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- - " A -Creal PontiftCltteflasEnded
. "There are so many things to do. But my spiritual disposition is such that if the Lord wishes to call me today, even this very evening, I am ready." Pope John XXIII spoke these words a few months after his election-on October 28, 1958-as Vicar or: Christ and 261st successor of St.. Peter as Bishop of Rome. The words have now become a reality. At 7:49 P.M., Monday, Rome time, (Monday 'afternoon at 2 :49, our time) Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, his robust body and strong will finally overwhelmed by the repeated assaults -
brought about by stom ach cancer, yielded his soul to God. He was in
The
-ANCHOR
Fall River, Mass., Monday, June 3, 1963
Vol. 7, No. 23 ©
1963 The Anchor
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Bishop Connol,ly Says Pope
Succeeded in Promise
To Be A Pastor
the fifth year of his ponti ficate, the 39th year of his episcopate consecration, the 59th year of his priesthood, and the 82nd year of his life. Thus died the farmer's son who became Pope. The Pope died in the small bedroom of the Apostolic Palace high above St. Peter's Square. He died in the plain bed that had belonged to Pius XII. On the walls were a crucifix, pic tures of the Blessed Mother and of his family. Pope John had spoken often of death during the past year. Last Fall, at the time of the Vatican Council, he showed signs of illness. During, the past several days he had been subjected to hemorrhages but -surprisingly-seemed some what better on Thursday. Then at midnight Thursday,' Rome time, he took a turn for the worse and after being' present at Mass and receiving Holy Com munion Friday morning asked for Extreme Unction. He was lucid and calm throughout. His condition began to deteriorate rapidly Friday af ternoon and he lost conscious ness Friday evening. Since that time he has alternated between coma and consciousness, ,with only his amazing vitality bring HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN XXIII
ing him out of the coma from time to time to speak to mem bers of the Curia and his staff, and to the members of his fam ily who had kept watch by his bed. At tlie time of being anointed the Pope offered his life for the Church, the Council, and peace among men. He addressed spec~ ial greetings 'to the Council A great pontificate has ended. and expressed the hope Pope John XXIII is dead in the 82nd year of his life Fathers that the work he' had begun and the fifth year of his reign. Never was a pontiff more would be brought to a happy widely mourned. Almost 77 years old at the time of his conclusion by another Pope. He election, this 261st successor successor who would have a expressed special affection, for his family, his Diocese of Rome, to 'St. Peter, it was freely longer. life expectancy. . and his native town of Sotto il 'd ld b " k" As it turned out, thl~ ponbft sal, wou e a careta er cate of John XXIII WillS one of Monte. All who saw the Pontiff were pontiff. That is, he' would the most eventful in the nearly deeply moved by his acceptance, inn~vate ,little disturb little 2,000 years of the Church'. his .' ' , tory. He 'Jpset precedents, made' of God's Will through his suf feri,ng and dying which he him ehlefly ~eep the status quo for a Turn to Page 13, col. 1 self said he had watched step by, step. , Time and time again since ' Friday evening the Pope had amazingly pulled back from the depths of a coma. Many times he had astonished Turn to Page 5, CoL 2
Our Holy Father, Pope John XXIII has gone to his , eternal reward. May God be good to him. May the angels and the saints 'receive hil1l at his coming. May he find joy in the company of the elect, and of the Blessed Mother, towards whom he 'had such childlike devotion. May he be completely lifted up to behold and savor for all eternity the wonderful vision of the all-Holy, all-Loving God the Father, the Son, our Savior, and God the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier. For months, almost years, Pope John lived with the thought of his own dissolution constantly in mind. In simple faith he professed that he was ready whenever the Lord would call him. Somewhat in the spirit of St. Francis of' Assisi he thought with' affection of "Sister Death." With characteristic humor, he said but a day or two ago that his bags were packed and he was ready for the journey. How really magnanimous a mind, and how honest an attitude in one who lived 80 long, so simply, so loyally and so lovingly in whatever concerned his relations with God and his fellow man. Seldom, if ever, has the world known such an outpour ing of anxious concern as we have had these past few days. Certainly it is doubtful that ever "before in the history of humankind has there been such unity in prayer, such an outpouring of concern for the well-being of one who five brief years ago was comparatively unknown. Pope John was said to be an "interim" Pope. He was expected to spell out a few years until a younger spiritual father came. He professed no great knowledge of science or diplomacy. His linguistic ability was limited, although he What happens after a pope dies!
did speak fluently the common speech of Charity. Seldom, How is his successor chosen?
if at all, and certainly not in our day, have men been so Who directs the Church between his death and
influenced by warmth, and personal charm, as they have of his successor? Custom, ancient ritual and renaming been by him. Never, perhaps, lfas St. Peter's in Rome seen There is a sure, and de- cent laws-some of them written such reverent recourse to a Holy Father as there has by Pope John himself--have es been to him. One feels tempted to say that the Love of tailed series of steps spelled tablished the procedur4~8 to be our for Vatican officials to followed. TUl'1l to Page 8, Column 1
Made Innovations, Upset Precedents
Follow Complicated Steps In' ,Election .of 'New Pope
follow after the Pope'. death.
Chancery Office Issues Instructions For Diocesan Clergy and Laity Immediately following the, death of the Supreme Pontiff, the Chancery Office issued the following directives to priests of the Fall River Diocese: Every priest is urged to celebrate three Masses for the repose of the soul of the Holy Father. occasion. This should be a ReA High or Solemn Mass q~iem Mass if the rubrics pe~ is to be offered in every mit. The. Mas~ ma.y sung In . '. . the evemng, If thIS wIll assure punsh at the earhest pOSSible Tum to Page 17, col. 1
m:
Turn to Page 6, col. 3
Successor Can Reconvene Council What is the fate of the Second'Va'tican Council after the Pope's death? Canon ~aw provides that the council is ended. Normally, although there is no legal coercion, the Pope's successor would be ex,pected to reconvene it if ,the assembly had not finished its work. U reconvened, the council almost certainly will have the same name. It will be considered the' same council. The Council of Trent, for example, had three popes presiding over it, being reconvened two times. .
Head 'of Diocese Sends Cablegram To Holy Father A telegram from Bishop Connolly was among the thousands that poured into the Vatican during the past few days. The Ordinary of the Fall River Diocese sent a cablegram to Amleto Cardinal Cicognani, Vatican Secretary of State, ad vising him of the prayers of the faithful for Pope John. The cablegram read: "Fall River Diocese united in prayer for beloved Holy Father." Bishop Connolly
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