A profusion of Easter flowers in pinks, yellows and purples cascading from the sanctuary steps at the Cathedral of the Assumption stood in contrast, April 22, to black swags that provided a dramatic background for a special Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Francis.
Celebrated a day after the 88-year-old pontiff died, the Tuesday evening Mass drew more than 300 people. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre led the congregation in prayer along with 27 priests.
They gathered in the spirit of Easter joy, but also with a sense of loss, he told the congregation.
During the homily, he invited his listeners to join him in reflecting on two of the pope’s profound quotes that he believes “captured the essence” of Pope Francis’ pontificate and also “deeply impacted” him and others, he said.
First, he said, those who lead the church must ‘smell like the sheep.’
This statement of Pope Francis wasn’t “merely a personal belief,” he said.
“It was a universal call to action. … Throughout his ministry, Pope Francis consistently embodied the mind and heart of a pastor,” said Archbishop Fabre.
He noted that was evident in the pectoral cross the pope often wore, which depicted the Good Shepherd. The archbishop noted that he “humbly” wears a replica of that cross.
“In a world filled with poverty, unwelcome to immigrants, in a world crippled by injustice, in a world darkened by despair, Pope Francis encouraged us as church leaders to face these challenges with courage and determination — not from a distance, but by being a pastor close to those in need, smelling like sheep, reassuring all that the risen Jesus Christ accompanies us,” he said.
“In Pope Francis’ honor, may we always remember that our ministry calls us to smell like the sheep.”
Another “powerful image” the pope shared with the world was “his vision of the church as ‘a field hospital after battle,’ ” the archbishop said.
“In this metaphor, he revealed his deep compassion for those burdened by life’s challenges.
It was the hallmark of his service to the people and the Lord,” said Archbishop Fabre. “He challenged us to reach out to those in pain, offering them healing and hope.”
The archbishop noted that the pope’s visits to prisons, refugee camps, to immigrants and impoverished communities were a “testament to his commitment to the church’s social teaching and his unwavering love and support for the marginalized, the voiceless and those too often forgotten.”
The Holy Father, he noted, had many other quotes that captured the attention and “clarified our relationship with Jesus Christ, and that were a clarion call to all of us as to who we were to be as members of the church and as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
In addition to the Mass of Thanksgiving, parishes around the Archdiocese of Louisville offered communal opportunities to pray for the Holy Father.
On the day he died, for example, St. Francis of Assisi Church offered adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Mass. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church opened its doors for prayer and tolled its bells for every year of his pontificate. And St. Catherine of Alexandria Church in New Haven, Ky., began a novena.
Beyond the Catholic community, Kentucky also paused to recognize the death of Pope Francis.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear directed flags at state office buildings “lowered to half-staff in honor of His Holiness Pope Francis until sunset on the day of the Pope’s interment,” said a press release from the governor’s office.
“Pope Francis earned the title ‘The People’s Pope’ by showing kindness and mercy, standing for love above hate and extending a hand to help all people,” said Gov. Beshear. “He led by example, and his humility and dedication to God brought people together. His loss is great, but his impact is greater.”
