{"id":13202,"date":"2025-04-25T17:41:45","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T00:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/?p=13202"},"modified":"2025-04-25T17:41:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T00:41:45","slug":"southern-californians-remember-pope-francis-at-memorial-mass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/southern-californians-remember-pope-francis-at-memorial-mass\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern Californians Remember Pope Francis at Memorial Mass"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Memorial Mass<\/h2>\n

Los Angeles Archbishop Jos\u00e9 H. Gomez celebrated a Memorial Mass on Friday, April 25, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles in downtown to honor the life and ministry of Pope Francis.
\nThe liturgy was held in anticipation of the pope\u2019s funeral in Rome on Saturday. It drew auxiliary bishops, local clergy, elected officials, consul generals, interfaith leaders and parishioners, who gathered to pray for the late pontiff and give a final farewell from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
\n\u201cWe come together with hearts full of both sorrow and gratitude as we celebrate this Memorial Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis,\u201d Gomez said.
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\nFrancis, the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to serve as pontiff, led the Catholic Church from 2013 until his death earlier this week at age 88 from a stroke and heart failure.<\/p>\n

The Life and Ministry of Pope Francis<\/h2>\n

He\u2019s remembered for his focus on mercy, care for the poor, and efforts to make the Catholic Church more responsive to modern social issues from human rights to climate change. Francis\u2019 funeral Mass will take place Saturday in St. Peter\u2019s Square in front of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica in Vatican City.
\nThe Memorial Mass in Los Angeles was attended by a large crowd, with a capacity of about 3,000, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles was nearly full, and more than 1,200 people joined the celebration via livestream.<\/p>\n

Reflections from Archbishop Jos\u00e9 H. Gomez<\/h2>\n

Gomez recalled how Francis chose the Italian island of Lampedusa for his first pastoral visit outside Rome \u2014 a small, remote island in the Mediterranean that had become a symbol of the migrant crisis, with many refugees risking their lives to reach its shores.
\nHis visit reflected the pope\u2019s call for people to look beyond their own comfort and recognize their responsibility toward others, Gomez said.
\n\u201cFor these past 12 years, Pope Francis has been urging us to recover our common humanity. He told us that we are responsible for one another, that we have the duty to care for one another,\u201d Gomez said. \u201cHe gave us a beautiful vision of the world as God intends it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Funeral Mass and Novendiales<\/h2>\n

Pope Francis\u2019 funeral Mass on Saturday will begin the traditional nine days of mourning and prayer known as the Novendiales. A large gathering of world leaders, church officials and mourners is expected to attend.
\nIn Los Angeles, Catholic churches will join the worldwide Catholic community in offering prayers for the late pope, with special prayers at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels before each Mass from Sunday, April 27, through May 4.<\/p>\n