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April 29, 2025Bp Paolo Martinelli OFM Cap., Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, celebrated a Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis in the presence of UAE priests, sisters, the Apostolic Nuncio to the UAE, Arch. Christophe El-Kassis, and representatives of other religions and Christian denominations (Coptic Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Bahai community and BAPS Hindu temple), at St Joseph's Cathedral parish in Abu Dhabi, on 28 April 2025.*****Homily of Bp Paolo Martinelli
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Your Excellency, Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis, Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates,
Dear priests, pastors and members of the various churches, engaged in ecumenical dialogue, dear priests, dear consecrated sisters, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, may the Lord give you peace and Easter joy.
We have heard these words of Jesus from the Gospel of John: “unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit”. These words fit well to introduce us to this evening's liturgy, exactly one week after the conclusion of the earthly mission of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. This expression of the Gospel of John can be referred not only to the death of Pope Francis but to his entire life. In fact, he gave his entire life for his mission, until his last breath.
In the letter to the Romans, we find the foundation of his life, which is the love of Christ, the conviction that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Pope Francis has beautifully shown this in his last encyclical letter, dilexit nos, on the devotion to the Sacred Heart. The love of Christ for us, and our love for Christ open us to steadfast love for everyone, even enemies.
We are left with an enormous legacy that will bear fruit over time. It is a legacy made up not only of magisterial documents. His pontificate was first and foremost characterized by a strong style, made up of gestures, meetings, surprising initiatives and strong and clear words.
We immediately think of the theme of mercy that certainly characterized all his teaching. He not only wrote moving words on mercy, but he wanted to celebrate a special holy year to educate the people about this immense value. He himself performed gestures of mercy towards prisoners by often visiting them in jail, celebrating Holy Thursday with them and washing their feet. How many suffering people he surprised with an unexpected phone call of closeness and consolation, with an initiative of concrete help, especially towards the poor. It still moves us today to think of his closeness, to those who find themselves in problematic personal situations, remembering that God is always ready to forgive and to give us the possibility of a new beginning. God's mercy, in fact, manifests itself in God's ability to bend evil to new paths of good.
It is impossible for us who live in this part of the world not to underline his constant closeness to migrants and refugees, to those who for the most diverse reasons leave their countries of origin facing difficulties for a better future and to give a safer future to their children. His commitment to proclaiming a merciful God and his closeness to the world of migrants led him to work tirelessly for brotherhood among people.
Migrants have a great need for brotherhood, to feel solidarity with one another, to experience a welcome that helps them face unavoidable hardships. Fundamental in this regard is his encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, Brothers all, on social friendship and the promotion of universal brotherhood, to overcome barriers and discrimination, to work for peace and overcome wars with dialogue and mutual understanding. In this way, Pope Francis advocated for the prevention of the habit of evil and has awakened consciences to reject violence, especially when it is done in the name of God, who in fact is always a God of peace and mercy.
In this broad spiritual horizon, Pope Francis took his historic visit to Abu Dhabi in February 2019 to sign the prophetic document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, along with the Grand Imam of Al Azhar. This is a new chapter in the history of the relationship between religions, in which, as the declaration states, it is intended to adopt “the culture of dialogue as the path; common collaboration as conduct; mutual knowledge as method and criterion”. In this way, people of different faiths are called to walk together with their own spiritual heritage, working to build a more fraternal and more human society. Dialogue between different religions calls all humanity to the centrality of God. Because when we forget God, the world becomes dehumanized.
On the same occasion, during his visit to Abu Dhabi, Pope Francis also met the local Church, visiting our cathedral where we are this evening and celebrating Mass at Zayed Stadium. The words in the Homily are unforgettable: “You who are here know the Gospel’s tune and you follow its rhythm with enthusiasm. You are a choir composed of numerous nations, languages and rites; a diversity that the Holy Spirit loves and wants to harmonize ever more, in order to make a symphony. This joyful polyphony of faith is a witness that you give everyone and that builds up the Church”.
Dear Faithful, these words constitute a particular legacy of Pope Francis for us: to be the polyphony of faith, to live Christian brotherhood, to welcome one another, with the different gifts, different cultures, charisms and ministries and to be a laboratory of brotherhood and sisterhood at the service of the Church and the world.
I conclude by recalling what he said when I met Pope Francis during the Synod of Bishops in October 2023, I asked him for a video message for our faithful in the Gulf: I would like to repeat those same words from him today: “to you brothers and sisters of the Gulf, greetings! You come from many parts of the world, go forward with courage, keep the faith, guard the faith and love your family: May the Lord bless you”. I invite you to treasure his words for us.
May Mary, Mother of God, whom Pope Francis loved in a very special way, accompany him now towards the definitive encounter with Jesus whom he announced to the world; and help us to bring the joy of the Gospel to everyone.