At first Mass commemorating Pope Francis’ death, Bishop Iffert recalls devotion to interior freedom and synodality

Laura Keener

Editor

Over 200 people gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington, April 22, the day after the announcement of Pope Francis’ death, as Bishop John Iffert celebrated a stational Mass commemorating the death of the Holy Father. The Mass was the first of several liturgical celebrations in the Diocese joining local prayers to those of all the world for the peaceful repose of Pope Francis, who has led the Universal Church since March 2013.

“We join our prayers to all the Church in assisting Pope Francis as he journeys to the final shore. May he have, for all eternity, the freedom that he tried to share with us by his witness on the largest of stages,” said Bishop Iffert as he closed his homily.

Earlier in his homily Bishop Iffert said that since Pope Francis’ passing, “we’ve heard lots of memories that have no doubt moved us, stirred up in us sadness and moved us with joy.”

From as early as the first days of his election to the papacy, when Pope Francis returned to his hotel to personally check-out and pay his bill, to his final days, when, for years now, he has been calling the last remaining Catholic parish in war-torn Gaza every day asking the hundreds of displaced people gathered there if they have food, water and the ability to charge their cell phones so that they can communicate with loved ones. “Like a father. Right? Thinking about all the necessities of what’s needed there,” said Bishop Iffert.

Many have noted that Pope Francis was the first Jesuit priest in the history of the Church. As a Jesuit, Pope Francis valued the process of discernment of God’s will for individuals and the Church.

“He shared that in a special through that Jesuit practice of spiritual conversation, which was so manifest in his call for synodality in the life of the Church,” said Bishop Iffert. “He wanted to lead us to be a people who could talk to one another and listen to one another without judgement; who could come to conversations without preformed opinions but who could come together and hear the experience of others and pray and ask God to open us to the movement of the Holy Spirit, so that we could discern the will of God and the way forward for us together as the ecclesial Body of Christ on earth.”

Bishop Iffert said that his favorite aspect of Pope Francis was his interior freedom.

“When he believes that the Lord, God is calling him to something, he does it — speedily! He is faithful to the Word of God as he recognizes it in his life and he doesn’t care what people say about him or how they attack him … if he thought something was right, he did it,” said Bishop Iffert. “He was a man, and is a man, who understands that freedom comes from being a child of God and that God intends for us to live as free children.”

Additionally, in the Diocese of Covington, on the day of Pope Francis’ death, churches throughout the diocese rang bells for 10 minutes beginning at 3 p.m. Church doors are draped in black or purple bunting or decorated with black or purple bows or wreaths as a sign of mourning until a new pope is announced. At that time, the buntings will change to the papal colors of white and gold.