Requiem Mass

Pope Francis

JORGE M ARIO B ERGOGLIO was born on 17th December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His father, Mario worked as an accountant for the national railways after emigrating to Argentina from Piedmont, north-west Italy. His mother Regina was born in Buenos Aires to a family of Italian origin. She and Mario had five children, of whom Jorge was the eldest. He left secondary school with a diploma in applied chemistry and then worked briefly in a food processing laboratory before entering the diocesan seminary and then entering the novitiate of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in Buenos Aires. He was ordained a priest on 13th December 1969, subsequently completing the final stage of Jesuit formation in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. On 22nd April 1973 Father Bergoglio made his final vows to become a Jesuit. Only a few months later, on 31st July, he was appointed the provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in Argentina for a six-year term, after which he served as Rector of the Jesuit seminary in Buenos Aires. On 20th May 1992, Bergoglio was appointed auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and Titular Bishop of Auca by Pope John Paul II, becoming Archbishop on 28th February 1998. For his motto, Francis chose the phrase Miserando atque eligendo, translated roughly, this means ‘by having mercy and by choosing [him].' The words are from a homily by the Venerable Bede for the feast of Saint Matthew.

Elected Pope on 13th March 2013, Francis was the first non-European Pope for nearly 1,300 years, the first Pope from the southern hemisphere, and the first Pope to be a member of the Society of Jesus. A champion of ecclesial reform, an advocate for the poor and refugees, Pope Francis urged the world to develop a relationship with the Earth which he called “Our Common Home”. He said we face an “environmental-social crisis,” marked by “globalised indifference to the poor”. Care for people, he said, should always trump financial gain. “My people are poor and I am one of them,” was a favoured saying. These were not mere words: Francis chose to live in two plain rooms in the Vatican guesthouse rather than the residence in the Apostolic Palace traditionally used by Popes. He would invite the homeless to celebrate his birthday. At Francis’s behest, free showers and launderettes for the destitute were opened in Rome, and he created a Vatican Office for the care of refugees and migrants. Francis urged every Catholic parish and monastery in Europe to welcome a migrant family after bringing 12 refugees from Syria from Greece to re-settle in Italy. He visualised the Church as a “field-hospital” where sinners (he included himself) encounter God’s healing love and mercy.

His message was that God’s love was for everyone, including those who felt alienated from the Church for whatever reason. He stressed the need for every person to see their lives as a step by step journey into closer union with God, following the way and teaching of Jesus, the Christ. Ultimately, Francis desired a simple Church focused on evangelisation and sensitive to the needs of the poor.

Cathedral Church of Saint Barnabas, Nottingham

Praying for the Happy Repose of the Soul of

His Holiness Pope Francis

Saturday 26th April 2025 : 6.30pm

Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham

As the Bishop’s Procession enters the Cathedral, all STAND and sing: Abide with me, fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens, Lord, with me abide! When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour; what but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy Cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies; heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee: in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!

Entrance Rites

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Peace be with you.

And with your spirit.

Bishop Patrick welcomes all present to this solemn Requiem Mass, especially guests, representatives of the schools and organisations of the Diocese, and those joining via livestreaming.

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries. I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

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Ky-ri- e e-le-i-son. Ky-ri- e e-le-i-son.

Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, Lord, have mercy.

Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847)

Let us pray.

O God, faithful rewarder of souls, grant that your departed servant Pope Francis, whom you made successor of Peter and shepherd of your Church, may happily enjoy for ever in your presence in heaven the mysteries of your grace and compassion, which he faithfully ministered on earth.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

All SIT for the reading of sacred scripture.

Liturgy of the Word

The first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 5, verses 12 to 16.

A reading from the book of Wisdom

Many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the Apostles. And they were all together in the Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns round Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

The responsorial is taken from Psalm 118(1173), verses 2 to 4, and 22 to 27. The response, sung after the choir and after each verse, is:

Give praise to the Lord for he is good, his mercy endures for ever.

Let the house of Israel say, ‘His mercy endures for ever.’ Let the house of Aaron say, ‘His mercy endures for ever.’ Let those who fear the Lord say, ‘His mercy endures for ever.’

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, a marvel in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.

We beseech you, O Lord, grant salvation; we beseech you, O Lord, grant success. Blest is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord; the Lord is God, and has given us light.

The second reading is taken from the Book of Revelation, chapter 1, verses 9 to 13, and 17 to 19. A reading from the Book of Revelation.

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches.’

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash round his chest. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.’

The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

All STAND for the Gospel, taken from Saint John, chapter 20, verses 19 to 31 All join in singing the triple Alleluia after the cantor, and again after the versicle (John 20:29).

Al-le-lu-ia, al-le-lu-ia, al-le-lu-ia!

You believed, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

The Lord be with you. And with your spirit.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord’. But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

All SIT for the homily, preached by Bishop Patrick

At the end of the Homily all STAND as we are invited to profess our Christian faith: I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

We bring before the Lord our needs in the intercessions

God the Almighty Father, raised Christ his Son from the dead; with confidence we ask him to save all his people living and dead:

Let us pray to Christ who gives us the hope that our mortal bodies will become like his in glory. Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.

We pray for the happy repose of the Holy Father, Pope Francis: may the Lord grant him eternal rest in the heavenly kingdom.