Pope Francis

Pope Francis

A Shepherd's Final Easter: In Remembrance of Pope Francis

Head of the Church. Successor of St. Peter. Vicar of Christ.

No matter the title, Pope Francis will forever be remembered as a servant of God, the first pontiff from Latin America, and the first to choose the name of the beloved St. Francis of Assisi.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, he was a Jesuit, a pastor, a teacher, and ultimately, a global witness to Christ’s mercy. At the age of 88, on Easter Monday, Pope Francis passed onto his eternal rest. That he passed after having participated fully in the celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection — the heart of our faith — strikes many as both profound and deeply symbolic.

As we commemorate his life and legacy, let us give thanks for his years of service to Christ and His Church. And let us pray fervently for the repose of his soul — as we pray for all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith. Many of us already pray a daily Rosary for the Holy Father and his intentions. Now, we pray for his soul — and for the Church he shepherded. May the Holy Spirit guide us, guide the Cardinals, and grant wisdom and unity during this time of transition.

As our pastor, Father Sammie Maletta, reminds us, Pope Francis often said that the Church is not a museum of saints, but a field hospital for sinners. His witness was not one of grandeur or lofty distance, but of humility, encounter, and tenderness.

Please join us for Mass at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at 10701 Olcott Ave., St. John, IN 46373, as we gather in prayer for Pope Francis. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.