had a life of deep prayer. He listened to people, and through his Synod on Synodality over the past two years, he explicitly invited dialogue about the life and future of the Church from all corners of the globe.
In recent months especially, he experienced poor health. He was stoic about this and continued to work right until the day before his death. However, on Easter Monday, his loving Father in Heaven, called him home.
We give thanks for the magnificent life of Jorge Bergoglio, our Pope Francis.
[The following conclusion was adapted from Pope Francis’ actual funeral]
Loving God, grant that your departed servant, our Pope Francis, whom you made the successor of St Peter and shepherd of your Church, may happily enjoy for ever in your presence in heaven the mysteries of your grace and compassion, which he faithfully ministered on earth.
For our beloved Pope Francis, with our eternal love and gratitude.
May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs come and welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem.
Ms Fiona McKenna
Deputy Principal – Catholic Identity & Mission