As the nation prepares to head to the polls on Monday, Monsignor Christian Pereira is calling on the 161 election candidates to pause the campaign trail to honour and reflect on the life of Pope Francis.
He invited them to attend a requiem mass for the late pontiff at the Minor Basilica (Cathedral) of the Immaculate Conception on Friday at 10 am.
Due to medical commitments, Father Pereira will be unable to attend the special service at which Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon will officiate. Father Pereira said the election candidates can learn from the Pope’s life.
“If they really want to serve, they can learn a lot from the life and example of this great human person who served this world by his life and commitment to all humanity, especially the poor, the marginalised and those who are different from the norm.”
Pope Francis, the world’s first Latin American pontiff, died at age 88 on Easter Monday.
Archbishop Gordon described the Pope’s passing as “a profound loss for the Church and the world,” and said he was “a true shepherd” and “a faithful disciple of Christ.”
“We have lost a man of incomparable depth and unwavering commitment to Christ.
“He kept the joy of the Gospel alive in our hearts, even as he called us to deeper love within our families, for our common home, for the poor and marginalised, and one another across every division.” —Sascha Wilson