BISHOP of Limerick Brendan Leahy will celebrate a special Requiem Mass for the late Pope Francis this Wednesday evening in St John’s Cathedral (7pm).
Lamenting the loss of the late pontiff, Bishop said that Pope Francis’ cast a light forever on a road of “humility, humanity, and hope” for us all to travel.
Bishop Leahy said that the world is deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of a man whose teachings and example will forever guide us on the path of good.
Bishop Leahy said “it is with a deeply sorrowful heart that I join the universal Church in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, a truly transformative and courageous leader of our time”.
He said that Pope Francis “was a beacon of humility, humanity, and hope, a Pope whose life and papacy kept on putting before us the essence of the Gospel”.
“From the very first days of his ministry and throughout it, Pope Francis championed the cause of the poor and marginalised. He reminded us time and again of our shared responsibility to protect our common home, the Earth, and called us to a simpler, more grounded life that shunned privilege and excess.”
Bishop Leahy described the late Pope as “an ambassador of goodness, who wanted to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with us all on the road to compassion towards, and care of others”.
“He espoused a modest Church that is open and welcoming to all, particularly to those on the margins. His harsh critique of corporate greed and its impact on people and the planet was a prophetic call to conscience in an increasingly fractured world.
“Pope Francis was also a pillar of peace, not only in word but in tireless effort, always striving to break the cycle of violence and war that has its grip on much of the world today and instead championing dialogue and reconciliation.
“He showed us that the Gospel message of humility, mercy, and love is something that should be expressed through actions and behaviours in daily life, not simply confined to the sanctuary but lived out in the streets, among the people, with sincerity and compassion.”
