+ JMJ +
Dear friends,
As you know, Pope Francis died yesterday morning, Easter Monday, and may he rest in peace. Of course his death begins, or perhaps continues in a much more intensified way, feverish speculation about who the next successor of Peter might be, and it also means the publication of numberless commentaries on Francis' legacy and what it portends for the future of the Church. I want very strongly to urge you to put all of that aside for now.
Our primary response and duty, out of sincere filial love, is to pray for his repose. We ought to do this privately in the normal course of our own devotions and spontaneous prayer, in offering the rosary, and in our personal Mass intentions. We also do it in the public rites of the Church. In the case of the death of the Roman Pontiff, the Church's custom is to mourn for a period of nine days - the novemdiales - from the day of the Pope's funeral, which will be this Saturday. You will find a link below to form for a Novena at the Death of the Roman Pontiff, which you may download for your own use and which will be prayed following our Masses during the novemdiales. Also, we will offer a Requiem Mass one week from today, on Tuesday evening, 4/27, at 6.30PM. I hope you will plan on being present to assist in offering the Church's one and great Sacrifice for the repose of Pope Francis' soul.
Yesterday morning I received a text from a dear friend who is a Protestant minister, who said, "Sorry to hear about the Pope. Happy Easter for him!" Amen. It is a very happy Easter for Pope Francis, for whom "life is changed, not ended." In these days we mourn, but not "as others which have no hope," as the Apostle saith.
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace!
God bless you,
Fr Allen
