Father's Bulletin Letter - 4.27.2025
Apr 27, 2025
Requiescat in Pace
Pope Francis
1936-2025
His Holiness, Pope Francis, who was elected pope in 2013, died on Easter Monday at 7:36am Rome time. Undoubtedly, you have seen many write-ups about his accomplishments and his life stretching back to his Latin American roots through to becoming the 266th pope of the Church. His papacy has left an indelible mark even on our local parishes as he shepherded the Church toward greater social justice, inclusivity, a reexamination of tradition, and a challenge to reach out to the greater culture.
At the death of a pope, the Church enters into a period called Novemdiales or Nine Days. During this time in particular, prayers are offered for the repose of the soul of the pope both as individuals and as a family of believers. For this reason, you will see outside of our parish church both the gold banners announcing our marking of the Resurrection of Jesus and the customary black banners for our mourning of the Roman Pontiff. It seems incongruent to have these banners side by side, but that is the nature of our experience in this life until we are gathered together at last into our Father’s home.
Until that time, in the hope of the Resurrection, we pray, “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
IN OTHER NEWS:
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY: This weekend is Divine Mercy Sunday. The Divine Mercy Chaplet will be prayed shortly following the weekend Masses this Sunday.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: Our second graders will be celebrating their First Holy Communion on May 3. Please keep them in your prayers!
NO SATURDAY CONFESSIONS NEXT WEEK: Due to the First Communion Mass, there will not be confession on Saturday, May 3.
CARLOS ACUTIS: Many people were looking forward to the canonization of St. Carlos Acutis. He was a British-born Italian teenager known for his devotion to the Eucharist, which became a core theme of his life prior to his death from leukemia at the age of 15 in 2006. Because saints are canonized by popes, his canonization has been postponed.
God bless,
Fr. Valencheck
