The faithful gathered into St. Peter’s Square on Saturday for Pope Francis’ Funeral Mass. The crowds extended to the Tiber River.
Today, Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis was to canonize Blessed Carlos Actus. This weekend too is the Jubilee for Teenagers.
As you can see from the Vatican Discastery for Evangelization, they estimated over 80,000 young people to attend, along with their family members and chaperones. Thus, that would be well over 100,000.
The canonization of Blessed Actus was canceled just this past Monday after the pope’s unexpected death.
But the young people and their families and friends were already arriving in Rome for this weekend’s events, to include, most especially, Sunday’s canonization of Blessed Carlos Actus.
This in part, explains the huge crowds at the pope’s funeral on Saturday and for so many, extending again to the Tiber River, for Divine Mercy Sunday’s Mass which was for the Jubilee of Teenagers.
The Vatican Dicastery for Evangelization had organized a Jubilee of Teenagers for the weekend of Acutis's canonization, with over 80,000young people from around the world expected to attend. The jubilee is still set to take place, but will revolve instead around a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.
6 comments:
MT Suit hardest hit, K second
With Father McDo0nald's permission:
"At least 400,000 people gathered in Vatican City for Pope Francis' funeral and lined the streets to watch his coffin being taken to the Santa Maria Maggiore church for burial, according to Italy's interior minister.
"We estimate not fewer than 400,000 people between those present in St Peter's Square and those along the route," Matteo Piantedosi tells Italian news programme TG5."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald said..."As you can see from the Vatican Discastery for Evangelization, they estimated over 80,000 young people to attend, along with their family members and chaperones. Thus, that would be well over 100,000."
Father McDonald, thank you for that information.
I am thankful that many among the 80,000 to 100,000 folks in question had deemed it proper to assist at the funeral Mass/or line the streets of Rome as Pope Francis was transferred to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. That informs me that said folks have the hearts and minds of holy Catholics.
It is also a hopeful sign as we hear frequently that young Catholics are not interested in the "Novus Ordo Church/Pope Francis."
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Italian officials have stated that a minimum of 400,000 people had attended the funeral, or, had lined streets in Rome as Pope Francis was transferred to his tomb.
-- Did all 80,000 to100,000 young people/family members/chaperones attend the funeral/line the streets in Rome? If so, then great!
-- The presence of the 80,000 to100,000 young people/family members/chaperones meant that they had filled space that other folks may have filled.
-- I am definitely not a math major. Therefore, please correct me if the following is incorrect:
80,000 to 100,000 young people/family members/chaperones represented from 20 to 25 percent of the 400,000 or so people within, and without, Saint Peter's Square.
The overwhelming percentage of people, 75 to 80 percent, in, and around, Saint Peter's Square, were not among the young people/family members/chaperones in question. Is that correct?
Therefore, 300,000 to 320,000 out of 400,000 people were not among the young people/family members/chaperones.
Again, please correct me if my math is wrong. Thank you.
Anyway, Deo gratias for the thousands of young Catholics/family members/chaperones who prayed for, as well as displayed love and respect, for Pope Francis.
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Pax.
Mark Thomas
With Father McDonald's permission: Part 1
From: The Pillar:
Beautiful, uplifting comments.
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/a-living-gospel-what-mourners-say
-- ‘A living Gospel’: What mourners say about Pope Francis Why Catholics say they came to a papal funeral
Ana Sofía Pérez, Carlos Pérez and Indiana Pérez — Tucumán, Argentina
"We had actually planned the trip to Rome for the canonization of Carlos Acutis but then the pope died. So, as Argentinians we couldn't miss it, we had to come and bid farewell to the most important Argentinian in history.
"Pope Francis is a great pride for us as Argentinians, he had a perspective of Our Lord that our country and the world needed. But now as a country and as a Church we have the responsibility to continue his work."
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-- Jeremy Metais — France
"I didn’t plan to come originally, but felt the impulse to come here because it was important for me to come and pay tribute to Pope Francis. He's a pope who has had a profound impact on my life, so I needed to be here to say goodbye to him.
"I really loved his simplicity and his closeness to the poor really spoke to me. I’ve never had a spiritual father like him in my life."
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-- Fr. Camilo Bardisa, Archdiocese of Valencia — Spain
"We were coming to the canonization of Carlo Acutis like a lot of people, but when the canonization was suspended we found ourselves here, and we came to say goodbye because it is the least we can do for the Holy Father, to pray for him and live this moment.
"It has been very important because it has been very opportune for this moment in the life of the church because he helped us to remember what is really essential in the Gospel and what is the best way to give a testimony and spread the message of the Gospel to the world."
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-- Chris Gonzalez — Manila, The Philippines
"I was initially here for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, but now we’re here for the funeral. This is a surreal moment for me because “Lolo Kiko,” as we Filipinos fondly called him, was really close to the Filipino people, so I’m here to express my deepest gratitude for his papacy.
"Spiritually, he was a beacon of simplicity and a beacon of hope for everyone. He is really a breath of fresh air to a lot of us Catholics, and especially for us, the youth, through his papacy. We feel more included in the mission of the Church and we feel strengthened by him to now evangelize the world."
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-- Cristian Ribas — Ecuador
"For us, Pope Francis is a man of the people. He called us to be united, to share with others without distinction, the youth, the poor, everyone. He never saw distinctions. He is one of us, a man of the people, as we say in Ecuador. He attracted a lot of people.
"We came to say goodbye to him on Thursday and Friday, and now at the funeral. We will carry him in our heart because he was a humble man, a man of the people.
"Spiritually for us, he was the greatest. As it happened with John Paul II, he leaves us with pain in our heart, but we hope that the new pope follows the same path as Francis.'
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-- Diana Guerrero — Bogotá, Colombia
"I came all the way from Bogotá to say goodbye to Pope Francis as I had the grace of being here these days, so I couldn't miss the opportunity.
"Pope Francis was the visible face of Christ on Earth, so as a Catholic I just feel lucky to be here."
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Pax.
Mark Thomas
With Father McDonald's permission:
Part 2:
-- Fr. Charbel Boustany — Australia, Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate
'I entered religious life in 2012, so he’s been a big part of my vocation and my spiritual life.
"Pope Francis to me is just a great example of a pastor, of a priest who really cares for the flock of God and wants to lead people to heaven, so he’s a great example of a pastor who imitates the heart of Christ."
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-- Brother Diloshan Sebastiampillai, OCD — Sri Lanka
"This is a great loss for the Church, so we’re praying for the soul of the pope to rest in peace and for the Church to continue in this spirit of wider understanding.
"As someone who’s studying to be a priest in Rome, Francis is an example of a holy priest that inspires me to go to the whole world to proclaim the good news."
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-- Dulce Abad — The Philippines
"I was supposed to attend the canonization of Carlo Acutis and go through the Holy Door. I’m so sad that the pope is gone, but I’m happy that I can say goodbye to him at this significant moment.
"He’s a beloved figure for us Filipinos, we always felt he loved us so much, he’s a hope for our people, especially for the marginalized and the poor, so we are sad to lose him."
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-- Sister Blandina, SBP — Ivory Coast
"For me, Pope Francis is everything. He was a living Gospel, he’s a father who’s loved his people. Just by saying that he was a living Gospel I say everything I need to say about him."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
"Pope Francis . . . called us to be united, to share with others without distinction, the youth, the poor, everyone. He never saw distinctions."
Even to the detriment of the Faith, and except when he did.
"Pope Francis is everything."
No further comment.
Nick
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