The Papal Funeral Mass

The Papal Funeral Mass

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         I was an early riser on Saturday, April 26, 2025.  I decided that I would watch the Papal Funeral Mass.  The Mass was said in Latin, and many other languages were used for the Scripture Readings.  That Mass made me realize that Catholics have a vast heritage.  I began to pray in Latin.  I forgot the words of the Confiteor, but I remembered the Kyrie eleison and the Christe eleison.  The Scripture Readings touched my soul very deeply.

         The eulogy painted a picture of Pope Francis that few of us ever see.  He was a humble man who was entrusted the keys to the kingdom as he walked in the footsteps of all his predecessors and Jesus.  He had the common man’s touch where he could relate to everyone whether they are rich or poor.  He worked for peace in the world especially in Gaza and Ukraine.  That is one of the greatest testimonies any one can have.  Jesus once said, “ Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”  He was concerned for the welfare of all peoples such as the Christians in Sudan and of course all migrants.  Some people may say that Pope Francis tore up some of the traditional thinking of the Catholic Church, but then he rebuilt the deposit of the faith with a fresh new perspective.  I was told that this is the Jesuit approach of solving problems.

         Getting back to the prayers of the Mass, I remembered the Sanctus and the prayers leading up to the Sanctus.  From my youth I recalled the words of Consecration.  Let no man make changes to these holy and sacred words.  I prayed the Lord’s Prayer along with the Agnus Dei and all other prayers that I could still remember.  That Mass brought me back to my youth even though it was not the Tridentine Latin Mass.  It made me realize what a vast treasure all of us have as Catholics.  We are truly the one true Church as founded by Jesus Christ.  Maybe, its is time that all of us should relearn our Latin prayers and use some Latin in our vernacular Masses.  That Mass made me yearn for days gone by.  It was a tribute to the universality of the Roman Catholic Church.  We do not need to say every prayer in Latin, but a good mix of Latin and English would instill in us the history and the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.  You probably have noticed that the ends of my articles have some Latin words.  It is a beautiful language.

          Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Laus Deo.  See you in Paradise.