Tippeary priest attends beautifully poignant grace-filled farewel for a remarkable man

I was looking forward to leaving Tipperary to join a number of pilgrims from Ireland to go to Rome to celebrate the canonisation of Blessed Carlo Acutis, and the hope that the Pope would be there in someway.
But the Lord had other plans.

I decided to travel a day earlier to Rome to get a sense of how things were and in preparation for the group that was arriving on Friday. As I arrived in the Vatican on Wednesday, the Holy Fathers remains had already arrived in Saint Peter’s Basilica and a huge swell of crowds from all sides trying to get into the Vatican was something I’ve never witnessed before.

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What also struck me was the serenity of the place despite the huge crowds. I decided to come back later that evening.
My cousin and her husband were visiting their daughter who’s living in Rome and they decided to go and queue at 7:30.

It was three hours before they arrived at the coffin of Pope Francis but felt it was such an important thing to do to be one of the quarter of a million people who had the chance to say goodbye over those three days when the public were allowed to do so.
Like any death and subsequent funeral, our plans are changed.

I’m sure the nearly quarter of a million people who passed by his coffin in those days, and a similar number who attended the funeral on Saturday including royalty, presidents, leaders, church and religious leaders had other things planned for this Saturday.

I know I did. Yet the Lord worked his wonders again and brought us all together to pray for the happy repose of the soul of Pope Francis.

Indeed it is amazing who we meet on such journeys. By the tomb of Pope Francis I met a man from England who is a teacher and I was inspired by his own reason for coming to Rome specifically on hearing the death of Pope Francis.

JUBILEE OF TEENAGERS
The priest sitting beside me at the funeral also had his reasons for being there indeed of many people who were there particularly teenagers who are there for the Jubilee of Teenagers which is taking place this weekend from all over the world.
It was wonderful to witness many of them singing, clapping and cheering Pope Francis and celebrating their faith in such a unique and positive way.

The group I was assisting who were coming out for the Canonisation still came but now they were coming for a funeral of the Pope rather than the canonisation of Carlo Acutis which is suspended until a later time. Each and everyone of them had their plans changed yet they embraced the great privilege, as I did, of going into Saint Peter’s Basilica queueing for hours to spend a few seconds reflecting praying for and being with Pope Francis one last time.
The young people from Ireland who are with me in their group spoke highly of Pope Francis and the great honour it was to be part of something so historic.

HUGE CROWDS
What struck them most was the huge crowds, the friends they made, the way the crowds burst into applause at various times during the funeral, and just the prayer for serenity despite their being over half a million people gathered in and around Saint Peter’s.

While the world is obviously saddened by the death of Pope Francis, earlier in the week I reflected on this which I shared on national and local radio stations who had interviewed me.
The fact that God allowed him to live until the end of the Easter Mass is deeply moving.
It is as if the Lord granted him just enough time to complete his mission one last time.

To bless the people and the world on the holiest day of the year.
It was like the Lord had said to him: “I ask you for one last time, feed my sheep, and bless my people on the day of myresurrection on Easter Sunday”.

And he did just that. And he went around the crowds and blessed them.
Our last image of him in public which will forever be etched in our hearts.
Then in the early hours of Easter morning The Lord granted him eternal rest. Truly, a grace-filled farewell.
Not even the best script or film writers could come up with an ending so beautifully poignant for such a remarkable man that Pope Francis was.

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In those several hours from the time I arrived after 6 in the morning and leaving just before 1 o’clock I really felt truly humbled and blessed to have been part of this historic and sacred Mass.
Many will speak of the legacy of Pope Francis and the words spoken about him in the last number of days echoes the great affection this man had for so many around the world.

For me, I will always remember the Pope who essentially was always a priest at heart in the way he ministered to the people of God no matter what their beliefs, background, or status in life.
He has now been laid to rest in a place that he found great solace in at Saint Mary Majors.
“Well done, good and faithful servant”.