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Por Victoria Cardiel \ ACI PRENSA El Vaticano ha publicado la imagen del escudo oficial y el lema pontificio de León XIV, el mismo que eligió cuando fue designado obispo de Chiclayo, cuyos elementos visuales y simbólicos revelan una fuerte conexión espiritual e intelectual con San Agustín, figura clave en la vida y formación del nuevo Papa. El nuevo Pontífice ha preferido mantener tanto su escudo episcopal como su lema  In Illo uno unum  (“En Él, que es uno, somos uno”). Estas palabras provienen de una homilía de San Agustín sobre el Salmo 127, y expresan una visión eclesiológica profundamente unitaria: “Aunque los cristianos somos muchos, en el único Cristo somos uno”. Una declaración que, según Vatican News, refleja con claridad la vocación pastoral del nuevo Papa, marcada por la búsqueda de la unidad y la comunión dentro del Pueblo de Dios. El escudo pontificio conserva la forma y los elementos esenciales del blasón que el entonces obispo Robert Prevost adoptó en su consagración episcopal. Está dividido diagonalmente en dos campos. El sector superior, de fondo azul, muestra un lirio blanco, símbolo tradicional de pureza y referencia a la Virgen María. El sector inferior, sobre fondo claro, contiene la imagen de un libro cerrado —símbolo de la Sagrada Escritura— con un corazón traspasado por una flecha apoyado sobre él. Este emblema, profundamente ligado al carisma de los agustinos, remite a la conversión de San Agustín, quien describió su experiencia espiritual con las palabras: “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” (“Has herido mi corazón con tu Palabra”). Promover la unidad, fundamental En una entrevista concedida a  Vatican News  en julio de 2023, el entonces cardenal Prevost ya había explicado la importancia de estos símbolos: “Como se deduce de mi lema episcopal, la unidad y la comunión forman parte del carisma del orden de San Agustín, y también de mi modo de actuar y pensar. Promover la comunión en la Iglesia es esencial. Sabemos bien que comunión, participación y misión son las tres palabras clave del Sínodo”. “Para mí, como agustino, promover la unidad es fundamental. San Agustín habla mucho de la unidad en la Iglesia y de la necesidad de vivirla”, añadió en este sentido. Con este escudo y lema, León XIV declara “su fidelidad a la tradición de su orden” y también asegura “su profunda devoción a la Virgen María”, según detalla en declaraciones a ACI Prensa el P. Davide Spinelli, experto en heráldica eclesiástica “El lirio blanco es un símbolo de pureza e inocencia. Es un símbolo mariano por excelencia y, en este caso, remite claramente a la devoción del Papa a la Virgen María”, agrega el P. Spinelli. De este modo, indica que no es casualidad que el Papa haya sido elegido el 8 de octubre, fecha dedicada a la Súplica a la Virgen del Rosario de Pompeya, una oración muy popular escrita por el beato Bartolo Longo, fundador del santuario. “Todo tiene un significado. Él es un hombre mariano, como ya se notó cuando rezó el Ave María desde el balcón central de la Basílica de San Pedro”, insistió. Sobre la parte inferior del escudo, el experto explicó vemos una representación que recuerda al escudo del Orden de san Agustín. “El libro cerrado representa la Sagrada Escritura, y el corazón atravesado por una flecha es una referencia directa a la frase agustiniana: ‘Fuiste un relámpago en mi corazón con tu Palabra’. Es el símbolo de una conversión que toca el corazón y lo inflama con el amor de Dios”, explicó. El P. Spinelli también destacó que el escudo “expresa perfectamente la personalidad de san Agustín, que buscó la verdad incluso por caminos equivocados hasta encontrar a Dios y convertirse totalmente a Él”. Asimismo, el experto observó que no es una novedad que el León XIV haya confirmado el escudo anterior, el mismo que eligió para su consagración episcopal. “Esto es común en los papas: mantener tanto el escudo como el lema, que en este caso tiene una gran profundidad teológica”, explica. En cuanto al lema  In Illo uno unum , el P. Spinelli precisó que es “una expresión tomada de un comentario de san Agustín al Salmo 127 que “sintetiza su visión”. “La Trinidad es un solo Dios en tres personas; de igual modo, la Iglesia, aunque diversa y a veces tensionada, está llamada a ser una sola en el amor de Cristo”, determinó el heraldista que también remarcó la actualidad del mensaje del Pontífice. “Solo si permanecemos unidos en el amor de Cristo es posible la fraternidad, la reconciliación, especialmente en este tiempo complejo que vive la Iglesia. No es casualidad que el saludo del Papa León XIV desde la logia incluyera esa definición de la Iglesia como un puentne: llamada a superar divisiones, a ser espacio de encuentro, de misericordia y de escucha”, concluyó.

Diocese of Boise offers discount to first 100 couples By JAY WONACOTT Diocese of Boise Director, Office of Family and Marriage Life Marriage is a sacred journey, one that requires continual nurturing, reflection and grace. In today’s fast-paced world, many couples long for a deeper connection—not just with each other, but also with their faith. To support this vital bond, the Diocese of Boise Marriage and Family Life Office recently hosted an innovative retreat based on the Banquet of Love program created by Jim and Maureen Otremba. The Otrembas’ impactful course is designed to enrich marriages through the profound lens of the Eucharist.   Banquet of Love: the online version Originally launched as an in-person retreat, this spiritually grounded program is now available online—making it more accessible to couples across the diocese. Through guided reflections and practical tools, couples are invited to deepen their marital relationship and walk with Christ through a deeper understanding of the Catholic Mass and the Eucharist. After the in-person retreat in October at Holy Apostles in Meridian, the Otrembas reached out to me with the idea of offering a discounted rate to encourage more couples in the Diocese of Boise to experience the online version of the Banquet of Love program. The Diocese of Boise Marriage and Family Life Office is subsidizing a discount for 100 couples to enroll in the online program. This discount will cut the cost in half for couples wanting to experience this enrichment. The online version of the enrichment examines the Eucharist as a model for married life in 15 to 20-minute videos that explore what the Otrembas call “the foundational intimacies.” Couples can experience enrichment at their own pace and take their time to process the material and questions together.   The reflection questions The reflection questions help draw parallels between a couple’s relationship and elements from the Catholic Mass. They also provide food for thought and inspiring insights to help couples navigate their daily lives as Catholics. The questions are specifically designed to personalize the material and to internalize it for personal transformation. One participant commented in her course evaluation: “I love that we were asked questions that my husband and I had never thought about. The intimacy of the questions made it very easy for us to talk about hard concepts and opened a new door to love and intimacy.” Convenience The Otrembas said they are excited to use the online format that allows couples to access the materials from the ease of their own home. This makes the course more accessible to couples with dual careers and childcare needs. Maureen Otremba noted that couples will benefit from “these foundational tools and practices that will help them communicate, grow in their faith, and be better parents and spouses.”   One couple’s journey with Banquet of Love Recently, Joe Egbert, host of the Idaho Catholic Register podcast, interviewed Michael and Blythe McGirr, parishioners at St. Mark’s in Boise, who experienced the online version of the Banquet of Love program this past fall. The McGirrs are encouraging couples to benefit from the online enrichment. After 20 years of marriage, the McGirrs had not done much to examine their marriage’s health, but the insights of the Banquet of Love program enriched their marriage. You can learn more about their story by watching the ICR podcast, hearing their takeaways, and learning about the changes they made to their marriage because of the Banquet of Love program. Maureen Otremba said the Eucharist is not simply a theological concept. “Anybody with even the most fundamental experience of Eucharist can grow more. That’s what we do every time we go to Eucharist. We don’t have to have it all figured out. Jesus trusts Himself with us, will meet us where we are, and help us grow. This course is for everyone.”   How to sign up Whether newly married or celebrating decades together, couples of all stages can find renewal and strength through the Banquet of Love program. With the convenience of online access and a special diocesan discount for the first 100 couples, this enrichment opportunity offers a meaningful way to reconnect with each other and with Christ. Don’t miss the chance to invest in your marriage—visit  banquetoflove.org . Enter the code: BoiseBOL (case-sensitive) to receive a 50% discount, which makes your cost $47.

“The Vigil Project” will headline concerts held in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Boise and Cottonwood, June 11-14. By Keith Pettyjohn Board President of Salt & Light Radio for the ICR How would you respond if someone asked, “Who is your favorite Catholic music artist?”  Are you familiar with any nationally recognized Catholic music artists?  This summer Salt & Light Radio will help you answer that question.  Fresh from New Orleans comes The Vigil Project, whose mission is to provide “Music for the Catholic journey.” They have recorded over 15 albums and soundtracks.  They performed recently at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, and now you will hear them LIVE at four incredible venues across our beautiful Diocese!  More information is available at saltandlightradio.com/concert  and  thevigilproject.com , or scan the QR code below. To help Salt & Light Radio celebrate 15 years of Catholic broadcasting, they are hosting what they intend to be the first-annual “Summer Benefit Concert Tour.”  The Vigil Project will headline the concerts held in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Boise and Cottonwood, June 11-14. Christopher Check, President/CEO of Catholic Answers, will also be part of the tour and will give a keynote on the importance of Catholic media and specifically Catholic radio. Salt & Light is always looking for new ways to fulfill our mission of evangelizing and teaching the Catholic faith, and these concerts achieve both of those objectives, while providing an opportunity to build up the Catholic communities in each of our four broadcast regions.  Tickets are only $15 each to enter (see Salt & Light Radio’s website for details), and there will be an opportunity to support the Mission of Salt & Light Radio just before the intermission. Plan to come out and enjoy a beautiful night of music and inspirational talk!  There’s never been a better time to…change your station; change your life!

Father Sleeva Raju Madanu joyfully greets parishioners on the Parish Center tour. About 100 people came to see the new building after the two morning Masses on Feb. 16. (Courtesy Photo/Randal Ormond) By Lisa Ormond and Debbie Ellis for the ICR POST FALLS —Spirits were high despite freezing temperatures as more than 100 St. George’s parishioners gathered in mid-February for their first look inside the church’s 14,000-square-foot parish center, currently under construction. Led by Father Sleeva Madanu and members of the building committee, the tours offered a powerful glimpse into the parish’s future — a space designed to deepen faith, foster community, and support the growing needs of the community. “The construction is moving along at a good clip, and we hope to have the building operational by fall of this year,” said St. George parishioner and Construction Manager Bob Ellis, who is overseeing the $4.8 million project. “From the street, the building didn’t look that big, and people were having difficulties envisioning how the Center was going to look and work for all the Parish ministries,” said Father Sleeva Raju Madanu, pastor of St. George’s Parish. “This tour was the answer to allow our families to get excited about the progress since some expressed concern about the slow project start,” Father Madanu said. Father Madanu and committee members led personalized tours of the two-story building after both morning Masses, walking room by room to help the congregation visualize what they were seeing.  “It was a freezing cold day, but the love and warmth that arose from everyone’s smiles made it such a blessed moment in our parish’s history. I’ll never forget it,” Madanu recalled. Hope and excitement radiated from tour participants, some remarking, “Wow! It’s so much bigger than it looks!” and “Look at all the storage!” “Love the new bathrooms and can’t wait for the elevator to work!” said another. In the current parish center, people must traverse steep stairs to access activities, the kitchen area, bathrooms and meeting rooms. Father Madanu was full of delight as he shared details about the Adoration chapel, a late design addition to the new parish center. The St. George’s parish pastor said his parishioners are “looking forward to having a greater intimacy” with the Lord. “People seemed hungry to spend more time with God, and there was clearly a growing desire to address how to meet this need,” he commented. “I asked if there was any way we could add an Adoration chapel into the design, and we were able to reconfigure what was to be my office space into the new Adoration chapel.” Lucy Voehl, with her husband and two children, braved the weather to take a closer look at the building’s interior. “It’s amazing!” she said. “But I have to say, I’m most excited about the Adoration Chapel that will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I’m a busy mom, and you need to ground yourself in Jesus.” The resounding tour highlight was the large open gathering hall, where bookshelves, surrounded by a rock fireplace, will house the church’s library collection. The room will also have tables and seating for approximately 255 people. It will house a new kitchen to support events and community meals, including funeral lunches and wedding receptions. “As Catholics, we want to develop deeper relationships with each other while growing in our faith together. What we see of fellowship in the Bible is God’s people working and experiencing life together, building each other up to greater works of love,” Father Madanu said. The new center will offer the church a sustainable direction to cultivate deep Catholic connections with one another and the surrounding Post Falls community. It’s an investment, not just in the present, but also in the future. The church broke ground on the expansion project in August 2023 after two years of fundraising, planning, and multiple design reworks. In the early stages of the project, the building committee invested much time and effort in gathering and listening to parish input about what the new center should include. The new main Parish Hall, currently under construction, was the ‘Wow' of a parishioner tour day back in February. It will serve as a gathering place for St. George Parish members and the general community. (Photo/Lisa Ormond) “The current parish hall is small and outdated,” said Father Madanu. “In the last several years, we’ve had to limit the ministries, meetings, celebrations, and education opportunities due to size constraints.” That will all change, however, with the construction of the new parish center. “It will allow our parish to expand our ministries, create new memories for our parishioners, attract young families, and offer more space to learn about our Catholic heritage and faith,” Father Madanu added.  The parish center is now entering Phase II of its construction timeline, a critical stage of the project. “Since the mid-February parish tour, the building’s interior guts have been the focus,” Ellis explained. “We have installed the windows and laid the groundwork for the building’s plumbing, electrical, fire sprinkler installation and HVAC.” (Future Phase III construction would include adding the structure’s outside siding and interior insulation.) St. George Parish wants to keep its momentum and will continue fundraising to offset the cost of unexpected issues and delays, underpinning the effort with prayer. “We are one Catholic family, and we need to recognize we need to lift one another up when the road gets tough through prayer and unity,” Father Manadu said. At a construction update given during an April Mass, Ellis explained to parishioners how multi-phased construction projects work and the need to continue fundraising. “We are so grateful for God’s mercy and for those people in and out of our parish community who continue to support our vision of growth to allow for faith expansion,” Father Manadu said. With due diligence and perseverance, St. George’s hasn’t stopped fundraising since the project’s inception, and more plans are in the works to fund completion of the parish center. Recently, two anonymous donors offered a total of $100,000 that is contingent on raising matching funds. Donations and prayers are being requested from local and statewide Catholics who wish to help St. George’s parish.  “Any donation right now can make a real difference in how soon our hall and classrooms can be up and running. Our goal is to get families back to learning about our Catholic faith as soon as possible,” said Father Madanu. “Thank you in advance for your generosity in assisting us to serve faithfully as disciples.” “We have a job to do, and we just got to get it done because that’s what God is asking of us,” Ellis said.  To donate to the St. George New Parish Center and Adoration Chapel Fund, checks can be mailed to St. George Catholic Church, P.O. Box 10, Post Falls, ID 83877 or donations can be made online. www.osvhub.com/stgeorgesidaho/giving/funds/capital-campaign-for-building-fund/pledge .

Honoring those retiring from Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Boise John, Janet McFadden, Joseph, Anakarina, Nick, Mary Brogan, Kelton holding Jameson Dean, James and Zella. (Courtesy Photo/Janet McFadden) By Tammy Emerich Diocese of Boise Superintendent of Catholic Schools In the Diocese of Boise, our Catholic schools are built on a strong foundation of faith, academic excellence and service. This spring, we joyfully and prayerfully honor a special group of individuals who have embodied those values throughout their years of service. Our retiring employees— a principal, teachers, administrative assistants and staff—have given generously of themselves, answering God’s call to serve with humility, compassion and deep commitment to the mission of Catholic education. All of our retirees have left a unique and lasting impact on their school communities. Their work has never been just a job; it has been a ministry. In classrooms, offices and lunchrooms, through prayers, lesson plans and quiet acts of kindness, they have exemplified the love of Christ every day. These faithful servants have helped form not only minds, but hearts, guiding students toward truth, beauty and the joy of the Gospel. Their years of service—some spanning decades—speak to a vocation lived with integrity and love. They have taught more than academics; they have modeled faith, prayer, compassion, perseverance and the joy of learning. In doing so, they have helped nurture generations of students to grow in faith, knowledge and service. As they retire, we know that their contributions will continue to echo through the lives they have touched. We send them forth with our deepest gratitude and our prayers, trusting that God will continue to bless them in their next chapter of life. To our retirees, I can’t possibly thank you enough for answering the call to serve in our Catholic schools. Your legacy will live on in the hearts of your students, schools and the strength of our communities. May you find rest, renewal and joy in the days ahead. May God continue to bless each of you! Janet McFadden, Sacred Heart, Boise Early on McFadden decided that she wanted to teach in a Catholic school environment based on her experience at Sacred Heart School in Boise. “My teachers and clergy enriched my faith, made me feel valued, and gave me a strong education,” she said. “I wanted to be part of that ‘trifecta.’” She has taught in Catholic schools in Maryland, Oregon and Idaho, where she said living the Catholic faith took priority and “students were individuals who deserved and received love, validation, and a solid education.” “Having also taught in public schools, I saw the difference between a Catholic and public education,” she added. “Throughout my career, I met incredible students, families and colleagues who shared my commitment to faith. I was amazed at how much I learned from my students and how much more I needed to learn to reach every child,” McFadden said. She attended Sacred Heart School in Boise from 1965 to 1973 before graduating from Kennewick High School in 1977. McFadden received a Bachelor of Arts from Boise State University in 1982 before earning her Master of Arts in Education in 1995. She received her national certification in 2000. Her first teaching job was at St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic School in Chillum, Maryland. She has taught at Sacred Heart in Boise for the last five years. McFadden taught all grades kindergarten through 9th grade, except second grade, and said her favorite was “all of them.” “Many of my dearest friends are those from my time at Sacred Heart, both as a student and staff member,” she said. She has been married almost 46 years and has three “incredible” children, three “children-in-law,” and two grandchildren, with another due in May. McFadden said it’s not hard to identify her most memorable teaching experiences. “That’s an easy one! The hugs, eyes and smiles from students, parents and staff, especially those at Sacred Heart, and the feeling when a student lit up because they ‘got it!’” And what will she do with the extra time she will have on her hands? “I’m going to enjoy time and travel with my grandchildren, children and husband, and continue my faith journey,” she said. Carol Herring (Courtesy Photo/Carol Herring) Carol Herring St. Mary’s, Boise Herring said her experience attending a Catholic grade school made her want to teach in a Catholic school environment. “I received an excellent education and made lifelong friends,” she explained. “That positive experience helped me make the decision to be a teacher in a Catholic school. I love being able to teach the whole child, mind and spirituality, which I’m able to do in a Catholic school environment.” She explained that one of the best parts of teaching is helping young students reach their maximum potential. “I love teaching, so the whole experience has been wonderful,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to teach kindergarten through 8th grade, and every grade is special. I love helping students be their best selves, and I enjoy listening and watching students have that ‘Ah-Ha’ moment when they understand a concept.” Herring attended St. Anne’s Catholic school in Lodi, Calif., from 1st to 8th grade. She holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and an Elementary Education Credential. She began her career in 1979 as a substitute teacher in the public school system. Her first teaching job came in 1980 at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Paradise, Calif., where she taught kindergarten in the morning and 7th and 8th graders in the afternoon. “My husband and our two daughters moved to Boise when my husband was transferred to Albertson’s Corporate Office in the summer of 1991,” she said. “That fall, I was hired as the librarian and 1st grade teacher’s aide at St. Mary’s.” Then, in the spring of 1992, she was hired to teach at St. Mary’s in Boise, where she has worked for the last 33 years. Herring said one of the most memorable highlights of her career has been taking her 5th and 6th graders to MOSS (McCall Outdoor Science School) for a week and developing a three-day retreat for 8th-grade students at the Monastery of St. Gertrude every May before they graduate. She and her husband, Tim, have been married for 47 years. They have two daughters and four grandsons, one of whom is a student at St. Mary’s. Plans for the future include enjoying time with family, traveling with Tim, taking night sky photos, reading, gardening and substitute teaching at St. Mary’s. “The experiences I have had working with so many wonderful educators, administrators, parents, and students who have become my friends have been amazing,” she said. “The students make me smile every day.” Kathleen Brinegar (Courtesy Photo/Kathleen Brinegar) Kathleen Brinegar St. Mark’s, Boise “From the beginning, in 1993, we knew this community would become a lifelong home for us,” Brinegar said. “The families here have become cherished friends, and the St. Mark’s network has touched every aspect of our lives – faith, education, social and professional.” She drives her two grandchildren to St. Mark’s every day, a routine she says will continue even though she is retiring. “Working at St. Mark’s has been a true blessing,” Brinegar said. “In my role as bookkeeper, registrar and office manager, I’ve had the privilege of working with a wonderful faculty and staff, meeting new families, providing tours, and helping new members integrate into our community. As someone who grew up in a military family - moving every 18 months to two years and attending nine schools before graduating high school - St. Mark’s has given me something truly special: the opportunity to put down roots.” She said one of her favorite memories is the annual All-Schools Mass. “Watching all the Catholic grade school students worshiping together with the Bishop Kelly (High School) Campus Ministers is a powerful and moving experience,” Kathleen said. “It gives me hope for the future of our Church.” Brinegar graduated from Idaho State University in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Economics and a minor in Marketing. That same year, she married Clyde at St. John’s Student Center on the ISU campus. Clyde later became an ordained deacon for the Diocese of Boise. She spent 12 years in the banking industry as an operations officer, managing a call center before deciding to stay home while her two children were still young. “During that time, I volunteered at St. Mark’s School and in the parish office,” she explained. “I started a part-time position in 2007 in the parish office. In 2010, Mr. (Dan) Maloney offered me a full-time position at the school.” The Brinegars’ three children - Katy (Privon), Keriann and Mark - all attended St. Mark’s. Now that she is retiring, she plans to spend more time with her husband and their friends. She looks forward to traveling, enjoying Sunday dinners with four generations of family, gardening, and doing more volunteer work at the church and school.

Pope Francis waves to the faithful from the popemobile. (CNS photo/Vatican Media) By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service (CNS) VATICAN CITY (CNS)  -- Pope Francis was “a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone,” said Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, as he presided over the funeral of the Pope, who died April 21 at the age of 88. And the people - an estimated 250,000 of them - were present as 14 pallbearers carried Pope Francis’ casket into St. Peter’s Square and set it on a carpet in front of the altar for the funeral Mass on April 26, five days after he died. His burial was scheduled on the same day, in Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major. His body was driven in a motorcade through the city center where he served as bishop from the day of his election to the papacy on March 13, 2013. Security around the Vatican was tight, not only because of the number of mourners expected but especially because of the presence of kings, queens, presidents - including U.S. President Donald J. Trump - and prime ministers from 80 countries and official representatives from scores of other nations. Also present were the residents of a Vatican palace Pope Francis had turned into a shelter for the homeless, and the 12 Syrian refugees he brought to Rome with him from a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos in 2016. The Gospel reading at the funeral was John 21:15-19, where the risen Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?” When Peter says “Yes,” Jesus tells him, “Feed my sheep.” “Despite his frailty and suffering toward the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life,” Cardinal Re said in his homily. “He followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who loved His sheep to the point of giving His life for them.” Fourteen pallbearers carried Pope Francis' coffin out of St. Peter's Basilica into St. Peter's Square following his funeral on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Photo/Vatican Media) The 91-year-old cardinal told the crowd that the image of Pope Francis that “will remain etched in our memory” was his appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica the day before he died to give his Easter “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) address, which included a blessing, and then to ride in the “popemobile” among the people who had come to celebrate Christ’s victory over death. Within the church, the cardinal said, “the guiding thread” of Pope Francis’ ministry was his “conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open.” For Pope Francis, he said, the church was a “field hospital,” one “capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds.” Cardinal Re said that “faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions.” ‘”Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation he repeated many times, and his service of faith as successor of the Apostle Peter always was linked to the service of humanity in all its dimensions,” the cardinal said. At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, papal vicar of Rome, offered special prayers for the city’s deceased bishop, Pope Francis. Then, Eastern Catholic patriarchs and major archbishops gathered around the casket and led funeral prayers from the Byzantine tradition in honor of the pastor of the universal Catholic Church. Sister Norma Pimentel, a Missionary of Jesus and director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, had knelt in prayer before the body of Pope Francis on April 25 and was present for the funeral. Pope Francis' coffin was transported from St. Peter's the Basilica of St. Mary Major, his final resting place.  (Photo/Vatican Media) “The funeral of Pope Francis is a very important part of who we are as people of faith,” she told Catholic News Service . “We walk together, we cry together, we work together ... doing what we believe is important in our lives as people of faith, and we say farewell together at the end.” The funeral, she said, is a time “to join him in this last farewell and say thank you: Thank you for being you, for being there with us, and we’ll see you.”

A statement from Bishop Peter F. Christensen The Holy Spirit has once again blessed the Catholic Church with a new pontiff, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States. The Church of Idaho celebrates the election of Pope Leo XIV with great joy and hope. As we rejoice, so the world rejoices. Let us pray that the Lord fills him with the consolation of the Holy Spirit as he undertakes the responsibilities of the successor of Peter. The Lord has chosen him as the Universal Shepherd of the whole People of God. Join me in supporting him with our prayers and unity. It is providential that Good Shepherd Sunday will directly follow his election. We pray that the Holy Spirit will help Pope Leo XIV to be a Good Shepherd to all the world, as he leads, feeds, teaches and protects with the heart of Jesus. We entrust him to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. May this moment be a grace-filled time for the Church and the world. Joyfully Yours in Christ, Most Reverend Peter F. Christensen, M.A., D.D. Bishop of the Diocese of Boise La alegría y la esperanza llenan nuestros corazones con la elección del Papa León XIV Declaración del Obispo Peter F. Christensen El Espíritu Santo ha bendecido una vez más a la Iglesia Católica con un nuevo pontífice, el cardenal estadounidense Robert Francis Prevost, el primer Papa de los Estados Unidos. La Iglesia de Idaho celebra la elección del Papa León XIV con gran alegría y esperanza. Así como nosotros nos alegramos, también lo hace el mundo. Oremos para que el Señor lo llene con el consuelo del Espíritu Santo mientras asume las responsabilidades como sucesor de Pedro. El Señor lo ha elegido como el Pastor Universal de todo el Pueblo de Dios. Acompáñenme en apoyarlo con nuestras oraciones y unidad. Es providencial que el Domingo del Buen Pastor siga directamente a su elección. Oramos para que el Espíritu Santo ayude al Papa León XIV a ser un Buen Pastor para todo el mundo, guiando, alimentando, enseñando y protegiendo con el corazón de Jesús. Lo confiamos al cuidado maternal de la Santísima Virgen María, Madre de la Iglesia. Que este momento sea un tiempo lleno de gracia para la Iglesia y el mundo. Con alegría en Cristo, Reverendísimo Peter F. Christensen, M.A., D.D. Obispo de la Diócesis de Boise

Pope Leo XIV after his election.  (Vatican Media) Hannah Brockhaus CNA Pope Leo XIV greeted the world for the first time on Thursday with the words “Peace be with you all.” The 69-year-old new pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected the first pope from the United States on Thursday. A native of Chicago, Leo spoke in Italian from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, addressing the hundreds of thousands of people waiting in the square and streets below. “Peace be with you all. Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, who has given his life for God’s flock. I, too, would like that this greeting of peace enters into your heart, reaching your families, and all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to all the earth. Peace be with you,” Leo said in his opening lines. The identity of the new pope was announced just over an hour after white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. The cardinal electors watched from balconies flanking the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica as Cardinal Dominique Mamberti declared in Latin: “Habemus papam!” Minutes later, Pope Leo XIV appeared to enormous cheers from the excited crowd. The peace of the risen Christ, he said, is a “disarming, humble, and persevering peace” that comes from God-- a God who “loves us all unconditionally.” He recalled his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, who blessed Rome on Easter Sunday just hours before his death. “Allow me,” Leo said, “to follow that same blessing.” “God loves us, God loves all of us, and evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Therefore, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us go forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to be reached by God and his love,” Leo said. The Pope asked those present to help the Church build bridges through dialogue and encounter, working for unity and peace. He thanked Pope Francis and the cardinals who had chosen him to be the successor of St. Peter . The Pope added that he wants to “walk together . . . as a united Church, always seeking peace, justice, and striving to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear of proclaiming the Gospel and being missionaries.” Pointing out that he is a member of the Augustinian religious order, Leo paraphrased the words of his founder, St. Augustine, who once said in a sermon: “With you I am a Christian and for you I am a bishop.” In a special greeting to the Catholic Church of Rome, of which he is bishop, Leo said: “We must learn together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive, like this square with its ‘arms’ open to all, everyone who sees our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.” Breaking off from Italian into Spanish, the Pope greeted the people of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where he had served as bishop from 2015 until Pope Francis appointed him to the Vatican as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023. Speaking again in Italian, the Pope said the faithful want “a synodal Church, one that looks always for peace, for charity, and to be close to those who suffer.” Recalling the day’s feast day of Our Lady of Pompei, Pope Leo invited those present to pray a Hail Mary with him “for this new mission, but for the whole Church, for peace in the world.” After asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the new Pope then bestowed his first apostolic blessing, known as the “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) prayer.

Joseph Catama summits life obstacles to find his vocation with Verbum Spei Brother John Jospeh Catama receives the habit he will wear as a Brother of the Verbum Spei Fraternity. He is kneeling before Father Wandrille Sverin, the Fraternity’s international superior, while Father Dominique Fauré, Prior of the Boise monastery, and Father Johannes Kamphuis assist during the Jan. 18 rite. (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer When Brother John Joseph, baptized “Joseph Catama,” moved to Boise from Thousand Oaks, Calif. at the end of 2020, he was not taking his Catholic faith seriously. However, the change of location assisted his spiritual transformation. “I was 20 and had been working a lot in California. I loved rock climbing and competed in it. Climbing was like my “god” at the time. I took college classes off and on. In Boise, I had a lot more time while I looked for a job.” He relocated to Boise with his parents and three brothers. His devout family became parishioners at St. Mark’s Parish in Boise, but it was a few months before Brother John Joseph had a change of heart. “It was the Holy Spirit. All of a sudden, I just really wanted to go to Confession after a long time of not going,” he said. He examined his conscience for three days to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “Father Vitalis was the confessor,” he explained. (Father Vitalis Onyeama was the parochial vicar at St. Mark’s at that time and is now pastor at Holy Apostles.) “After Confession, all the weight of sin was off my shoulders. That was really the beginning of returning to the faith and choosing it for myself.” He decided to go on a wilderness retreat led by Father Nathan Dail, vocations director for the Diocese of Boise and chaplain at St. Paul’s Student Center at Boise State University. The retreat was in the Sawtooth Mountains. The experience was his first acquaintance with what Religious life might be like, Brother John Joseph explained. The retreat included Holy Hours (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) each day, daily Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. “Father Nathan is a great father and friend. I came back from that on fire,” he said. As he delved into the Faith, Brother John Joseph stopped climbing for a time, but eventually started again at a climbing gym. “I became head coach, and I loved it, especially helping the teenagers in competitive climbing.” He also began taking classes at Boise State in the fall of 2021 and decided to pursue a degree in creative writing. “That semester, I began volunteering at St. Paul’s Student Center. I organized events. I became in charge of OCIA all while being a head coach and traveling with my team.” He also frequently visited the Verbum Spei Monastery of Our Lady of Ephesus in Boise, where he received spiritual direction from Father Dominique Fauré, the monastery’s prior. During finals in December of 2022, another shift came in Brother John Joseph’s life. Just as he needed to complete projects for his classes, a teenager on his team became suicidal. Although the teenager was able to get the help he needed, the stress of concern for the teen was overwhelming. “At that point, I had been going to the monastery daily. I told Father Dom about the situation and how I was going to flunk all of my classes. He said, ‘You stay here until you finish the finals.’ So I did. And then I never left.” Brother John Joseph lived with the Brothers while continuing to work, volunteer and attend classes. “I didn’t have plans of a Religious vocation at that time. They just gave me a place where I could live and have time to pray in the mornings, go to Adoration and Mass every day. It was a gratuitous love they shared with me.” However, over time, he began to discern his call to become a Brother. After graduating with his B.A. in Creative Writing in May of 2024, he wrapped up his work as head coach. “My team holds a special place in my heart. Although not all of them are Catholic, I taught them about Blessed Pier Frassati, who also loved to climb; so they all love him. They had a big competition in July, and it would have been a huge lack of charity to abandon them just before that event.” Father Dominique Fauré embraces Brother John Joseph after the Rite of Investiture at Our Lady of Ephesus Monastery in Boise. (ICR Photo/Emily Woodham) On July 25, 2024, he entered the novitiate. Six months later, on Jan. 18, 2025, he received the habit at the Rite of Investiture. “With an investiture, there’s the physical thing that’s happening, and then there’s the deep intimacy that it’s representing. Like a rosary or like a scapular— the clothing we wear is a sacramental. It’s a visible sign of something much deeper,” he said. For Verbum Spei, which means “Word of Hope,” the habit is a sign of hope. “It’s a sacramental of hope in that we have something greater to live for now; it’s not a hope that’s just in the future, in the next life.” Receiving the habit is also the time when Verbum Spei Brothers receive the Blessed Virgin Mary as their mother. Brother John Joseph explained that just as Mary dressed Jesus in swaddling clothes, so she clothes those who are consecrated to Religious life. She is the model of our consecration because she is the one who gave her fiat .” The novitiate typically lasts another six months following investiture, which marks the first public sign of living a consecrated life. His parents, Jerry and Mary Catama, and brothers, Jacob, Jeremy and Jimmy, attended the investiture with a chapel full of friends and members of the climbing gym. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Wandrille Sevin, superior of the international fraternity of Verbum Spei, with Father Dominique Fauré, Father Johannes Kamphuis, V.S., Father Nathan Dail, and retired Father Roger LaChance of the Diocese of Boise. Following the period of novitiate, first vows are made. If it is discerned that he should continue in the Verbum Spei Religious fraternity, he will then make final vows. More important than discerning a vocation, Brother John Joseph said, is fostering a relationship with God through Christ. “The vocation is important, but it’s secondary to relationship. My discernment to Verbum Spei was quite clear, but I had three good people who were leading me through it: Father Dominique, Father Nathan and Father Nelson Cintra (parochial vicar at Pope St. John Paul II Parish in Idaho Falls). But living a life with Christ—truly the Christian life—is what’s most important.”

On the morning of the Resurrection, Mary of Clopas went with Mary Magdalene and Mary Salome to anoint the body of Jesus (Mk 16:1-8). By Emily Woodham Staff Writer It would be easy to overlook the life of St. Mary of Clopas. Her story is obscured by more well-known saints who followed Jesus in His ministry. She is mentioned only once by name in the New Testament, in John 19:25: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.” Because each Gospel is written for a specific audience, the authors sometimes used different names or spellings for the same people. They also left out people in narratives if they didn’t think it would matter to their audience. These variances in the Gospel narratives gave rise to different theories and traditions about the first Christians. Mary of Clopas is no exception.  In Catholic tradition, Mary of Clopas in the Gospel of St. John is often thought to be the same “Mary the mother of James the Lesser and of Joses (or ‘Joseph’)” in the Gospels of St. Mark (15:40) and St. Matthew (27:56). Many also assume that Clopas is the same person named “Cleophas” in the Emmaus narrative in the Gospel of St. Luke. If this is so, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus were actually husband and wife. Gleaning from tradition, legends and the theories of historians, a possible portrait of the life of Mary of Clopas would include that she was from Galilee and married a Levite named Alpheus (see Lk 6:15). They had at least two sons, James and Joseph (Mt 27:56 and Mk 15:40). After Alpheus died, she may then have married Clopas, who was possibly a brother of Joseph of Nazareth, as St. John refers to Mary of Clopas as the “sister” of the Mother of Jesus, a term that is also used for “sister-in-law.” It can be surmised that the Blessed Mother and Mary of Clopas had a close familial friendship. Piecing together New Testament references concerning her children, it is thought that Mary, during her second marriage with Clopas, had at least two sons, Simon and Jude. (see Mk 6:3 and Mt 13:55). Some scholars postulate that Jesus grew up with Simon and Jude, who would be his cousins. It is possible, then, that Clopas and his family were a part of the caravan that went back and forth to Jerusalem when Jesus was lost for three days and then found in the temple (Lk 2:41-52). When Judas betrayed Jesus, His disciples abandoned him (Mt 26:56), but Mary, the wife of Clopas, remained. Through His Passion and Crucifixion, she continued to follow Jesus with Mary Salome, the mother of James the Greater and John, Mary Magdalene, and, most especially, Mary the Mother of Jesus (see Jn 19:25-27). On the morning of the Resurrection, Mary of Clopas went with Mary Magdalene and Mary Salome to anoint the body of Jesus (Mk 16:1-8). This act of reverence for Jesus was dangerous and could have brought punishment on the women from the Romans or the Pharisees. When they arrived at the tomb, it was empty. An angel announced to them that Jesus had risen from the dead (Mt 28:5-7). It can be assumed that Mary went to find her husband, Clopas, to tell him the astounding news of the Resurrection.  As Mary walked with her husband to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35), they met a man who spoke with them about the Messiah and why the Messiah needed to suffer before entering His glory. When they approached the village to which they were going, Mary and Clopas begged the man to stay with them, for it was nearly evening. While at table, they recognized Jesus when He broke the bread (Lk 24:30-32). Because New Testament authors note her presence at the foot of the Cross and the tomb of Jesus, it is assumed that Mary of Clopas was present at Pentecost with her four sons. After Pentecost, her sons all had prominent leadership roles in the Church. At least three of them were martyred. According to legends in France, about 14 years after the Resurrection of Jesus, Saints Mary Magdalene, Mary of Clopas, Mary Salome, Lazarus and Martha were captured by Roman soldiers on the coast of Israel. The soldiers put them on a large raft in the ocean, leaving them to drift in the currents. Miraculously, the saints did not die. Instead, they arrived in the coastal region of Camargue, France. Mary of Clopas and Mary Salome are said to have stayed on the coast, where they taught the faith and cared for the poor and the sick. Mary Magdalene became a hermitess on a nearby mountain. The others went throughout Gaul (modern-day France), spreading the Gospel and baptizing converts. The portrait of Mary of Clopas that emerges from Scripture and tradition gives witness to a strong woman of faith with tremendous courage. She was a devoted wife and mother, but also remained with the Blessed Mother and followed Jesus to His death when Clopas and her sons likely abandoned Him along with the other disciples. One can also surmise she was very forgiving, compassionate and humble, willing to encourage her husband and sons to return to Jesus after His Resurrection. She demonstrated great hope, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost with Our Lady and the disciples.  If the legends are correct, Mary of Clopas died in Camargue, France, where there is a tomb for her and one for Mary Salome at the Church of Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer (“Saints Mary of the Sea”). Santa María de Cleofás Fiesta: 24 de abril Por Emily Woodham Colaboradora Sería fácil pasar por alto la vida de Santa María de Cleofás. Su historia queda oscurecida por la de otros santos más conocidos que siguieron a Jesús en su ministerio. Sólo se la menciona una vez por su nombre en el Nuevo Testamento, en Juan 19:25: “Junto a la cruz de Jesús estaban su madre y la hermana de su madre, María, mujer de Cleofás, y María Magdalena”. Dado que cada Evangelio se escribió para un público específico, los autores a veces utilizaron nombres o grafías diferentes para las mismas personas. También omitieron a personas en las narraciones si pensaban que no sería importante para su audiencia. Estas variaciones en las narraciones evangélicas dieron lugar a diferentes teorías y tradiciones sobre los primeros cristianos. María de Cleofás no es una excepción. En la tradición católica, se suele pensar que María de Cleofás en el Evangelio de San Juan es la misma “María madre de Santiago el Menor y de José” en los Evangelios de San Marcos (15:40) y San Mateo (27:56). Muchos también suponen que Cleofás es la misma persona llamada “Cleofás” en la narración de Emaús en el Evangelio de San Lucas. Si es así, los dos discípulos de Emaús eran en realidad marido y mujer. A partir de la tradición, las leyendas y las teorías de los historiadores, un posible retrato de la vida de María de Cleofás incluiría que era de Galilea y se casó con un levita llamado Alfeo (véase Lucas 6:15). Tuvieron al menos dos hijos, Santiago y José (Mt 27,56 y Mc 15,40). Tras la muerte de Alfeo, es posible que se casara con Cleofás, que posiblemente era hermano de José de Nazaret, ya que San Juan se refiere a María de Cleofás como la “hermana” de la Madre de Jesús, término que también se utiliza para “cuñada”. Cabe suponer que la Santísima Virgen y María de Cleofás mantenían una estrecha amistad familiar. Recopilando las referencias del Nuevo Testamento sobre sus hijos, se cree que María de Cleofás, durante su segundo matrimonio con Cleofás, tuvo al menos dos hijos, Simón y Judas. (véase Marcos 6:3 y Mateo 13:55). Algunos estudiosos postulan que Jesús creció con Simón y Judas, que serían sus primos. Es posible, pues, que Cleofás y su familia formaran parte de la caravana que iba y venía a Jerusalén cuando Jesús se perdió durante tres días y luego fue encontrado en el templo (Lc 2,41-52).   Cuando Judas Iscariote traicionó a Jesús, sus discípulos le abandonaron (Mt 26,56), pero María, la esposa de Cleofás, permaneció con él. Durante su Pasión y Crucifixión, continuó siguiendo a Jesús junto con María Salomé, la madre de Santiago el Mayor y Juan, María Magdalena y, sobre todo, María la Madre de Jesús (véase Juan 19:25-27). En la mañana de la Resurrección, María de Cleofás fue con María Magdalena y María Salomé a ungir el cuerpo de Jesús (Mc 16, 1-8). Este acto de reverencia a Jesús era peligroso y podría haber acarreado a las mujeres el castigo de los romanos o de los fariseos. Cuando llegaron al sepulcro, estaba vacío. Un ángel les anunció que Jesús había resucitado (Mt 28,5-7). Es de suponer que María fue a buscar a su marido, Cleofás, para comunicarle la asombrosa noticia de la Resurrección. Mientras María caminaba con su marido hacia Emaús (Lc 24,13-35), se encontraron con un hombre que les habló del Mesías y de por qué éste tenía que sufrir antes de entrar en su gloria. Cuando se acercaron a la aldea a la que se dirigían, María y Cleofás rogaron al hombre que se quedara con ellos, pues estaba a punto de anochecer. Mientras estaban a la mesa, reconocieron a Jesús cuando partió el pan (Lc 24,30-32). Dado que los autores del Nuevo Testamento señalan su presencia al pie de la Cruz y en la tumba de Jesús, se supone que María de Cleofás estuvo presente en Pentecostés con sus cuatro hijos. Después de Pentecostés, todos sus hijos desempeñaron importantes funciones de liderazgo en la Iglesia. Al menos tres de ellos fueron martirizados. Según las leyendas de Francia, unos 14 años después de la Resurrección de Jesús, los santos María Magdalena, María de Cleofás, María Salomé, Lázaro y Marta fueron capturados por soldados romanos en la costa de Israel. Los soldados los pusieron en una gran balsa en el océano, dejándolos a la deriva en las corrientes. Milagrosamente, los santos no murieron. Llegaron a la región costera de Camarga, en Francia. Se dice que María de Cleofás y María Salomé permanecieron en la costa, donde enseñaron la fe y cuidaron de los pobres y los enfermos. María Magdalena se hizo eremita en una montaña cercana. Las demás recorrieron toda la Galia (actual Francia), difundiendo el Evangelio y bautizando a los conversos. El retrato de María de Cleofás que se desprende de las Escrituras y la tradición da testimonio de una mujer fuerte en la fe y con un enorme valor. Fue una esposa y madre devota, pero también permaneció junto a la Virgen y siguió a Jesús hasta su muerte, cuando Cleofás y sus hijos probablemente lo abandonaron. También se puede suponer que era muy indulgente, compasiva y humilde, dispuesta a animar a su marido y a sus hijos a volver a Jesús tras su Resurrección. Demostró una gran esperanza, esperando la venida del Espíritu Santo en Pentecostés con Nuestra Señora y los discípulos. Si las leyendas son ciertas, María de Cleofás murió en Camarga (Francia), donde hay una tumba para ella y otra para María Salomé en la iglesia de Saintes-Marie-de-la-Mer (“Santa María del Mar”).

With the coming conclave, children may have questions as historic events are unfolding. A consistory, gathering of cardinals, in St. Peter's Square two years ago. The College of Cardinals will form a conclave on May 7 to vote for the new pope. (Vatican Media) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer Pope Francis’s death and the coming election of a new pope can lead children to wonder ,  “What now?  What happens to the Church?”  Parents and caregivers can encourage children by telling them what happens after a pope dies and also that Jesus has important jobs for each of us during this historic time. With the process of electing a new pope, there are Latin terms and Church practices that children will overhear frequently in their parish and in the news. From the College of Cardinals to the color of smoke from the Sistine Chapel, this is a great chance to teach children about the protocols and traditions the Church has followed for centuries. The children can see and be a part of history unfolding before their eyes. “It’s important that they know that the Church continues her work while we wait for a new pope,” said Ginger Mortensen, director of elementary faith formation at St. Mark’s Parish in Boise. She has taught the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based curriculum, for 20 years, and at St. Mark’s since 2016. “The College of Cardinals meets to govern Vatican City and the Church while there is no pope, the time called sede vacante  (‘the See, or chair, is vacant’),” Mortensen continued. “They only run the day-to-day tasks and have no authority to make decisions reserved only to the Vicar of Christ on earth.” It is also the College of Cardinals that form the conclave, from the Latin con  (with) and clavis (keys), a reference to the Keys to the Kingdom of God (the Church) given to St. Peter the Apostle and first Pope and to the doors of the Sistine chapel that are ceremonially locked during the conclave, which begins on Wednesday, May 7. Only cardinals under the age of 80 can elect the pope. For this conclave, 135 are eligible and two have decided not to attend due to illness, so 133 will meet each day at St. Peter’s Basilica until a pope is elected with a two-thirds (plus one) majority of 90 votes. The world will watch for smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney at the end of each day. The votes are mixed with a special chemical to produce black smoke when no pope has been chosen and white smoke when a new pope is chosen. After the election, the new pope is brought to a small room where he will dress himself in the papal robes. This vestry is called the "Room of Tears" because many newly elected popes cry as they don the papal vestments for the first time. One of the cardinals will accompany the newly elected pope to the loggia  (balcony) overlooking St. Peter’s Square, and will announce, “Habemus papam!”  (“We have a Pope!”). Then, the name the Pope has chosen is announced. Finally, the new pope will appear on the loggia for the first time, greet the many thousands of well-wishers, and offer his first papal blessing to the faithful. This unique blessing has a plenary indulgence attached to it with the usual conditions (listed below). Ginger Mortensen, elementary faith formation director at St. Mark's Parish in Boise, prepares an altar for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in the atrium, which has child-sized items to help children learn about the liturgy and the Bible with hands-on lessons. (ICR photo\Emily Woodham) Children should also know that they can help Pope Francis, the Church and the new pope through prayers and acts of mercy. “Children need to know that Christ chooses to work through us,” said Mortensen.   “Jesus wants our help! We need to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, the wisdom of the Cardinal Electors, and the new Shepherd of our Church.”   When elected Pope in 2013, Francis asked the world to pray for him, Mortensen pointed out. “He did many humble and charitable things, but he asked us not to forget to pray for him. No matter how good a person is, we are all sinners and need to be commended to the mercy of God. If a person is already in heaven, those prayers are not wasted because they are applied to souls who need them and have no one to pray for them.” Another way children, or anyone of any age, can honor Pope Francis is by continuing to celebrate the Jubilee of Hope as the Holy Father had instructed in his bull of indiction, Spes non confundit  (“Hope does not disappoint”). Pope Francis included indulgences for oneself and others, including those in Purgatory, during the Jubilee. Acts of Mercy were particularly important to him. An indulgence is not a grace that erases the eternal penalty for sin. Guilt due to sin can only be taken away by the Sacraments of Baptism and Confession. However, an indulgence is granted by God through the Church “that the temporal penalty for sin due to someone be reduced (or possibly eliminated). By God’s grace, participation in a prayer or action that has an indulgence attached to it brings about the necessary restoration and reparation without the suffering that would normally accompany it,” states the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website. “Each sin causes disarray in the world,” Mortensen explained. “We take care of that mess in purgatory, if we don’t do it now.”  At dioceseofboise.org\jubilee , the Diocese of Boise lists the opportunities for indulgences during the Jubilee Year. A person who receives a plenary indulgence obtains full remission of punishment for sins committed. A person who receives a partial indulgence obtains partial remission. For the Jubilee Year, the faithful may make a pilgrimage to specified holy sites. In Idaho, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise, St. Joseph’s Church in Pocatello, and All Saints Church in Lewiston are holy sites for the Jubilee. Acts of Mercy also have indulgences attached to them: Visiting the sick or a prisoner, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or welcoming a migrant, “in a sense making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them.” An indulgence could be obtained each day from such acts of mercy. Acts of Penance, such as abstaining from distractions and donating to the poor, can also obtain an indulgence. To receive an indulgence, one must participate in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. Then, a profession of faith and prayers for the Pope and his intentions— an Our Father, for example— must follow. (The Church allows one to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation within several days of the other acts required to receive the indulgence.) As children pray and offer indulgences, they do the work Christ called them to do. “We are not just meant to receive the Sacraments and do nothing,” Mortensen said. “Think of the Parable of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30). When the Master gives talents to his servants, he expects that they will be used and the profit (graces) of the talents will multiply.” It’s important for children to know that their work of prayer and acts of mercy are not over because a new pope has been elected, Mortensen said. “The pope needs to be the Good Shepherd for us all. So, pray that the Pope can listen to the voice of Christ and be that vicar of Christ on earth.”

Live video and calendar of events help the faithful from afar honor the Holy Father Watch Pope Francis coverage live provided by EWTN By Emily Woodham Staff Writer ROME — As Catholics worldwide mourn the passing of Pope Francis, EWTN gave the Diocese of Boise and Catholic dioceses around the world the opportunity to embed live streams of the historic events now unfolding in Rome. Through EWTN's broadcast, anyone can access live coverage from preparations for the funeral of Pope Francis to the Interregnum Conclave and beyond, including Masses, devotions, and special programming. At the time of press, more than 250,000 people have given honor to Pope Francis as he lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Francis’ coffin is being sealed in a liturgical rite today at 8 p.m. Central European Time, noon Mountain Time. The following timeline of the events in Rome will be updated periodically: Saturday, April 26: Pope Francis’ funeral begins at 10 a.m. The funeral Mass is being celebrated at Sata Maria Maggiore, where the Holy Father asked to buried near his favorite icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saturday, April 26 to Sunday, May 4: The Novemdiales, Nine Days of Mourning, begin with the funeral Mass for Pope Francis. Sunday, April 27: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Square will be presided by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the group will be the employees and faithful of Vatican City. Monday, April 28: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica will be presided by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of His Holiness for the Diocese of Rome, and the group will be the Church of Rome. Tuesday, April 29: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Chapters of the Papal Basilicas will be the group at the Mass presided by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. Wednesday, April 30: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside Mass, with the group being the Papal Chapel. Thursday, May 1: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside the Mass, with the group being the Roman Curia. Friday, May 2: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Mass will be presided by Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, with the group being the Eastern Churches. Saturday, May 3: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Pro-Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, will preside the Mass, with members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Sunday, May 4: Novemdiales Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, will preside the Mass with the Papal Chapel group.