On the day of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome, Archbishop Bernard Longley, Bishop Timothy Menezes, Canon Brian McGinley and the members of the Metropolitan Chapter of St Chad's Cathedral welcomed guests from across the city of Birmingham and beyond, to pray together in gratitude for Pope Francis’  extraordinary ministry and compassionate outreach to the world.

Archbnishop Bernard Longley welcomed ecumenical guests as well as those from different faiths and civic representatives who joined together to reflect and pray. Archbishop Bernard read some of the messages he had received from leaders of other Christian denominations and other faiths expressing their heartfelt condolence.

Participation Booklet

Short video from the Solemn Vespers

Canon Brian McGinley, Dean of St Chad's Cathedral, gave the homily:

I'm sure that for most of us one of our lasting memories of Pope Francis will be his appearance on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Easter Sunday to wish the world buona pasqua, Happy Easter, and then to impart his blessing: “Urbi et Orbi” to the city and the world. All of us recipients of that blessing. 

To many, it was providential that Pope Francis left this world at Easter, the most important feast of the Christian faith; when we rejoice in a God who faces death frankly and who outstares it with the power of his own love. Resurrection is God’s protest, against the finality of death. It is love outstaring violence. It is the surprise of the overcoming and inevitability of death. Death is God having the last words. The last laugh. 

Today we are still very much in Easter time. We exult in a God who refuses to leave the dead forever dead. Jesus did suffer a violent death, he was buried. But God the Father has no intention of letting Jesus rest in peace. He gives death no permission to hold Jesus as a permanent victim of other people's violence. The resurrection is God’s answer to those who think that prophets are expendable, and that their death will render them harmless. The Father's undying affection for Jesus sweeps death aside. As he claims his beloved son again, nothing can come between them. 

Oh death, where is your victory? Oh death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

When we celebrate Easter We hold the memory of God’s great act in raising Jesus from the dead. But we believe that God’s graciousness will be extended to Pope Francis, and to ourselves. That our own death will not be the final word. 

Pope Francis spoke out boldly and often too protest against death in the midst of life. In his weekly Angelus message delivered from his window, overlooking Saint Peter's square, he appealed for prayer and lasting peace and just solutions to the many areas of conflict in our world. Through his many appeals, he spoke God’s word to power. We can all catch something of the reality of the resurrection when we experience new life in the midst of hopelessness. 

Pope Francis leaves us in the middle of a holy year of Jubilee, which he inaugurated at the end of 2024, that is proclaimed in the banners around the Cathedral. In the document for the inauguration of the Jubilee year 2025 entitled Spes non Confundit: in other words, hope does not disappoint, taken from the letter to the Romans, Pope Francis wrote the following:

What is the happiness that we await and desire? 

Not some fleeting, pleasure, a momentary satisfaction that once experienced keeps us longing for more. In a desperate quest that leaves our hearts unsated, and increasingly empty. We aspire to a happiness that is definitively found in the one thing that can bring us fulfilment, that is love. 

Thus, we will be able to say even now. I am loved, therefore I exist. And I will live forever in the love that does not disappoint. 

A love from which nothing can ever separate me.

As well as our memory of seeing Pope Francis on Easter Sunday. I had the privilege of meeting him during a visit to Rome in October 2019. It was part of an economical pilgrimage from Worcester, led by Archbishop Bernard and Bishop John of Worcester. We were given front seats at the Wednesday audience. Pope Francis came to meet our group, and many had a chance to speak with him shake his hand and take photographs. 
I remember clearly as he walked away from our group onto the next group, he simply turned around and raised his hands and looked at us and said: “Pray for me.” Pray for me. 

Apparently, he made this request to almost everyone he met individuals or in groups: Pray for me. That is what we and the whole world is doing. We saw it in the 250000 this morning in Saint Peter's square. In Pope Francis’ final testament, which was published a few days ago, we are mentioned. He wrote: “May the Lord grant a fitting reward to those who have loved me and who continue to pray for me.”

Cardinal Re, who presided at the funeral this morning, the Dean of the College of Cardinals said simply: Pope Francis had an open heart to everyone. He shed light on the world's problems in the light of the gospel. He was a champion of the poor, the refugees, the displaced. This evening, we are part of that great outpouring of love and prayer as we commend our beloved holy father to the loving embrace of our Saviour. 

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Photographs: Solemn Vespers