The Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences joins the universal Church in mourning the death of Pope Francis and invites all the bishops of Europe to celebrate Masses of suffrage for the soul of the pontiff and for the Catholic Church, who now faces the challenge of electing a new successor to Peter.
The Pope “who came from the end of the world”, the first Pope from Latin America, was also a “European” Pope, and we have felt his profound closeness during his travels throughout Europe, as well as in his numerous appeals for an end to the war that broke out in the heart of the Continent, in Ukraine.
In his last addresses, the Pope spoke of a Europe called to “be prophetic” so as to once again achieve the gift of peace. We know that the Pope was referring to the Christian idea of peace, to that tranquility to which we all aspire, aware that peace is not, nor can it be, only the absence of war.
Let us make the prophetic words of Pope Francis our own and collect them as a legacy for the Church in Europe. The Pope, during his pontificate, has never failed to inspire us on many occasions. He has asked Europe to rediscover itself. He has warned of the demographic winter that is affecting our Continent. He has emphasized the role of the family, and has condemned the “throwaway culture”, unfortunately very present in the modern culture.
Every appeal, every word of his are now an integral part of our commitment as bishops of Europe, so that a true civilization of love may be affirmed.
In the Mass, celebrated on 23 September 2021 with the participants of our Plenary on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the CCEE, Pope Francis said: “The great co-builders of faith in the Continent did the same — suffice to think of our Patron Saints. They put their insignificance into play, trusting God. I am referring to Saints Martin, Francis, Dominic and Pius who we remember today. To our Patron Saints Benedict, Cyril and Methodius, Bridget, Catherine of Siena, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. They started with themselves, with changing their lives and opening up to the grace of God. They were not preoccupied by dark times, adversity or the occasional division, which is standard. They did not waste time criticizing and blaming. They lived out the Gospel without worrying about how relevant they were or about politics”.
It is this teaching, above all, that we want to carry in our hearts, in the memory of Pope Francis.
To God, the Father of Mercy, of whom the Holy Father was a tireless apostle, we raise our prayers so that He may welcome him into His arms.
Foto: Vatican Media