Pope Francis Mourned and Remembered

Pope Francis passed away early in the morning of April 21, at the age of 88. The FCCB released the following statement, joining Catholics around the world in mourning the Holy Father and reflecting on his legacy: 

"Extolling Catholics to civic virtue, [Pope Francis] urged the faithful to immerse themselves in politics and appealed for a renewed appreciation of politics as “a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity, inasmuch as it seeks the common good.” (Evangelii Gaudium, no. 205) Yet, he called us to a better kind of politics, one that consistently sees the inherent dignity in others and is based on the practice of social friendship. He urged a healthy politics that is capable of reforming and coordinating institutions and of inspiring new ways of approaching the problems of today’s world."

Click here to read FCCB's full statement on the death of Pope Francis
On Thursday, April 24, a moment of silence was held for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis on the Senate floor. "If we could take a moment to recognize a great man and a leader in our world, who has left us," said Senator Colleen Burton (R-Winter Haven), who made the request. 
The Holy Father's funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. CET (4:00 a.m. EST). The funeral Mass marks the beginning of the "Novendiales," a nine-day period of mourning and daily memorial Masses.
Vatican News will livestream the Mass on its YouTube channel. Many Catholic media and secular news outlets will be broadcasting as well.