The following is the text of the homily Bishop Coerver delivered during the Diocese of Lubbock Memorial Mass for Pope Francis at Christ the King Cathedral on April 26, 2025.

For the past to months, like many people around the world, I was bracing myself for the news of the Death of Pope Francis, but after seeing images of him in the Popemobile in St. Peter’s Square last Sunday — on Easter — I loosened up my “brace position” just a bit.

“If he’s riding around the square maybe he is improving, although his arms and hand gestures looked extremely weak.”

And, then, Monday morning hit.

In the weeks prior, I was concerned that I would take news of his death very hard — as though a family member had died.

After all, he assigned me to my present ministry, and in his writings and speeches and homilies, he had become like a mentor to me – albeit from afar. But I greeted the news on Monday with some resignation — Peaceful resignation.

He was finally at rest. His divinely appointed mission had been fulfilled.

And so in preparation for this moment, this Memorial Mass of the Diocese of Lubbock, I heard profoundly and took to heart those words from the Prophet Isaiah:

“The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces; …” “… the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples.”

“The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces; …” “… the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples.”

Our faith can take our inevitable sadness and transform it into peace. Peace like, surprisingly, I experienced on Monday. Allowing that peace to dwell deeply within us, we can reflect – in a spirit of thanksgiving —on the life of Pope Francis.

In his role as pope, he proved, early on, to be unafraid to speak out, especially on behalf of the poor and marginalized. He encouraged the universal Church, the body of Christ on earth, to exercise the very mercy Christ manifested in his life and ministry.

From the beginning of his pontificate, to the day of his death, a chief mark of his ministry was that of mercy. He proclaimed the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy during the 2016 liturgical year, saying:

“Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy.” “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy.”

“At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives.”

Pope Francis was the quintessential face of the Father’s mercy for our time. He encouraged the Church to be more welcoming and outward focused... to reach out to those on the peripheries and to widen the space of our tent on behalf of: Welcome; Inclusion; and unity.

Pope Francis was the quintessential face of the Father’s mercy for our time. He encouraged the Church to be more welcoming and outward focused, not so concerned about internal, self-referential, hierarchical affairs — but instead to reach out to those on the peripheries and to widen the space of our tent on behalf of: Welcome; Inclusion; and unity.

He was a constant advocate for the unity of all people because we are all brothers and sisters, as he made so clear in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, which he concluded by praying:

“Lord, Father of our human family, you created all human beings equal in dignity: pour forth into our hearts a fraternal spirit and inspire in us a dream of renewed encounter, dialogue, justice and peace. Move us to create healthier societies and a more dignified world, a world without hunger, poverty, violence and war.

“May our hearts be open to all the peoples and nations of the earth. May we recognize the goodness and beauty that you have sown in each of us, and thus forge bonds of unity, common projects, and shared dreams.”

He wished that our faith in Jesus Christ and the life of the Church be marked by joy — the joy of the Gospel. Thus, his signature apostolic exhortation, the manifesto, if you will, of his pontificate, Evangelii Gaudium, which he begins by saying:

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. “Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. “With Christ, joy is constantly born anew. “In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.”

He encouraged encounter with the person of Jesus and encounter with all our brothers and sisters of whatever opinion, lifestyle, ethnicity, nationality, or religious background.

Those who encounter Jesus – “Encounter” was one of his favorite themes. He encouraged encounter with the person of Jesus and encounter with all our brothers and sisters of whatever opinion, lifestyle, ethnicity, nationality, or religious background.

His wish was that relationship among all people would be marked by interpersonal closeness. He consistently reminded all people of our need to be responsible as stewards of our common home, the earth.

His encyclical Laudato Sí was a landmark document whose theme he never shrunk from. He concluded that encyclical with a prayer as well:

“All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. “You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. “Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty. “Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. “O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.

“Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. “Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. “Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. “We thank you for being with us each day.

“Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace.”

And he called us during our current Jubilee Year to be Pilgrims of Hope. In his Easter Sunday homily – 6 days ago — read on his behalf, he wrote:

“The Jubilee invites us to renew the gift of hope within us, to surrender our sufferings and our concerns to hope, to share it with those whom we meet along our journey and to entrust to hope the future of our lives and the destiny of the human family.

“And, so, we cannot settle for the fleeting things of this world or give in to sadness; we must run, filled with joy. “Let us run towards Jesus, let us rediscover the inestimable grace of being his friends. “Let us allow his Word of life and truth to shine in our life.”

He called us to live and share hope. He called us to be Missionary Disciples.

In our Second Reading St. Paul wrote:

“I charge you in the presence God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.”

I can hear Pope Francis calling us to just such an evangelizing vocation. Evangelization which consists of: Welcoming; Accompanying; For encounter with Christ and others.

So, we journey together, here, today — from sadness to peace; from peace to thanksgiving. From thanksgiving to hope – a hope to be shared; a hope nurtured, here, by our sharing in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus; a hope encouraged in us as we imagine Pope Francis joining with the Jesus.

“Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, …

We hope and pray he is in most intimate encounter with right now. Joining with Jesus and praying for us.

“Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, …”

The earthly pilgrim journey of Francis, our Beloved Holy Father, has come to an end.

And our journey continues.

As it continues, we pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, using the words of a prayer shared with me this week:

“We pray, Lord, for the Holy Father: for Francis, your son, our brother in Christ, the servant of all God’s servants...

“Receive him into the peace you’ve promised to those who confess their need for your pardon, who faithfully, humbly hear your word who do your will, who call for justice, who share your mercy, who work for peace, and who herald the good news, first to the poor, whom they welcome, love and serve... “Francis loved us as you love us, Lord... “He met us right where we are and loved us for who we are...

“He didn’t assess or judge us by our sins, our failings or faults: he called us to be whom you made us to be your children, your own, your beloved...

“Shepherd our shepherd home, O Lord: he was gentle in leading us, and firm in calling us back to you, to your wisdom and will, to the fold of your love...

“Open up heaven to Francis, Lord, who faithfully opened his heart to you - and to all of us...” his brothers and sisters who pray for his soul this day.

Amen.