Pope Francis’s death a moment of sorrow for many
Tributes to much-loved ‘shepherd of the Church’
The parish of Kilnamanagh and Castleview paid tributes to Pope Francis, “a much-loved and deeply influential shepherd of the Church,” after he died on Easter Monday.
Fr Frank Drescher, Vicar Forane of the Tallaght Deanery and parish priest for St Kevin’s and St Kilian’s, dedicated a memorial service to the Pope on Monday afternoon.
“With deep sorrow I share the news that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has died,” he said.
“We give thanks to God for the life and ministry of our beloved Pope, who served the People of God with humility, courage, and tireless love.
‘He was a shepherd who called us to go to the margins, to care for the poor, and to live the Gospel with joy and mercy.
‘His witness of simplicity and faith touched hearts across the world and strengthened many in their journey of faith.”
According to Fr Frank, Pope Francis’s death is a moment of sorrow for many in the wider community, not only among Catholics.
“It is also a moment of profound thanksgiving,” he added in his homily.
“He reminded us again and again that the heart of the Gospel is not an idea or a rule, but a Person – Christ himself – who meets us in our weakness, lifts us up, and calls us to live in love.
“Pope Francis led not by strength or show, but by the witness of a life steeped in prayer, in simplicity, in tenderness, and in truth.”
The margins he called people to reach, said Fr Frank, were not only geographical, but “the spiritual and human margins, where people feel forgotten, unloved, or wounded.
“His papacy reminded us that the Church is a field hospital, a home for the poor in spirit, a place of welcome for sinners on the path of conversion.”
His vision was, according to Fr Frank, “a Church that listens, accompanies, and leads people to Christ.”
Concluding his homily, Fr Frank quoted Pope Francis when saying that “God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.”
The parish also prayed for the College of Cardinals who are now in the process of appointing a successor to Pope Francis.
