Marco Carvalhoย
In a sober but joyful ceremony, hundreds of faithful gathered at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady early Tuesday evening for a Mass in memory of Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. The liturgy, celebrated by Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang in three languages – Cantonese, Portuguese and English – attracted a large number of faithful from different backgrounds, who prayed for the Argentine pontiff’s soul and asked God to welcome him into the immensity of his love.
Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-san recalled, in a heartfelt and reflective homily, Pope Francis strong connection with the poor and destitute during the memorial mass held Tuesday evening, April, 29th, at the Macau Cathedral. The liturgy was offered in remembrance of the pontiff, who passed away on April 21st, at the age of 88.
Bishop Lee expressed the local Churchโs deep sorrow at the death of Pope Francis and looked back on the pastoral and spiritual legacy the Argentine pontiff left to the Church. Throughout the twelve years of his pontificate, Pope Francis humbly embodied Christ’s love for humanity, the prelate said in his address: โDespite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life. He followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who loved his sheep to the point of giving his life for them. And he did so with strength and serenity, close to his flock, the Church of God, well-aware of the words of Lord Jesus, who himself said, โIt is more blessed to give than to receiveโ, Bishop Lee added.
The devotees gathered at the Cathedral offered their prayers for the repose of Pope Francisโ soul. In his homily, the Bishop of Macau invited local Catholics to follow the example of the Argentine Pope, who helped guide us in the footsteps of Christ and was a beacon of hope, humility and wisdom: โHe was a Pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone. He was also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church. He often used the image of the Church as a โfield hospitalโ after a battle in which many were woundedโ, Bishop Lee recalled, in is homily. โA Church determined to take care of the problems of people and the great anxieties that tear the contemporary world apart; a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds. Pope Francis always placed the Gospel of mercy at the center, repeatedly emphasizing that God never tires of forgiving us. He always forgives, whatever the situation might be of the person who asks for forgiveness and returns to the right pathโ, the prelate added.
Shortly before the ceremony, which was attended by almost all the clergy of the Catholic Diocese of Macau, Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-Sang told TDM that Jorge Maria Bergoglio will always be remembered as โthe Pope of the Peopleโ. Talking to Macauโs public broadcaster, Bishop Lee recalled four of the most important aspects of Jorge Mario Bergoglioโs pontificate: “I would like to mention four things about Pope Francis: first, he was a pope of the people. He often insisted that our Church should welcome everyone without exception and often spoke of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Secondly, he also very resolute about joy. When he wrote the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, he praised the joy of being a Christian. Thirdly, he drew the world’s attention to our duties and responsibilities towards our common home, the Earth. Finally, Pope Francis has often referred to the importance of building bridges instead of wallsโ, the Bishop of Macau remarked.
A friend of the poor and marginalized
The memorial liturgy began at 7 p.m and brought together good number of participants, from different languages and cultures, who honored the pastoral legacy of the late Pope. Among the many faithful who attended Francis’ memorial Mass were diplomats, political dignitaries, academics, lawyers and well-known personalities from Macau’s civil society, united in their respect for “a good man” and “an exceptional leader”.
Alexandre Leitรฃo, Consul General of Portugal in Macau and Hong Kong, recalls the ecumenical and human dimension of Pope Francis’ pontificate and his unquestionable ability to build bridges and reach out to the margins of society: “Pope Francis had this remarkable ability to communicate, as Bishop Lee rightly said, with everyone: non-believers, believers of other religions, in an extraordinarily accessible and very ecumenical way. I think the world is saying farewell to a man who is generally considered to be a good manโ, the diplomat claims. โI believe Pope Francis was a man who constantly emphasized the human dimension of all of us. We are human, we make mistakes, we sin, but we are building a society and we have to choose humanism. We must always put man – as God’s creation, of course, and above man, God – at the center and not be distracted by venality and excessive individualismโ, the Portuguese Consul General in Macau and Hong Kong adds.
The most important aspect of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s legacy as leader of the Catholic Church, Paul Pun Chin Meng claims, is the attention the pontiff paid to the poor and marginalized. Instead of mourning his death, the secretary-general of Caritas Macau contends that Catholics should follow Francis’ example and put his teachings into practice: “The world will miss Pope Francis. But, more importantly, our society must put into practice what he taught. Put into practice not only his wisdom, but first and foremost his legacy. And the greatest legacy that Pope Francis has left Humanity is the way he has paid attention to the most vulnerable, to those who are suffering, those who are neglected, who live alone. Bringing hope to these people is a good way of keeping alive what he taught usโ, Paul Pun claims.
รlvaro Barbosa, Vice Rector for Internationalization and Academic Affairs at the University of Saint Joseph, believes that the death of Pope Francis leaves a void both in the Church and in the world. Having in mind the current crop of world leaders, the Argentine pontiff’s departure is a cause for sadness and concern: โEven beyond the walls of the Church, Pope Francis was the only world leader that people recognized as someone who led through empathy, who cared about people and not about power dynamicsโ, Barbosa argues. โI think he’ll be sorely missedโ, the academician concludes.
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