Vatican City, Nov 4, 2016 / 05:36 am
Reflecting on the faithful work of the bishops and cardinals who have died in the past 12 months, Pope Francis said Friday that death does not separate us, but in fact unites us more closely in the Body of Christ.
"In the light of the Paschal Mystery of Christ, their death is, in fact, the entry into the fullness of life. In this light of faith, we feel even closer to our deceased brothers: death has apparently separated us, but the power of Christ and his Spirit unites us in an even deeper manner," he said.
Pope Francis offered Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Nov. 4 for the souls of the 126 cardinals and bishops who passed away in 2016.
In his homily, he spoke about the passage from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans which asks, "What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?"