A Tribute to Pope Francis He didn’t just preach mercy. He became mercy. He visited prisons. Embraced the disabled. Welcomed the refugee. He stood at the edges – where pain was thickest – and made sure no one stood alone. He reminded us: Faith is not a fortress. It’s a field hospital. And the Church? It’s not for the flawless. It’s for the bleeding, the doubting, the searching, and the tired. And now – after Easter – he is gone. But maybe this was his final homily. Not spoken with words, but lived in the timing of his death … written in the silence between Alleluia and Amen. A soft, holy surrender to a life poured out. And Love has taken him home. He waited for Easter – because he believed in the promise. And now, that promise is his. The light has found him. The wounds are gone. And Mercy Himself has taken him by the hand. What he leaves behind isn’t just a legacy. It’s a call. A call to love without fear. To lead by kneeling. To forgive quickly. To serve without titles. To walk humbly and live boldly. To believe, even now, that another world is still possible. He is gone from us now. But not from the world he tried to heal. Because when mercy wears flesh, it doesn’t   disappear – it multiplies.by Greg Monteclaro  Parish Mass in Memory and Honour of Pope Francis: Monday 28th April at 7.30pm in Mucklagh Church. Joint Choirs will sing at the Mass. All are very welcome