April 30, 2025 Editor’s note: The following is Bishop Terry R. LaValley’s homily from a special Mass held for Pope Francis on April 23. As soon as I learned that the Holy Father died, my memory kicked into overdrive and I began reminiscing about the few occasions in which I had the privilege of meeting and talking with him: once during his Pastoral Visit to the U.S., once on a pilgrimage I led to holy places in Italy and, the first time, at our NYS Bishops’ ad limina visit. Allow me to share with you something about that first visit. The bishops of New York State met with him in a room where all the chairs were arranged in a circle. In true synodal fashion, Pope Francis asked that we go around the room and ask him a question about anything we wished. Most of the questions posed by the bishops ahead of me addressed the more politically sensitive and contentious issues of the day. I decided that I wanted to get a little more personal with him. “What keeps you up at night?” I asked the Holy Father. He paused, then he said, “the condition of our families today.” He then went on to share the prayers he says for his own family and their struggles. He spoke of the very troubling divorce rate. The Pope said that even in his own family there were some real challenges that he expounded upon. He was so concerned about the fragile state of our families today. It was no mere coincidence that he convened the Synod on Families, and he inaugurated the Jubilee Year of Hope on Holy Family Sunday. Ministry and support of families was important to him. During this Easter Season, a time in which our hope, of course is focused on the Resurrection, we pray for the strengthening of the faith life of our families, particularly their participation in Holy Eucharist, the Mass. On this Easter Wednesday, in today’s familiar Gospel story of the Road to Emmaus, we meet some followers of Jesus who, dejected, confused and discouraged, are encountered by the Risen Lord and experience a Eucharistic moment. Like those early followers of Christ, many of our loved ones experience discouragement, disappointment, confusion and even anger in our troubled world today. May we never tire of encouraging them, especially our family members to join us for the ultimate encounter with Jesus at the Eucharist. We pray that the earthly labors of our Shepherd, Francis, bring him the reward of eternal life with our God in heaven. AMEN. |
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