Hundreds of people gathered at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown on April 21 to mourn Pope Francis during a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Alfred Schlert.
“Today in a special way we pray for the soul of our Holy Father, whom the Lord, in His goodness, has given us for the past 12 years,” said Bishop Schlert, noting that the Pope set an example of hope and humility for the world.
“It was beautiful to see him yesterday unexpectedly appear in St. Peter’s Square, greeting people,” said Bishop Schlert. Despite doctors’ orders to convalesce for two months, the Pope continued to receive visitors and appear in public.
“He spent his last day on earth in the type of ministry for which he had become known, among the people – among those most marginalized, those who are perhaps the farthest away from the Church. He had it always as his duty to reach out to them, to be the shepherd of the flock.”
The 12:15 p.m. Mass began moments after members of the Allentown Fire Department, using a ladder truck, had finished attaching black bunting to the top of the Cathedral’s portico.
At the front of the church stood a portrait of the Holy Father, draped in black.
Pope Francis was “a servant who continued despite infirmity to minister to the people he was called to serve,” said the Bishop. “He truly respected and defended the dignity of every human person.”
Those who attended the Mass included other priests of the Diocese, deacons, deacon candidates, seminarians, consecrated religious, and representatives of other area religious communities.
Bishop Schlert asked everyone present to join him in prayer for the Pope’s soul during the coming nine days of mourning to be declared by the College of Cardinals.
Pope Francis, the first Pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit to be elected Pope, died April 21 at 7:35 a.m. Rome time, Vatican officials announced. He was 88.
Photos by Ed Koskey.
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