Search

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.

Pope Francis lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica.  (CNA photo\Vatican Media) By Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency Updated by Emily Woodham, Idaho Catholic Register Pope Francis lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome until 8 p.m. Central European Time on Friday, April 25. It is then that his casket will be sealed. His funeral is planned for Saturday, April 26.   Long lines of mourners, many waiting more than four hours under the hot Roman sun, wound around St. Peter’s Square on the first day of viewing on April 23. Vatican officials extended basilica’s hours past midnight to accommodate the large turnout. More than 50,000 mourners passed through the Basilica to pay their respects to the pope in the first 24 hours.   “The crowds are just packed… but overall it was beautiful,” said Arianne Gallagher-Welcher, a pilgrim from Washington, D.C. “You could feel how special it was for everyone … a really nice chance to say goodbye to Pope Francis.”   Gallagher-Welcher reflected on the significance of the Jubilee Year of Hope. “We were here during the Jubilee in 2000,” she said. “To thank and celebrate the life of Pope Francis during the Jubilee Year of Hope is just an incredible gift.”   As people slowly made their way to the basilica, some prayed the rosary while others sang hymns. Once inside, people were able to spend a moment in prayer before the late pope’s open casket in front of the main altar and the tomb of St. Peter.   Clad in red vestments, a bishop’s miter on his head, and a rosary clasped in his hands, Francis was watched over in silence by four Swiss Guards standing vigil   “As we got closer to the body of our Holy Father, it was very emotional to see him,” reflected Father Fabian Marquez of the Diocese of El Paso, Texas. “But I’m so grateful for all the great things he did for the community, bringing people together.”   “And my personal prayer was that now he intercedes for the next Peter to come so that the next Peter can lead us where the Lord desires us to go,” Marquez said.   Marquez had traveled to Rome with fellow priests for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, which was postponed until after the election of a new pope. (Only a pope can declare a person a saint in the canonization process.) Pope Francis lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica.  (CNA photo\Vatican Media)   “Everything changed since the news that our Holy Father had passed,” Marquez said. “We decided to continue to come … just to be here with him.”   “We were able to pray the rosary with the people and it was very emotional just to be here outside of the basilica today … when they transferred the body from Santa Marta to the basilica.”   The significance of the moment extended even to non-Catholics. Jai Agarwal, a 21-year-old American student at John Cabot University in Rome, joined the line to pay his respects.   “He would always advocate for peace,” Agarwal said. “He’s one of the few people that just had genuine empathy.”   The funeral service for Pope Francis will be in St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m. Central European Time on Saturday, April 26. It will be presided by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals. The funeral marks the first day of the Novemdiales, the nine days of mourning, with Masses each day for Pope Francis. The Masses will end on May 4.     United States President Donald Trump stated that he and his wife, Melania, would attend the funeral. Other heads of state from around the world are also expected to attend. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here, or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Ste. 400, Boise, ID 83705, or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Catholic mental health professional advocates for spiritual growth and medical intervention Dr. Christin McIntyre, Catholic psychiatrist, led a Lenten mission on mental health at St. Paul’s Parish in Nampa. Father Justin Brady, pastor of St. Paul’s, is pictured with Dr. McIntyre. (ICR photo/Emily Woodham) By Emily Woodham Staff Writer As options become more available in mental health practices, knowing which therapist or resource will be most helpful can be challenging. If someone is Catholic, there can be a fear of getting help from someone who does not share Catholic beliefs. But Dr. Christin McIntyre, a psychiatrist and therapist with more than 20 years of experience, doesn’t want people to fear getting the help they need. “As long as you know your faith, you’re going to be fine,” Dr. McIntyre said. Just as bank tellers learn to tell counterfeit money by studying authentic bills, she explained, Catholics will know if something is unhealthy or untrue by knowing what the Church teaches. “There will be some therapists who just aren’t on the same page, and you may not be able to work with them. But a lot of times, you still can.” A convert to Catholicism, Dr. McIntyre trained in psychology based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas. She has also had training with the John Paul II Healing Center, founded by Dr. Bob Schuchts. She and her husband are Benedictine Oblates of Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon where she leads retreats that draw on her experience in clinical psychiatry, spiritual healing and spiritual warfare. Dr. McIntyre and her family moved from Oregon to Coeur d’Alene in 2021. They attend St. Joan of Arc Parish in Post Falls and St. Stanislaus Parish in Rathdrum. At the beginning of April, she led a Lenten mission at St. Paul’s Parish in Nampa. She also spoke with a group of women at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise. During her talks, she cautioned against assuming that mental illness could be healed purely through spiritual means. “Bipolar and many other psychiatric disorders are biological in nature. They may need to be treated with medication,” she said. She uses psychotherapy to help many of her patients, she explained, but an illness that is biologically rooted may require medication to stabilize. There is a genetic component to mental illness. In addition, some injuries and illicit drug use can also lead to mental disorders. “Especially in young people using marijuana, it can trigger psychotic disorders. It’s not always reversible, especially if there’s a genetic vulnerability,” she said. Even with an illness that requires medication, there are things people can do spiritually that will improve their mental health and well-being. The spiritual battle is real and not a battle we need to fear. “The enemy is not going to work any harder than he has to,” she explained. “If we have a vulnerability to an anxiety disorder, for example, which might be genetic, and especially if we’ve experienced something very bad in our lives that has set us up for a post-traumatic kind of a situation, all that can be a source of intrusive thoughts. The ‘both-and’ concept works well for this: Sometimes, intrusive thoughts are just from us. Other times, it’s from the enemy.” Dr. McIntyre said the best way to discern thoughts is to consider where a thought is leading. “You need to ask, ‘Is this leading me toward God or away from God?’” She explained that praying with hope helps overcome unhealthy intrusive thoughts, noting that Kyle Clement, who teaches about spiritual warfare, says, “Worry negates prayer.” This confused her at first because she found herself driven to prayer when she was worried. However, Clement explained that worry often comes from things we are imagining that are fed by fear. “When we pray in fear, we allow those fears to draw us away from God,” she said. Praying in hope instead of fear is much better “because hope presumes trust. Hope presumes that we trust God has the big picture in mind and knows what’s best. His will is always for our salvation. Whatever he permits to happen to us has some salvific purpose. It’s designed in some way for our good,” she said. Dr. McIntyre explained that when we pray in hope, we discern what we desire for ourselves and others. This conversation with God about our inmost longings purifies our desires, helping us to distinguish what is healthy and what is not. That prayerful, hope-filled conversation “changes your soul. It also benefits the person you’re praying for,” she said. Nonetheless, she noted that it is best to follow Jesus’ example in the Garden of Gethsemane and ask for God’s will to be done in all things. “This is also saying to the Lord, ‘If You want something better, then I want that instead.’” It’s also important not to lose hope when things go wrong. “Whenever we try to do something good, the enemy notices . . . he will try to do anything to divert us from that.” However, the difficulties we encounter when fulfilling God’s desires often help us grow. Dr. McIntyre likened such opportunities for growth to gold coins from heaven: “Suffering is the coin of the realm,” she said. Uniting our suffering with Christ and offering it for a particular event or person is an “opportunity we shouldn’t miss,” Dr. McIntyre explained. “The ultimate offering is to thank God for it. That gratitude really expresses trust in Him.” Dr. McIntyre’s talks for St. Paul’s Lenten mission can be found on their YouTube page: “St. Paul’s Catholic Church Nampa." Dr. McIntyre was recently featured on the “Restore the Glory” podcast with Dr. Bob Schuchts and Jake Khym in episodes 121 and 126. If you enjoyed this story and would like to read more like it, please consider buying a subscription to the Idaho Catholic Register. Your $20 yearly subscription also supports the work of the Diocese of Boise Communications Department, which includes not only the newspaper, but this website, social media posts and videos. You can subscribe here, or through your parish, or send a check to 1501 S. Federal Way, Ste. 400, Boise, ID 83705, or call 208-350-7554 to leave a credit card payment. Thank you, and God bless you.

Pope Francis is seen at his general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 16, 2014. (Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) Our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, died today, April 21, in Rome, after a prolonged battle with double pneumonia. The Vatican reported that his time of death was 7:35 a.m., Central European time, on Easter Monday (11:35 pm, Easter Sunday, Mountain Time). “United in prayer with Catholics in Idaho, the United States, and those around the world, and with all people of good will, we pray in gratitude for the life of our revered shepherd. We mourn the passing of our Holy Father and ask Saint Joseph to accompany him,” said Bishop Peter F. Christensen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise. Elected pope on March 13, 2013, the 88-year-old pontiff reigned for 12 years and one month. Born in Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became the first pope in history from the Western hemisphere. He was also the first Jesuit pontiff and the first to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi. Like the 13th-century saint, Pope Francis put forward a “back to basics” agenda, focusing the faithful on the heart of the Gospel, with a renewed commitment to those in need and caring for our common home. “How blessed we have been by his leadership, and how blessed we will be for decades to come as that same leadership takes even deeper root in who we are as followers of Jesus Christ our Lord,” said Bishop Peter. A memorial Mass for Pope Francis at the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Boise will be celebrated by Bishop Peter on Wednesday, April 23, at 12:15 p.m. All priests of the Diocese have been invited to concelebrate the liturgy. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, And let perpetual light shine upon him. Bishop Peter Christensen, M.A., D.D. The doors of the Cathedral of St. John Evangelist in Boise are draped in mourning for the Memorial Mass of Pope Francis which will be held Wednesday, April 23 at 12:15 p.m. (Courtesy Photo/Peter Brophy) Las puertas de la Cathedral of St. John Evangelist en Boise se cubren de luto para la Misa en Memoria del Papa Francisco que se celebrará el miércoles 23 de abril a las 12:15 p.m.  (Foto cortesía /Peter Brophy) Declaración del Obispo Peter F. Christensen sobre la muerte del Papa Francisco Nuestro querido Santo Padre, el Papa Francisco, ha fallecido hoy, 21 de abril, en Roma, tras una prolongada batalla contra una doble neumonía. El Vaticano informó que su hora de muerte fue a las 7:35 a.m., hora de Europa Central, del Lunes de Pascua. “Unidos en la oración con los católicos de Idaho, de Estados Unidos y de todo el mundo, y con todas las personas de buena voluntad, oramos en gratitud por la vida de nuestro venerado pastor. Lloramos el fallecimiento de nuestro Santo Padre y pedimos a San José que le acompañe”, dijo el Obispo Peter F. Christensen de la Diócesis Católica Romana de Boise. Elegido Papa el 13 de marzo de 2013, el pontífice de 88 años ejerció su pontificado durante 12 años y un mes. Nacido en Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio se convirtió en el primer Papa de la historia procedente del hemisferio occidental. También fue el primer pontífice jesuita y el primero en llevar el nombre de San Francisco de Asís. Al igual que el santo del siglo XIII, el Papa Francisco propuso una agenda de “vuelta a lo esencial”, centrando a los fieles en el corazón del Evangelio, con un compromiso renovado con los necesitados y el cuidado de nuestra casa común. “Qué bendecidos hemos sido por su liderazgo, y qué bendecidos seremos en las próximas décadas cuando ese mismo liderazgo eche raíces aún más profundas en lo que somos como seguidores de Jesucristo nuestro Señor”, dijo el obispo Peter. El Obispo Peter celebrará una Misa en memoria del Papa Francisco en Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist de Boise el miércoles 23 de abril a las 12:15. Todos los sacerdotes de la Diócesis han sido invitados a concelebrar la liturgia. Concédele, Señor, el descanso eterno, Y brille para él la luz perpetua. Bishop Peter Christensen, M.A., D.D.

Pope Francis is seen at his general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 16, 2014.  (Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) By Kristina Millare Catholic News Agency (CNA) Throughout his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis gave many addresses, talks, and statements, and he penned numerous encyclicals and apostolic exhortations emphasizing themes of hope, mercy, compassion, and joy.   His words often focused on the dignity of the poor, migrants, refugees, and the elderly as well as the importance of marriage, family life, and care for the environment. Advocating for “synodality,” Francis also called for a Church that listens and walks together.   Below is a collection of quotes that reflect Pope Francis’ vision for a more compassionate and Christ-centered world.   Hope   In his first encyclical letter Lumen Fidei , Pope Francis said faith in Jesus Christ helps one to joyfully live life “on wings of hope.”   Constantly encouraging people to turn to God, the Holy Father opened the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope writing in Spes Non Confundit : “Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love … The death and resurrection of Jesus is the heart of our faith and the basis of our hope.”   Mercy   Pope Francis often said that God’s style is one of “ closeness, mercy, and tenderness . "   Exactly two years before closing the Jubilee Year of Mercy , the Holy Father penned his first papal apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium on the 2013 solemnity of Christ the King, writing: “Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy … Time and time again he bears us on his shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love.”   Joy   As the first pontiff in history to criticize “sourpusses” in a papal document, Pope Francis reiterated the evangelical importance of joy, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, in Evangelii Gaudium .   In a message to participants of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints’ 2022 “Holiness Today” symposium , he said: “Without this joy, faith shrinks into an oppressive and dreary thing; the saints are not ‘sourpusses’ but men and women with joyful hearts, open to hope … Blessed Carlo Acutis is likewise a model of Christian joy for teenagers and young people. And the evangelical, and paradoxical, ‘perfect joy’ of St. Francis of Assisi continues to impress us.”   Love for the poor   Choosing the name “Francis” in honor of St. Francis of Assisi was a powerful signal to the world that the pope wanted a “ Church which is poor and for the poor! ”   With his burning desire for the love of Jesus Christ to reach the world’s peripheries, the Argentinian pope insisted that the poor are true evangelizers who must not be ignored.   In his 2015 apostolic journey to the Philippines for the country’s Year of the Poor, the Holy Father asked young people : “You who live by always giving, and think that you need nothing, do you realize that you are poor yourself? Do you realize that you are very poor and that you need what they can give you? Do you let yourself be evangelized by the poor, by the sick, by those you assist?”   Migrants and refugees   Migrants, displaced people, refugees, and victims of human trafficking always held a special place in the Jesuit pontiff’s heart.   In 2016, Francis instituted the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and called on Catholics worldwide in 2020, through Fratelli Tutti to open their arms to those affected by war, persecution, poverty, and natural disasters.   In his 2018 World Day of Migrants and Refugees message , he said: “The Lord entrusts to the Church’s motherly love every person forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future … In this regard, I wish to reaffirm that ‘our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote, and to integrate.’”   Environment and climate change   Pope Francis spoke in Catholic and secular venues about the detrimental impacts of a “throwaway culture” perpetuated by unscrupulous profiteering and rampant consumerism.   Having written two key documents — including Laudate Deum — dedicated to the care for God’s creation, he wrote in Laudato Si ’ in 2015: “We have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.”   Pets vs. people   The pope was a strong believer that pets should never replace children.   During his 2023 address at the General State of the Birth Rate conference held in Italy, the Holy Father recalled one brief encounter: “I greeted the woman, and she opened a bag and said: ‘Will you bless him, my baby?’ A dog!”   “I did not have any patience there… ‘Madam, many children are hungry, and you are here with a dog!’ Brothers and sisters, these are scenes from the present, but if things continue like this, it will be the custom of the future: beware.”   Marriage and family life   Among several practical pearls of wisdom for families — including advice to mothers to “stop ironing the shirts” of their sons so that they marry soon — Pope Francis told newlyweds in 2016 that the words: “ May I?”, “Thank you,” and “I’m sorry ” are key to maintaining peace in the home.   “There are always problems and arguments in married life,” the pope said. “It is normal for husband and wife to argue and to raise their voices; they squabble, and even plates go flying! So do not be afraid of this when it happens. May I give you a piece of advice: Never end the day without making peace.”   Youth and the elderly   Known as the “ grandfather of the children ” at the Holy Family Church in Gaza, Pope Francis traditionally used his weekly general audiences to convey his spiritual closeness with both the youth and the elderly.   When the pope instituted the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, he said: “The future of the world depends on this covenant between young and old. Who, if not the young, can take the dreams of the elderly and make them come true? Yet for this to happen, it is necessary that we continue to dream.”   “Our dreams of justice, of peace, of solidarity can make it possible for our young people to have new visions; in this way, together, we can build the future,” the pope said.   Synodality   The Argentinian pope often said he preferred a Church that goes out into the world even if “ bruised, hurting, and dirty because it has been out on the streets. ”   The Holy Father insisted priests be shepherds “ with the smell of sheep , ” urged consecrated brothers and sisters to bring God’s “ light to the women and men of our time , ” and called on laypeople to “ bring the novelty and joy of the Gospel wherever you are . ”   Urging all Catholic faithful to learn how to listen and walk together as one missionary Church, the Holy Father said at the close of the Vatican’s 2024 Synod on Synodality meeting: “Everyone, everyone, everyone! Nobody left outside: everyone … It is up to us to amplify the sound of this whispering, never getting in its way; to open the doors, never building walls.”   “How much damage the women and men of the Church do when they build walls, how much damage! Everyone is welcome, everyone, everyone!” he said.   Popular piety: Our Lady, St. Joseph, and the Heart of Jesus   Pope Francis was known to love the simple faith and devotion of the people. His own childlike affection for Mary, the Mother of God, and St. Joseph was evident to millions.   However, the pontiff’s belief in the power of popular piety reached its climax in his last and lengthy encyclical letter, Dilexit Nos , in which he wrote: “The flames of love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus also expand through the Church’s missionary outreach, which proclaims the message of God’s love revealed in Christ … As we contemplate the Sacred Heart, mission becomes a matter of love.”   Food   The Church’s first Latin American pope understood the importance of physical and spiritual nourishment.   Besides sharing lessons learnt from his favorite movie, “Babette’s Feast,” the pope would always tell those who prayed the Sunday Angelus with him to “have a good lunch!”   In Dilexit Nos , the Holy Father stressed just how important culinary traditions are for family life when he wrote: “In this age of artificial intelligence, we cannot forget that poetry and love are necessary to save our humanity.”   “No algorithm,” he said, “will ever be able to capture, for example, the nostalgia that all of us feel, whatever our age, and wherever we live, when we recall how we first used a fork to seal the edges of the pies that we helped our mothers or grandmothers to make at home.”

Pope Francis leaves behind legacy of servant-leadership By Emily Woodham Staff Writer BOISE — The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has died. He was 88. The doors of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise are draped in black as the Church in Idaho mourns with all the faithful across the globe. “United in prayer with Catholics in Idaho, the United States, and those around the world, and with all the people of good will, we pray in gratitude for the life of our revered shepherd,” said Bishop Peter F. Christensen, Bishop of Boise. “We mourn the passing of our Holy Father and ask St. Joseph to accompany him. How blessed we have been by his leadership, and how blessed we will be for decades to come as that same leadership takes even deeper root in who we are as followers of Jesus Christ our Lord.” The doors of the Cathedral of St. John Evangelist in Boise are draped in mourning for the Memorial Mass of Pope Francis which will be held Wednesday, April 23 at 12:15 p.m.  (Courtesy Photo/Peter Brophy) Las puertas de la Cathedral of St. John Evangelist en Boise se cubren de luto para la Misa en Memoria del Papa Francisco que se celebrará el miércoles 23 de abril a las 12:15 p.m.  (Foto cortesía /Peter Brophy) Pope Francis died at 7:35 a.m. Central European Time on Easter Monday, April 21. The immediate cause of death was a stroke arising from complications caused by his recent bout of double pneumonia, the Holy See Press Office said in a public statement. The Pontiff was hospitalized on Feb. 14 for severe bronchitis. He stayed in the hospital for 38 days as his condition worsened into double pneumonia. During his stay, he came close to death twice. He was discharged on March 23 to continue his recovery at his residence, the Casa Santa Marta. Despite his frail health, he made several public appearances, including during the liturgies of Holy Week and a visit with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Easter Sunday. Pope Francis, baptized “Jorge Mario Bergoglio,” was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936. He entered the Society of Jesus at age 21 and was ordained a priest in 1969. He was the first pope from the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the first to come from the Americas, and the first to choose a name after St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century saint known for his devotion to poverty, peace and creation. During his more than 12 years in the papacy, he canonized 942 saints (including the 813 Martyrs of Otranto), created 149 new cardinals, including those from countries that had never before been represented in the College of Cardinals, and made 47 apostolic journeys outside of Italy. He published four encyclicals and seven apostolic exhortations. Pope Francis “renewed for us the mission to bring the Gospel out to the ends of the earth and offer divine mercy to all,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Archbishop Broglio’s April 21 statement said, “He has also taken advantage of the present Jubilee to call us to a profound hope: one that is not an empty or naïve hope, but one grounded in the promise of Almighty God to be with us always.” Pope Francis greets a young visitor at his general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 .(Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) There is a formal rite at which a pope is declared to have died. The “rite of ascertainment of death” occurred at 8 p.m., Central European Time, on Monday, April 21. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, presided at this rite. The Carmalengo, also known as the Vatican chamberlain, plays a crucial role between the death or resignation of one pope and the elections of the next. The rite of ascertainment took place in the chapel at Casa Santa Marta, where the Holy Father has been living since his 2013 papal election. Vatican officials said the Pope’s body may be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on the morning of Wednesday, April 23. (A date and time for his funeral was not released at press time.) Pope Francis requested that he be buried outside the Vatican, at the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (“Saint Mary Major”). The Holy Father often went to the Marian Basilica to pray before the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary called “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman People”), especially at the beginning and end of his Apostolic journeys. He will be the first pope to be buried outside the Vatican in more than one hundred years. Bishop Peter will celebrate a memorial Mass for Pope Francis at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 807 N. 8th St., in Boise on Wednesday, April 23. All priests of the Diocese of Boise are invited to concelebrate. Following his funeral a conclave will be called to elect his successor. Un mundo de luto El Papa Francisco deja un legado de liderazgo de servicio El Papa Francisco recorre la plaza de San Pedro para bendecir a los asistentes a la audiencia general. Por Emily Woodham Colaboradora BOISE - El Santo Padre, el Papa Francisco, ha fallecido. Tenía 88 años. Las puertas de la Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist en Boise están cubiertas de negro mientras la Iglesia de Idaho llora con todos los fieles del mundo. “Unidos en la oración con los católicos de Idaho, de los Estados Unidos y de todo el mundo, y con todas las personas de buena voluntad, oramos en gratitud por la vida de nuestro venerado pastor”, dijo el Obispo Peter F. Christensen, Obispo de Boise. “Lloramos el fallecimiento de nuestro Santo Padre y pedimos a San José que le acompañe. Qué bendecidos hemos sido por su liderazgo, y qué bendecidos seremos en las décadas venideras cuando ese mismo liderazgo se afiance aún más profundamente en quienes somos seguidores de Jesucristo nuestro Señor”. El Papa Francisco falleció a las 7:35 de la mañana, hora central europea, del lunes de Pascua, 21 de abril. La causa inmediata de la muerte fue un derrame cerebral derivado de las complicaciones causadas por su reciente ataque de neumonía doble, dijo la Oficina de Prensa de la Santa Sede en una declaración pública. El Pontífice fue hospitalizado el 14 de febrero por una bronquitis grave. Permaneció en el hospital durante 38 días mientras su estado empeoraba hasta convertirse en una doble neumonía. Durante su estancia, estuvo a punto de morir en dos ocasiones. Fue dado de alta el 23 de marzo para continuar su recuperación en su residencia, la Casa Santa Marta. A pesar de su frágil estado de salud, hizo varias apariciones públicas, entre ellas las liturgias de Semana Santa y una visita al Vicepresidente de EE.UU., J.D. Vance, el Domingo de Resurrección. El Papa Francisco, bautizado “Jorge Mario” (Bergoglio), nació en Buenos Aires, Argentina, el 17 de diciembre de 1936. Ingresó en la Compañía de Jesús a los 21 años y fue ordenado sacerdote en 1969. Fue el primer Papa de la Compañía de Jesús, el primero procedente del continente americano y el primero en elegir el nombre de San Francisco de Asís, santo del siglo XIII conocido por su devoción a la pobreza, la paz y la creación. Durante sus más de 12 años de pontificado, canonizó a 942 santos (incluidos los 813 mártires de Otranto), creó 149 nuevos cardenales, incluidos los de países que nunca antes habían estado representados en el Colegio Cardenalicio, y realizó 47 viajes apostólicos fuera de Italia. Publicó cuatro encíclicas y siete exhortaciones apostólicas. El Papa Francisco como cardenal, lava los pies de internos en un refugio para personas que se recuperan del consumo de drogas, en 2008. (Credit/ JesuitWest.org ) El Papa Francisco “renovó para nosotros la misión de llevar el Evangelio hasta los confines de la tierra y ofrecer la misericordia divina a todos”, dijo el arzobispo Timothy P. Broglio, presidente de la Conferencia Episcopal de Estados Unidos (USCCB). La declaración del arzobispo Broglio del 21 de abril decía: “También ha aprovechado el presente Jubileo para llamarnos a una profunda esperanza: una esperanza que no es una esperanza vacía o ingenua, sino una esperanza cimentada en la promesa de Dios Todopoderoso de estar siempre con nosotros”. Existe un rito formal en el que se declara la muerte de un Papa. El “rito de constatación de la muerte” tuvo lugar a las 20:00 horas, hora centroeuropea, del lunes 21 de abril. El cardenal Kevin Farrell, Camarlengo de la Santa Iglesia Romana, presidió este rito. El Carmalengo, también conocido como chambelán del Vaticano, desempeña un papel crucial entre la muerte o renuncia de un Papa y las elecciones del siguiente. El rito de constatación tuvo lugar en la capilla de la Casa Santa Marta, donde vive el Santo Padre desde su elección papal en 2013. Funcionarios del Vaticano dijeron que el cuerpo del Papa puede ser trasladado a la Basílica de San Pedro en la mañana del miércoles 23 de abril. (La fecha y la hora de su funeral no se han dado a conocer al cierre de esta edición.) El Papa Francisco solicitó ser enterrado fuera del Vaticano, en la Basílica Papal de Santa María la Mayor. El Santo Padre acudía a menudo a la basílica mariana para rezar ante el icono de la Virgen María llamado “Salus Populi Romani” (“Salud del pueblo romano”), sobre todo al inicio y al final de sus viajes apostólicos. Será el primer Papa enterrado fuera del Vaticano en más de cien años. El Obispo Peter celebrará una Misa en memoria del Papa Francisco a las 12:15 p.m. en la Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, 807 N. 8th St., en Boise, el miércoles 23 de abril. Todos los sacerdotes de la Diócesis de Boise están invitados a concelebrar. Tras su funeral y los novendiales, se convocará un cónclave para elegir a su sucesor.

Katie Pape shares the experience of caring for her daughter St. Mark’s parishioner Katie Pape, standing, continues to care for her challenged daughter, Leah, who was seriously injured in a car crash when she was 16-years-old. (Courtesy Photo/Mary Hersley-Kaineg) On July 11, 1990, Katie and Tom Pape’s youngest daughter, 16 year-old Leah, was involved in a near-fatal car accident. She survived the crash but sustained a traumatic brain injury that left her profoundly disabled. Katie recalls the event as if it happened yesterday. “At 4:30 in the afternoon, we received a phone call from St. Alphonsus Hospital, asking us to identify our daughter,” Katie related. “I remember thinking, ‘They said daughter…they didn’t say body, so she is alive.’” Once the family arrived at the hospital, details began to emerge. Leah had received her driver’s license the day before So, like many teens, she was anxious to take a drive. “That’s when she made a poor choice,” said her mom. “She picked up a friend and, without our knowing it, decided to take a little trip to the mountains. On a hairpin curve, Leah drove directly into an on-coming pickup truck. There was nothing either driver could do,” said Katie. “The only good news was that Katie’s friend was not seriously injured, and the driver of the pickup sustained no injuries,” Katie explained. The driver of the truck later stated that as the vehicles collided, he was looking directly into the eyes of the teenage driver. He reported that he would never forget the look he saw on her face as their cars met head-on. Following the accident, Leah lived in a body cast for six weeks before being medically released from the hospital. In mid-August, she was transferred to the Idaho Elk’s Rehabilitation Hospital, where she received intensive rehab care. After 4 months, Leah was released as an out-patient. Leah left rehab with profound disabilities that rendered her confined to a wheelchair and only marginally verbal. ‘Strength and survivorship’ As others with similar stories can tell you, living and caring for someone with a traumatic brain injury is a 24-hour care project. Maggie Kuhn (1905-1995), the self-proclaimed “wrinkled radical” who became an advocate for the aging and those with disabilities, once said, “Old age is not a disease...it is strength and survivorship.” Strength and survivorship would perfectly describe Katie Pape. “We decided our only choice was to take her home and care for her here. We never planned for a ‘worst case scenario’ to be part of our retirement,” Katie said, “but we never once regretted our decision.” Through the years, Leah has received many hours of therapy. As she began to heal, some of her rehab team noticed that Leah had a creative side. Seizing on this unexpected talent, her team began to encourage Leah to explore crocheting, ceramics and painting in watercolors. “She has created some lovely pictures,” her proud mom beamed. Despite her physical challenges, Leah found employment at Zurchers, a party, costume and wedding store for whom she prepares party ribbons. This makes her feel useful and needed, her mom explained. “They were very kind, early on, to give her a small job,” Katie said. “It keeps her busy and focused, and she has a small savings account, which gives her a feeling of independence.” Despite her challenges, Leah Pape is a talented artist. She is shown above with one of her watercolor prints. (Courtesy Photo/Mary Hersley-Kaineg) Growing up Katie, a longtime member of St. Mark Parish, was born in 1944 in Caldwell, Idaho, where she was the oldest of eight children. At that time, her father, serving in the military, was stationed in the Philippines. “When I was three years old, my father was discharged from the service, and we moved to Boise to be closer to my dad’s place of employment,” she said. “From very early childhood, I was given piano lessons, and because my mother was a well-trained and gifted vocalist, I also became well-versed in Catholic sacred music.” Her mother sang in the choir at St. John’s Cathedral and was one of the main soloists for weddings and funerals. “Very often, the Cathedral choir rehearsed in our home. Our living room became a mini choir and music studio. I grew up hearing all the music from the Christmas and Easter liturgies. I was immersed in sacred susic and Catholic liturgy,” Katie said. “I have loved it all of my life.” As one might expect, she later followed her mother’s professional path and spent many years of her life playing for weddings and funerals in churches throughout the Boise area. Along with the skills Katie learned from her mother, she was privileged to attend Boise’s St. Theresa Academy (which evolved into Bishop Kelly) from first grade through high school graduation. Once out of high school, Katie began college at Boise Jr. College. A year later, in 1962, Katie married Tom Pape at Sacred Heart Church, Boise. As their family grew, Katie began to teach piano lessons and, like her mother, created a studio in her own living room. Along with teaching, Katie discovered a talent for writing. Before long, she had articles published in the Idaho Catholic Register and even put together a handbook for ICR  correspondents. The 1968 “Handbook for Idaho Register Correspondents” was a guide to the selection and preparation of news stories, outlining the policies and practices of the Diocese. She also wrote for the Idaho Statesman , covering stories for the Women’s Section of the Society Page. After the Pape family welcomed their fourth child, they were able to realize a long-time dream and settled on a 12-acre patch of land just outside Boise in Kuna, Idaho. The dream became complete when they were able to add some horses to the farming venture. In time, Katie became involved with the music program at St.Mark’s school, which included teaching classroom music and helping with band practice. In 1980, Katie accepted the position of parish Director of Music at St. Mark’s Church. The Pape children were growing up, and it seemed a good time to take on such a time-consuming job. Once again, Katie became immersed in sacred music, only now she was no longer a spectator, but instead the director of the liturgical music at her parish church. On February 15, 2008, only a few weeks after his diagnosis, Tom died of cancer. Steadfast in the decision she and Tom made thirty-five years ago, Katie lovingly cares for Leah. She also continues “teaching little fingers to play” and currently has 10 students who come to her home studio. When COVID-19 arrived in Idaho, Katie retired from her many years with the St. Mark’s Church music program. To this day, she continues to take Leah to Mass every weekend. “I know she doesn’t have to go,” said Katie, “but she loves to attend Mass, and she has a small ‘fan club’ that asks about her if she misses a Sunday.” Facing the Future Now, at the age of 81, Katie Pape faces questions about the future: Leah’s and her own. “I may have to get some ‘in-home’ care assistance eventually,” she said. At this time, placing Leah in a care facility is something she is not ready to face. With tears in her eyes, Katie said, “I just can’t bear the thought of some stranger taking care of her personal needs.” Leah added, “I just love living with my Mommie.” For as long as she is able, this 80-plus senior plans to continue her unexpected retirement plan, one that certainly echoes the words of Maggie Kuhn—an aging life of “strength and survivorship.”

It is with joy and a heavy heart that I let you know I have accepted a teaching position at Mt. Angel Seminary in Oregon, where I will teach homiletics and pastoral studies to young men in formation for the priesthood.  I always hoped that one day I would teach at a Catholic university, and now that time has come, but I will greatly miss my Idaho community of faith.  It has been a tremendous privilege and honor to work alongside Bishop Peter. I am grateful beyond measure for his trust and friendship. Likewise, the team at the Chancery has been a family to me. I will also miss the friendship and comradery of the team at the  Idaho Catholic Register,  who, with God’s help, put together a newspaper every two weeks, come rain or shine. I have enormous respect for their professionalism and skill. The next editor will discover a hard-working, well-oiled (anointed) staff already in place. And I would be remiss if I did not thank all of you, dear readers, not only for your contributions to the Register, but also for all you do for the Kingdom of God. You are the Church in Idaho. I extend to you my heartfelt gratitude, and I will keep you in my prayers.

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”).

Lucas 24,1-12 La Resurrección del Señor Con la oscuridad de la noche como telón de fondo, la liturgia pascual nos invita a comparar la noche de la creación con aquel “Hágase la luz” que nos abrió los ojos al poder creador de Dios. Y al rememorar la noche del éxodo del pueblo elegido, guiado por Yahvé, el Dios vivo, siempre presente, nos conduce a la noche de todas las noches: ¡la noche en la que se unen el cielo y la tierra, lo humano y lo divino! Cristo ha vencido a la muerte. La luz de Cristo disipa las tinieblas del pecado y de la muerte. En plena euforia pascual, la noche del Sábado Santo se canta el Exsultet (Pregón Pascual), que recuerda la historia de nuestra salvación. Desde el Jardín del Edén hasta el Huerto de Getsemaní, se nos recuerda que la luz de Cristo disipa las tinieblas del pecado y de la muerte. El Pregón Pascual proclama: “¡Oh pecado verdaderamente necesario de Adán, destruido completamente por la Muerte de Cristo! ¡Oh feliz culpa que mereció tan grande, tan glorioso Redentor!”. A partir del triunfo de Cristo sobre la muerte, se nos desafía a decir con el apóstol Pablo: “¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu victoria? ¿Dónde está, oh muerte, tu aguijón?” (1 Co 15, 55). Durante la Profesión de fe en la Vigilia Pascual, confesamos nuestra fe en el Dios de Jesucristo haciendo uso de las promesas bautismales, renunciando al pecado y a todas sus tentaciones, al tiempo que afirmamos nuestra creencia en la Santísima Trinidad y en la Iglesia. La Resurrección no es sólo una realidad histórica. Es la convicción de nuestra fe de que Cristo está vivo. Es la razón de nuestra esperanza. Para nosotros, la fe ya no consiste en sentir, ver y buscar a Jesús como las mujeres y los Apóstoles en la mañana de la Resurrección. No necesitamos dar un salto atrás en el tiempo para conocer a Jesús. Por el contrario, aprendemos a reconocerlo en los signos vivos de nuestra vida y en las realidades que nos rodean. Es encontrarlo en la Iglesia, que anuncia su enseñanza y comunica al mundo la vida de la Resurrección. Es encontrarlo en la Eucaristía, que introduce en la historia su sacrificio liberador y creador de fraternidad. Es encontrarlo en los Evangelios que, transmitidos por la Iglesia, nos ponen en contacto con su vida y su mensaje. Es verle en nuestros hermanos y hermanas, en los pobres y necesitados: “Os aseguro que cuanto hicisteis a uno de estos hermanos míos más pequeños, a mí me lo hicisteis” (Mt 25,40).   Jesús vive y nos acompaña hasta el final de los tiempos, ayudándonos a mantener la fe pascual que profesamos. Y, como las santas mujeres en la mañana de la Resurrección, debemos proclamar a los demás este alegre mensaje de esperanza y de fe. Sin embargo, la fe en Jesús resucitado no surgió inmediata y espontáneamente en el corazón de los discípulos. Los evangelistas hablan de su confusión, de su búsqueda del sepulcro, de sus preguntas y de sus incertidumbres. María Magdalena es el mejor ejemplo de lo que les ocurrió a todos. Según el Evangelio de Juan, María buscó al Crucificado “cuando aún estaba oscuro” (Jn 20,1). Ella aún no sabía que Jesús había resucitado. Podemos decir con gran fe lo que Jesús nos dijo: Dios es un Padre fiel, digno de toda confianza, un Dios que nos ama más allá de la muerte. Ahora empezamos a comprender las palabras de Jesús: “Quien ama su vida, la perderá; y quien odia su vida en este mundo, la conservará para la vida eterna” (Jn12,25). El encuentro con Jesús, lleno de vida después de su Resurrección, transformó por completo a los discípulos. Ya no había ninguna duda. Lo que Jesús había dicho de Dios es verdad: “No es un Dios de muertos, sino de vivos” (Mt 22,32). Christ lives! He is risen! Luke 24:1-12 Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord With the darkness of night in the background, the Easter liturgy invites us to compare the night of creation with the moment in which God says “Let there be light,” which opens our eyes to God’s creative power. And as we look back to the night of the exodus of the chosen people, led by Yahweh, the living God, ever-present, leads us to the night of all nights: the night in which heaven and earth, the human and the divine, are united! Christ has conquered death. The light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin and death. In the midst of our Easter euphoria, the Exsultet is sung on Holy Saturday night, recalling the history of our salvation. From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane, we are reminded that the light of Christ dispels the darkness of sin and death. The Exsultet proclaims, “O truly necessary sin of Adam, destroyed completely by the Death of Christ! O happy fault that earned so great, so glorious a Redeemer!” Flowing from Christ’s triumph over death, we are challenged to say with the Apostle Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory. Where O death is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55). During the Profession of Faith at the Easter Vigil, we confess our faith in the God of Jesus Christ using the baptismal promises, renouncing sin and all its temptations, while affirming our belief in the Holy Trinity and the Church. The Resurrection is not just a historical reality. It is the conviction of our faith that Christ is alive. This is the reason for our hope. For us, faith no longer consists of feeling, seeing and seeking Jesus like the women and the Apostles on the morning of the Resurrection. We do not need to leap backward in time to know Jesus. Instead, we learn to recognize Him in the vivid signs of our lives and the realities surrounding us. It is to encounter Him in the Church, which announces His teaching and communicates to the world the life of the Resurrection. It is to find Him in the Eucharist, which introduces into history His sacrifice that liberates and creates fraternity. It is to find Him in the Gospels, which, transmitted to us by the Church, bring us into contact with His life and message. It is to see Him in our brothers and sisters, in the poor and the needy: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40). Jesus lives and accompanies us until the end of time, helping us to keep the Pascal faith we profess. And like the holy women on the morning of the Resurrection, we must proclaim this joyful message of hope and faith to others. However, faith in the risen Jesus did not immediately and spontaneously arise in the disciples’ hearts. The Evangelists speak of their confusion, their search for the tomb, their questions and their uncertainties. Mary Magdalene is the best example of what happened to them all. According to the Gospel of John, Mary searched for the Crucified One “while it was still dark” (Jn 20:1). She did not yet know that Jesus had risen. We can say with great faith what Jesus told us: God is a faithful Father, worthy of all trust—a God who loves us beyond death. Now we begin to understand Jesus’ words, “Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” (Jn12:25). The encounter with Jesus, full of life after His Resurrection, completely transformed the disciples. There was no longer any doubt. What Jesus had said about God is true: “He is not a God of the dead, but of the living” (Mt 22:32).

El Padre Camilo García, Párroco de la Parroquia de Saint Nicholas en Rupert, presidió una celebración de los trabajadores de la salud, recordando a los enfermos el 5 abril, día asignado por el Vaticano para este evento especial del Jubileo. Durante el Año Jubilar de la Esperanza, el Papa Francisco ha convocado diversas celebraciones de los ministros de la Iglesia y de sus ministerios. En la Bula Papal de Indiction “Spes non confundit”, que declaró la apertura del Año Jubilar y proporcionó sus temas, el Papa Francisco escribió: “Queridos médicos, enfermeras y trabajadores de la salud, en el cuidado de sus pacientes, especialmente los más vulnerables entre ellos, el Señor les ofrece constantemente una oportunidad para renovar sus vidas a través de la gratitud, la misericordia y la esperanza…Permitan que la presencia de los enfermos entre en nuestras vidas como un don, para sanar nuestros corazones, purificarlos de todo lo que no es caridad y calentarlos con el fuego ardiente y suave de la compasión”. A la celebración de Rupert asistieron fieles de San Nicolás que trabajan en diversos centros sanitarios locales, y el ministerio de salud de la parroquia, que cuenta con nueve voluntarias.   Jubilee of Healthcare Workers   Father Camilo García, Pastor of St. Nicholas Parish in Rupert, presided at a celebration of healthcare workers and a remembrance of the sick on April 5, the day designated by the Vatican for this special Jubilee event. During the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Francis has called for various celebrations of Church ministers and their ministries. In the Papal Bull of Indiction “Spes non confundit,” which declared the opening of the Jubilee Year and provided its themes, Pope Francis wrote, “Dear doctors, nurses and health care workers, in caring for your patients, especially the most vulnerable among them, the Lord constantly affords you an opportunity to renew your lives through gratitude, mercy, and hope…Allow the presence of the sick to enter your lives as a gift, to heal your hearts, to purify them of all that is not charity, and to warm them with the ardent and gentle fire of compassion.” The celebration in Rupert was attended by St. Nicholas faithful who work in various local healthcare facilities and the parish health ministry, comprised of nine volunteers.

A new Subaru Impreza is presented to Laura Shelamer, 2023 raffle winner, by Southeast Idaho SVdP Director Ralph May and a Treasure Valley Subaru sales associate. (Courtesy photo/Ralph May) By Beth Bishop Development Director Southwest Idaho SVdP for the ICR “I bought the ticket as a donation—I never expected to win.” That’s how Laura Shelamer, a Holy Apostles parishioner and our 2023 Subaru Raffle winner, remembers it. “My longtime best friend, Linda Graefe, Sacred Heart parishioner, was at St. Vincent de Paul’s Summerfest when they called my name. She called me right away, but I didn’t believe her! Winning the Subaru was just a blessing—I was overwhelmed.” Laura initially considered giving up the car, saying she already felt so fortunate. But with retirement on the horizon, she listened to friends and family who reminded her how smart it would be to have a reliable, paid-off vehicle. “I’ve already been on lots of adventures—and I have many more ahead of me with my Subaru.” This year, you have the same chance to win—and a powerful opportunity to bring hope to neighbors in crisis. When you buy a $100 ticket in our 2025 Subaru Car Raffle, you're not just dreaming of driving off in a brand-new car. You're helping a parent keep the lights on, a neighbor find a job, and a family sit down to a full holiday meal. Only 5,000 tickets will be sold. The drawing will be June 27 from 4:00–6:00 p.m. at Treasure Valley Subaru. “We get to be in a pretty special spot all year long,” exclaimed St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Executive Director Ralph May. “We see the excitement and hope from people buying raffle tickets, dreaming about winning a new car. And then we get to turn around and bring that same hope to our neighbors who are struggling. It’s a beautiful cycle of hope, and we are grateful to be a part of it.” Your Ticket = Real Impact Because of raffle supporters like you: 119,233 people received food through our five pantries 8,016 neighbors were supported through in-person rent and utility assistance 1,260 individuals received reentry support—reducing their risk of recidivism by 21% From Christmas gifts to meals to second chances, your ticket is more than a chance to win. It's a lifeline. Tickets are available now. Scan the QR code or visit svdpid.org/raffle . Every ticket brings hope. Every ticket makes a difference.