Beloved in Christ,  it is with heavy hearts that we join the Universal Church in mourning the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. 

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, the second day of the Octave of Easter, at 7:35 AM.  We commend his soul to God, the Father of Mercies, and the God of all consolation.  We are grateful to God for the witness of his life and the gift of his papacy. 

Pope Francis exercised the Petrine Office in fidelity to the example of Christ, the Good Shepherd.  He was a man of humility and compassion and has left a record of advocacy on behalf of the poor, the forgotten, the marginalized and the weak.  He modeled strength in simplicity.

Pope Francis was a constant voice urging nations and peoples to foster peace.  In his Apostolic Blessing on Easter Sunday, the day before he died, Pope Francis once again called for peace;

“The light of Easter impels us to break down the barriers that create division and are fraught with grave political and economic consequences. It impels us to care for one another, to increase our mutual solidarity, and to work for the integral development of each human person.”

Pope Francis was a cultivator of the seeds of the Gospel and a tireless missionary disciple.  His life radiated with the joy of the Gospel.  He was a true pilgrim of hope, holding firm to the hope that does not disappoint.  

May the witness of his faith be an inspiration to us all and may the Easter faith of the Church, be our source of consolation and comfort.

May He Rest in peace. 

My brothers and sisters, let us pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit during this time of grief and transition in the Church.

In Christ,

Most Reverend Kendrick J. Forbes

Bishop of Roseau