Easter Monday
Death of Pope Francis – 21st April 2025 at 07:35am
In the Gospel passage the women were ‘apostles to the apostles’, the two Mary’s were the first to bear the message of the Resurrection to others. They raced back to tell the eleven that Jesus had been raised to life again, and to meet him in Galilee. There the eleven will see him with their own eyes and become witnesses of the most amazing occurrence in Salvation history.
Without a moment’s delay the two Mary’s speed off to deliver the Good News, with hearts full of fear and joy at the same time.
An interesting description is Jesus’ use of the word ‘brothers’ – ‘go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee’. For it hints that Christ had forgiven his closest friends for abandoning him, and Peter from denying him three times. The disciples are still called to form the spiritual family of Jesus’ brothers and sisters here on earth.
Like the women in the Gospel, today we are also with mixed emotions. On one hand we are joyful at the Lord’s Resurrection this Easter season, on the other, our Holy Father Pope Francis has passed away, during the early hours of this morning.
We thank the Lord of his life of discipleship, as a Jesuit Priest, Bishop and successor to St Peter. With his firm resolve has helped broaden the opportunities for dialogue within and outside of the Church, he indeed was a true and faithful witness to the risen Lord.
Let us spend a moment of silent prayer for Pope Francis, and thank the Lord for his great witness to His One Holy and Apostolic Church.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Statement from the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster upon the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis.
It is with great sadness that we learned this morning of the death of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, following a period of ill-health. Yesterday, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis made a brief appearance at St Peter’s Square to bless thousands of people gathered in Rome to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.
May he now rest in the peace of the Risen Christ whose faithful servant he has been.
We are deeply grateful for the life and service of Pope Francis. While we mourn his loss, we are thankful for his steadfast witness and legacy.
His life of discipleship, and then leadership, within the Church saw him accept responsibility from the Lord as a Jesuit, a priest, a bishop, and finally as successor to St Peter. His firm resolve and challenging teaching on issues including care for creation, the sexual abuse of children, and insights into intimacy of human relationships, saw the Pope broaden opportunities for dialogue within the Church, and with people and groups from outside of the Catholic Church.
Masses for the repose of the Pope’s soul will be offered across the churches of our Diocese in the coming days. We entrust Pope Francis to the Father of all mercies and pray for the happy repose of his soul.
Please remember Pope Francis in your prayers.
On Monday 21st April 2025 at 6.30pm Evening Prayer for the Dead will be recited in the Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Lancaster, followed by a Requiem Mass at 7.00pm to which all are invited. Following this, the cathedral bell ringers will ring a quarter peal muffled.
A Diocesan Mass at the Cathedral, to which ecumenical and civic guests will be invited, will be on Monday 28th April at 7pm.
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