News Items

BISHOP MICHAEL MORRISSEY

STATEMENT
22 April 2025

We all remember the vision of Pope Francis on the balcony of Saint Peters following the Easter Sunday morning Mass, offering a simple blessing to the people gathered in the square and around the world. Earlier, on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis visited the prison in Rome blessing inmates and prison staff, a custom he began after being elected Pope in March 2013. So, it certainly came as a surprise to hear the news that Pope Francis died at Casa Santa Marta at 7.35am Monday morning 21 April 2025.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, in announcing the news, said:
“The Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

Personally, I remember well these following words from the homily of Pope Francis at his Papal inauguration on the Feast of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2013, while I was still the Parish Priest of Mullewa….”Today, together with the feast of Saint Joseph, we are celebrating the beginning of the ministry of the new Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, which also involves a certain power. Certainly, Jesus Christ conferred power upon Peter, but what sort of power was it? Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete, and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgement on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Only those who serve with love are able to protect!”

Pope Francis was very much our pastoral shepherd, a beacon of hope and joy. In reflecting on the passing of Pope Francis, let his life be a light guiding us in our own service, to be messengers of joy revealing Jesus Christ’s love for all people.

As we are currently in the Octave of Easter, Votive Masses for the Dead are not permitted. I therefore ask you, during the nine days of mourning to offer mass for the repose of his soul, to mention him by name in the intercession for the dead during the Eucharistic Prayer and in the Prayer of the Faithful.

I ask priests to offer Votive Masses for a dead Pope from Monday 28 April with the texts found in the Roman Missal.

I will be celebrating a Solemn Pontifical Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis at St Francis Xavier Cathedral with clergy and parishioners on Thursday, 24 April at 5.30pm.

As a reminder, from now until the election of a new Pope, no name is to be mentioned in the Eucharistic Prayer except for that of the local bishop.

Let us continue to pray for our dear Pope Francis and let us move forward with Hope guided by his example and the light of Easter.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.

Every blessing and Peace,

The Most Rev. Michael H. Morrissey
Bishop of Geraldton