As a Mercy college, we live in the light of Easter. The Resurrection of Jesus assures us that death is not the end, but a doorway to eternal life. It is a promise that suffering will be transformed, darkness overcome, and love will have the final word.
Yet today, we also feel the weight of grief. With the death of Pope Francis, the Church mourns the loss of a humble shepherd, a courageous voice for the poor, the marginalised, and for our common home. He was a living witness to the Risen Christ—his life echoing the compassion, mercy, and simplicity of Jesus.
In this Easter season, we are reminded that resurrection does not deny the pain of death, but transfigures it. Pope Francis, who proclaimed the joy of the Gospel, now shares fully in the promise of the Resurrection he so faithfully preached.
Let us hold together our sorrow and our Easter hope. We give thanks for Pope Francis’ life and leadership, and we entrust him to the loving embrace of the God he served with his whole heart.
So we pray…
Risen Christ,
You broke the power of death and rose to bring us life.
In this Easter season, we rejoice in the empty tomb,
and the love that could not be defeated.
But today, our hearts are heavy.
You have called home your servant, Pope Francis,
who led your Church with humility, courage, and joy.
We thank you for his witness:
for the way he walked with the poor,
spoke out for justice,
and reminded us of your boundless mercy.
As we grieve, let us not be overcome by sorrow,
but renewed in faith—
faith in your Resurrection,
faith that Pope Francis now rests in your eternal peace.
Comfort your Church, O Lord.
Guide us through this time of mourning
with the same Spirit that raised you from the dead.
May we carry forward the joy of Easter,
in memory of a shepherd who loved your flock.
Amen.
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pope_Francis_hugs_a_man_in_his_visit_to_a_rehab_hospital.jpg