Dear Friends in Christ,
With deep sorrow and in the hope of the resurrection, I write to you upon the death of His Holiness, Pope Francis.
Pope Francis lived the life of the Gospel in full view of the entire world. His teaching, his example in everyday life, and his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church served as a profound witness to Christ’s love and compassion. Using his own words to the bishops and clergy of the Church, “he smelled like the sheep”—he was a genuine pastor and shepherd to the flock of Christ.
Rest eternal grant to him, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Please remember Pope Francis, the clergy and people of the Roman Catholic Church, and all those who mourn this beloved shepherd, in our liturgies and in our prayers during this Easter season.
Faithfully,
The Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano
Bishop of Long Island