A profound stillness enveloped St Mary’s Cathedral as hundreds gathered in solemn unity on 1 May, to honour the memory of the late Pope Francis at the Pontifical Requiem Mass.
It was a night of sacred memorial and reflection under the reverent guidance of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, as the Archdiocese of Sydney offered a collective embrace of faith and hopes for the repose of the Pontiff’s soul and the promise of eternal peace.
He began with a salute to Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Charles Balvo, who currently represents the vacant See of Rome. Concelebrating with His Grace were the auxiliary bishops of Sydney as well as several bishops and other clergy from across Australia.
Present also were diocesan vicar generals, priests, deacons and seminarians, and others representing ecclesial orders, religious congregations, archdiocesan agencies and ministries.
NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Federal Ministers Don Farrell and Deborah O’Neill and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore joined former Prime Ministers John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison along with former Governor General General Peter Cosgrove to commend Pope Francis to the God “he served so well.”
In his homily Archbishop Fisher related Pope Francis’ three favourite names for God – ‘Mercy’, ‘Joy’ and ‘Hope’ – to some of the key principles of the late pope’s teachings.
Of mercy, he remembered how Pope Francis “called the church to be a field hospital for wounded bodies, hearts, and souls, a place of mercy freely given.”
He recounted that Pope Francis had chosen as his motto: “Miserando Atque Eligendo” which translates to ‘having and choosing mercy.’
“It’s what Francis knew he needed. And we all need,” he said.
“Like the Prodigal son, we must all return to the Father, again and again. Throwing ourselves upon his mercy.”
Of ‘Joy’, the archbishop remembered how “The Holy Father wrote that the joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.”
Of ‘Hope’, he reflected on Pope Francis’ last message on Easter Sunday: “He has risen. Love has triumphed over hatred. Light over darkness,” said His Grace. “Through his witness, we saw that to approach God as a child means to retain hope to the end.”
An array of other Christian leaders joined the congregation, including leaders of the Greek and Coptic Orthodox churches, the Armenian Apostolic Church, Hillsong church and Uniting Churches.
Representatives of other faith traditions included the Grand Mufti of Australia and the head of the Buddhist Council of NSW.
In a moving liturgical experience, the celestial voices of the St Mary’s Choir filled the cathedral with hymns and chants, offering peace and comfort for those gathered.
Following the Mass, Mr Howard told The Catholic Weekly that he attended to remember Pope Francis as “a great Christian leader.”
“I admired him for his strong leadership, not only of the Catholic Church, but also of Christianity generally,” he said.
Anthony Digges was one of the many young Catholics present on the night.
“I’m here to join my fellow Catholics to pay our respects to Pope Francis and honour his impact on the hearts of the faithful and to pray for his soul and for the next pope. It’s about bringing reverence and as well as reflecting warmly on his pontificate,” he said.
Another of the young faithful, Anitra Smith, was glad to share her grief with other Catholics in prayer.
“There’s a lot to be grateful for and so it’s important for us as Catholics to unite to pray for the repose of his soul, but we also need to pray for the future of the church and the next Holy Father,” she said.
“It was such an incredible experience, “said Sydney mother Caitlin Muir who attended with her daughter, Sylvie.
“The glorious singing and the dedication and the attendance of so many priests and bishops and people of other faiths will stay with me for a long time.”
For St Mary’s Cathedral student Evan Zafiropoulos, the archbishop’s homily was particularly inspired.
“The way he integrated Pope Francis with that broader global message is something which is significant. I think Archbishop Fisher has a way of making these moments memorable and really mean something and it was inspiring to see how much the Pope meant to the archbishop and to all the clergy gathered. His legacy will endure,” he said.
Seminarian Cronan Yu was also particularly moved by archbishop’s homily.
“To be able to highlight the integration of Pope Francis’s thoughts throughout his pontificate was very touching. The cathedral is known for its reverent liturgies and exquisite music and it all came together tonight,” he said.
Deacon John Ting said he felt “honoured” to be involved.
“I was a little nervous seeing all the dignitaries in the front row but it was a wonderful night to remember Pope Francis,” he said.
“I was moved especially by the archbishop’s homily. I could feel the whole church lift and I too felt lifted remembering all the wonderful deeds Pope Francis did over a decade leading the church,” he said.