Beneath the soaring dome of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the faithful gathered April 26 to give thanks for the life and ministry of Pope Francis.
The Vigil Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday drew clergy, religious and laity together in prayer for the repose of the late pontiff’s soul, in gratitude for his service to the Church, and in renewed reflection on the call to mercy. Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington served as principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass, which was livestreamed from the basilica’s Great Upper Church.
“We join together this evening in thanking God for the gift of Pope Francis’s life and ministry and in praying for his eternal happiness and peace, as we entrust him through God's infinite love and divine mercy,” Bishop Burbidge said in his homily.
Noting the connection to Divine Mercy Sunday, Bishop Burbidge said mercy was at the heart of Pope Francis’s message — “in his homilies, in his writings, in his talks, and most especially by his example.”
He reflected on Pope Francis’s emphasis on the transformative power of God’s mercy, urging Catholics to become both recipients and instruments of mercy in the world. He highlighted the Holy Father’s pastoral witness of humility, compassion and outreach to the poor, the sick and those on the margins.
“Yes, of course, we should pray for him. But there is so much more to do. We will truly honor him if every day we try to do our part to lead others closer to Christ and back to His Church,” Bishop Burbidge said. “I believe we can best honor him if we promise tonight to accept the invitation he so often gave us: to be recipients of mercy, and to be instruments of mercy.”
The Prayers of the Faithful echoed that theme, with intercessions offered for the repose of Pope Francis, for world leaders seeking reconciliation and peace, for those struggling with sin or addiction, and for the promotion of vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life.
As the Mass drew to a close, Msgr. Većeslav Tumir, currently serving as charge d’affaires of the Vatican’s Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, offered closing remarks on behalf of Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio, who is currently in Rome and will be an elector in the upcoming conclave.
Msgr. Tumir recalled reflecting early in Pope Francis’s pontificate on the three popes he had known personally — St. John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis — and likening them to the virtues of hope, faith and charity.
“Though only a short time had passed since his election, it was already evident that Pope Francis wished to remind the Catholic Church and the entire world that we are all brothers, and that our hope and our faith must be expressed in concrete acts of love for the poor, the marginalized, the forgotten, and those left behind,” he said.
Msgr. Tumir also quoted Pope Francis’s 2015 homily at the National Shrine, delivered during the canonization Mass for St. Junípero Serra — the first canonization ever celebrated on U.S. soil — emphasizing the Christian call to missionary discipleship:
“A Christian finds joy in mission: go out to people of every nation.
A Christian experiences joy in following a command: go forth and proclaim the Good News.
A Christian finds ever-new joy in answering a call: go forth and anoint.”
“It was God’s gift to him and to us that, on Easter Sunday, he was able to bid farewell to the people he loved, showing us that even in our frailty we can still share with others the joy of the Gospel,” Msgr. Tumir said.
