2 weeks Ago By JOEL DONOFRIO Yakima Herald-Republic
Less than 24 hours after many Catholics across the Yakima Diocese celebrated Easter, they learned of Pope Francis’ death. Francis died Monday morning at the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived at the Vatican, the Associated Press reported. His death came almost a month after he returned to the Vatican after being hospitalized for double pneumonia.
The Vatican said that Francis suffered a stroke that led to a coma and caused his heart to fail. Yakima Bishop Joseph Tyson celebrated two Masses on Monday at St. Paul Cathedral in Yakima and reflected on Francis’ concern and love for migrants, refugees and “those on the peripheries” of society.
“His ‘Ubi et Orbi’ (“To the City and to the World”) message given each Easter was pointed and direct,” Tyson said in his homily on Pope Francis . “He spoke to the need to care for migrants and refugees. “He suggested their plight is directly related to the welfare and violence around the world,” Tyson added.
“He had a special place in his heart for the life of the Church on the peripheries.” In late January 2019, Tyson made his first ad limina visit with Pope Francis with other bishops from the Pacific Northwest, and the pontiff greeted each bishop personally. “When he got to me, he switched to (speaking) Spanish and specifically thanked us for our efforts on behalf of migrants and refugees here in Central Washington,” Tyson said.
Catholic, Jesuit leaders across the Northwest mourn Pope Francis, remembering him as a humble, empathetic leader Tyson said the pope’s death immediately after his Easter Sunday appearance and greeting to well-wishers on the plaza of St. Peter’s Basilica surprised and saddened people around the world. But Tyson stressed that even in his death, Pope Francis sends out Catholics in Central Washington and elsewhere as “pilgrims of hope” to spread the Gospel message of love for our neighbors, whomever they may be and where they may be from.
Tyson added that Francis always stressed “the importance of closeness to those overlooked including the migrants in our midst.” Conference this weekend The diocese will celebrate Francis’ life during this weekend’s annual Hispanic Conference for Family Evangelization, scheduled Friday through Sunday at the Yakima Valley SunDome, diocesan chancellor Msgr. Robert Siler said.
Friday and Sunday Masses at the event, along with the Saturday evening Eucharistic devotion, will be bilingual events honoring the pope, Siler said. “We are encouraging all Catholics to attend,” Siler added. “There is some fear in the Hispanic community, unfortunately, about attending church events because of the harsh deportation rhetoric circulating, and Bishop Tyson hopes to help dispel that fear – or at least to face it with hope.
” For more information on the evangelization event, visit yakimadiocese.org ..
