From the Website of Vatican
links https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/pope-francis-requiem-mass-cardinal-re-homily.html
Cardinal Re at Requiem Mass: Pope Francis, a shepherd of the people
In
his homily at the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis, the Dean of the
College of Cardinals recalls the highlights of his intense and prophetic
12 years of pontificate marked by his closeness to the people,
especially the least and the last amongst us, and his deep love for the
Church open to everyone.
Over two hundred and fifty thousand people from all walks of life poured into St. Peter’s Square and the adjacent areas on Saturday morning to bid their final farewell to Pope Francis at his Requiem Mass. Over 150,00 others lined the streets of Rome as his coffin was taken in procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
The Solemn and moving celebration was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re joined by some 250 Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, and consecrated religious.
In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals delved into the many highlights of his remarkable and intense 12 years of Petrine Ministry marked by his style of closeness to the people and spontaneity of his gestures until the very end, but most importantly, by his deep love for the Church which he wanted open to everyone.
A view of St. Peter's square during the Requeim Mass for Pope Francis (Vatican Media)
A Pope that touched minds and hearts of many
Thanking
all those present and extending his greetings to the numerous religious
leaders, Heads of State, Heads of Government and Official Delegations
from across the world attending the Mass, Cardinal Re noted that the
outpouring witnessed in this week of mourning tells a lot on how much
the pontificate of Pope Francis “touched minds and hearts” of many
people, not only within the Church.
The good shepherd close to his people until the very end
Referencing
the Gospel passage where Christ charges Peter with shepherding His
flock, Cardinal Re remarked that “Despite his frailty and suffering
towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving
until the last day of his earthly life,” in which he “followed in the
footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd”
“The
final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is
that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his
serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony
of Saint Peter’s Basilica. He then came down to this Square to greet
the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the
open-top Popemobile.”
He
recalled how his decision to take the name Francis “immediately
appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to
base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of Saint
Francis of Assisi.”
A moment of the celebration (Vatican Media)
Open to everyone and attentive to the signs of the times
With
his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his
resolute personality, said Cardinal Re, “he immediately made his mark on
the governance of the Church.”
“He was a Pope among the
people”, with an open heart towards everyone, especially the
marginalised, the least among us, but “also a Pope attentive to the
signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the
Church.”
With his characteristic vocabulary and language, he
always sought to shed light on the problems of our difficult times with
the wisdom of the Gospel, encouraging Christians to live out their faith
amid these challenges and contradictions, which he liked to describe as
an “epochal change."
Pall beares carrying the casket with Pope Francis' remains outside the Basilica (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
Evangelisation central to Pope Francis' vision
Evangelisation, Cardinal Re explained, remained central to his vision, most notably expressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. His image of the Church as a “field hospital” characterised a Church actively engaging with the world’s wounds.
His
outreach to migrants and refugees, exemplified by the visits to
Lampedusa, Lesbos, and the US-Mexico border, was deeply symbolic of his
solidarity with the suffering.
His
gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons
are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was
constant.”
Among his 47 Apostolic Journeys, Cardinal Re
highlighted his visit to Iraq, which, he said, stood out as both a
“pastoral balm” and a call for interreligious dialogue.
His
global travels often brought him to places of deep need and conflict,
culminating in his 2024 visit to the Asia-Oceania region, which extended
the Church’s presence to the farthest peripheries.
His relentless emphasis on mercy
Cardinal
Re also highlighted Pope Francis’ relentless emphasis on mercy—centred
in his declaration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016—and his
persistent advocacy for a “culture of encounter” against the prevailing
“throwaway culture.”
His call for human fraternity, notably in his Encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’
and the 2019 Abu Dhabi joint Declaration on Human Fraternity for World
Peace and Living Together, underscored his desire for global solidarity
and peace.
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