L.A. Archbishop Honors Pope Francis with Memorial Mass

Catholic faithful convened in downtown Los Angeles on Friday to pay tribute to the deceased Pope Francis during a commemorative Mass held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

The Los Angeles Archbishop, José H. Gomez, conducted the Mass and praised the deceased pope as someone who embodied the common folk and advocated for ideas of comprehension and inclusion.

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"Gomez stated that he informed us about our mutual responsibility towards one another," she mentioned.

Gomez was accompanied by auxiliary bishops along with other members of the clergy from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, as well as numerous devoted followers who came together to pray for the Pope’s soul and to say their last goodbye on behalf of the local congregation within the archdiocese, as stated by the diocese.

Francis, who previously served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and was the first pope from Latin America, passed away on Monday in the Vatican at the age of 88, just a day following Easter.

He was Pope for 12 years. According to reports from the Vatican, the cause of his death was a stroke along with irreparable failure of the cardio-circulatory system.

On February 14, Francis was hospitalized due to a severe respiratory issue that escalated into double pneumonia. After spending 38 days in medical care, he made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, where he offered a blessing to the congregation gathered at St. Peter's Square from his wheelchair. This came as he continued to manage his ongoing battle with chronic lung disease.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was born in Argentina, ascended to the papacy on March 13, 2013, taking over from Pope Benedict XVI following his unexpected stepping down, which resulted in Bergoglio being elected as Pope Francis.

Gomez similarly marked the 12:10 p.m. Mass on Monday at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, paying tribute to Francis.

"In expressing my sorrow for the passing of our Holy Father, I stand with the community of faith within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and with Catholic believers globally," stated Gomez.

During this lovely Easter season, as we rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us pray that the angels guide Pope Francis to heaven, that the saints and martyrs embrace him, and that through His compassion, God illuminates him with divine light and grants him everlasting peace within an unending loving embrace.

Gomez additionally mentioned on Monday that he plans to spend the coming days expressing his thankfulness for the Holy Father’s kindness and pastoral concern for people in Los Angeles through reflection.

"He has appointed seven auxiliary bishops over the years to help me serve the family of God, and he consistently demonstrated his spiritual support during our times of need," Gomez stated.

"He provided prayers and comforting words when we were dealing with the devastation from the wildfires in Palisades and Altadena back in January. In 2023, after the unexpected loss of our dear Bishop David O'Connell, I'll always remember the brotherly solace he gave us during our time of mourning," Gomez noted.

"Pope Francis showed us, by his constant example, that we should have a great devotion to the Virgin Mary, who is our Blessed Mother and the Mother of the Church. We turn to Holy Mary now, and we ask for her protection and tender care. May she wrap our Holy Father in the mantle of her love. And may he rest in peace."

The Los Angeles archdiocese has launched a specific web page at LACatholics.org/pope-francis focused on Pope Francis. This site features Archbishop Gomez’s statements, sermons, and various texts about him, along with accompanying videos, pictures, and additional materials.

The archdiocese mentioned that the webpage will be updated with details about Masses and various events occurring during the Novendiales, which spans nine days of mourning following the passing of a Pope.

In that time frame, the cardinals conduct daily funeral ceremonies in Rome, while masses are said globally for the eternal rest of the late pontiff’s soul.

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