"For Pope Francis, who is entrusted with the care of the Church, may he enter the joy of God's kingdom, where there is no more sorrow and no more tears. Let us pray, Lord, hear our prayer."
"All of our Easter rejoicing helps us to continue to be people of hope, even as we lose those who are important in our lives, even as we say farewell to our holy father, the universal shepherd, Pope Francis."
Bishop John Stowe, leader of the Catholic Diocese of Lexington, began Easter Monday mass with prayers for Pope Francis and the future direction of the church. Earlier in the day, the Bishop told me he wasn't surprised that Pope Francis spent his last days celebrating holy week and Easter despite his failing health.
"That's who he was. And so on Holy Thursday, he couldn't wash the feet like he would normally do, but he went to a prison anyway. You know, who does that? He was 86 years old when he was wheeled into the conflict zone in Congo and pleaded with people to lay down their weapons," Stowe said. "So he died really as he lived, continuously pouring himself out, and you can't get a better Christian example than that."
Bishop Stowe said he hopes Pope Francis's death is "an occasion for us to look more closely at everything he gave to the church during his twelve years of leadership."
