From the very start of his pontificate, Pope Francis urged us all to seek the Lord in the faces of the poor, the marginalized, and the vulnerable, recognizing Christ in those around us. Through his heartfelt words and humble example, he inspired us to deepen our personal relationship with God.
A man of unwavering prayer, Pope Francis demonstrated what it means to place complete trust in God’s mercy. Whether bowing his head in silence before the crowds in St. Peter’s Square on the night of his election, kneeling in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament in a dormant Rome during the global COVID-19 pandemic, or silently asking for the intercession of our blessed mother in the Basilica of St. Mary Major before every apostolic visit, he was a living testimony to the power of prayer. He repeatedly reminded us that our prayer is more than words, it is an encounter with the Lord who loves us.
The Archdiocese of New York experienced this encounter firsthand when we had the blessing of welcoming Pope Francis during his 2015 Apostolic Visit to the United States. In a historic moment, he became the first pope to visit a Catholic school in the U.S., meeting with students at Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem. Addressing them with a message of hope and encouragement, he said: “Dear children, you have a right to dream and I am very happy that here in this school, in your friends and your teachers, you can find the support you need. Wherever there are dreams, there is joy, Jesus is always present. Because Jesus is joy, and he wants to help us to feel that joy every day of our lives.”
On this Easter Monday, with gratitude for his life and ministry, I invite all Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of New York to pause and pray for Pope Francis that he may be received into the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father and reunited in paradise with his Savior.
I also ask for continued prayers for His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, and the College of Cardinals as they undertake the sacred task of discerning the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the upcoming conclave to elect the next pope.
May our Blessed Mother, who tenderly embraced her Son at the foot of the Cross, intercede for the Church and all of us.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May Pope Francis rest in everlasting joy and peace. Amen.