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On the Passing of Pope Francis
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English | Espanol
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013, and passed away on April 21, 2025. The Catholic Church has now entered a time of Interregnum, a period between the "reign" of popes, and includes Nine Days of Mourning (Novendiales), the Preparation for the Conclave, and the Conclave.
Pope Francis' funeral was held on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. (3 a.m. CT) in St. Peter’s Square. Visit Vatican News for up-to-date news and information.
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News
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April 24“As we awoke on Monday morning to the news that Pope Francis had gone from this life into God, we were filled with sadness at his passing, but also deep gratitude for his 12 years as the Successor to St. Peter. He taught us so much by what he said and wrote—but even more, he taught us by what he did.“Read More
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April 21
I ask the people of the Diocese of Austin to join in prayer with the Universal Church and all people of goodwill to express our gratitude to God for the life of Pope Francis.Read More
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Frequently Asked Questions
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The Cardinal Chamberlain was notified of the passing of the Holy Father. In the presence of other Vatican officials, he officially determined that the Pope had passed, drawing up the death certificate. The pope’s bedroom was sealed thereafter, notifying the Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica and the Cardinal Vicar of the Diocese of Rome, who announced the news to the People of Rome. The Novendiales – nine days of mourning – began.
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The Novendiales – nine days of mourning – is a novena of prayers for the Holy Father and a wonderful opportunity for personal prayer, prayer within the family, prayer with small groups, and prayer at parishes. The diocese equiped parishes with the novena so that each community might engage in the prayer in a way that best fits that community.
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The appointment of bishops lies in the hands of the Holy Father, the Pope. Unless Pope Francis has recently signed the decree naming a new bishop for Austin, and it is yet to be communicated to us, it will be the decision of the next Pope. This could take a bit longer as the election of the Pope will occur after his funeral and the days of mourning. We remain ever hopeful that the Holy Spirit will infuse the College of Cardinals to name a shepherd after the heart of the Good Shepherd, Jesus.
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Yes, the diocese will now wait in prayer for the new Pope to be elected by the College of Cardinals who will then re-engage the process of naming a new bishop for Austin.
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Pope FrancisParish resources for
- From the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (including quotes and links to documents)
- Graphic of Pope Francis' Life in English
- Graphic of Pope Francis' Life in Spanish
- Images and text from the Diocese of Austin
- Liturgical Guide for the Death of Pope Francis
- Photo of Father Misko and Bishop Vásquez with Francis
- Portrait of Pope Francis
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