Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge holds mass in honour of Pope Francis

A mass has been held in Brisbane’s St Stephen’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning in honour of Pope Francis, who died at the Vatican on Monday.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge presides over a mass to reflect on the life of Pope Francis. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

A mass has been held in Brisbane’s St Stephen’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning in honour of Pope Francis, who died at the Vatican on Monday.

About 40 people attended the mass, led by Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge, who gave thanks for Pope Francis’s life and later reflected on his different approach as the leader of the Catholic Church.

“We stand in the light of Easter, the life of his people and death, as we give thanks for the extraordinary life and ministry of protective God of yours who became Pope Francis,” he said

Archbishop Mark Coleridge at St Stephen’s Cathedral in Brisbane’s CBD. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“We pray that beyond the darkness of death, He may know the fullness of Christ’s peace and the fullness of life.”

In keeping with the Church’s tradition of a nine-day mourning period following the death of a Pope, the Cathedral of St Stephen in Brisbane will be open for prayer and reflection.

Queenslanders have been invited to join in remembering and honouring the unique contribution of Pope Francis.

“Pope Francis died on Easter Monday … John Paul II also died on the second Sunday of Easter. So it seems the popes have pension of dying. in Easter,” Archbishop Coleridge said.

Georgia Meares attended the 8am mass and said she had attended to pray for the Pope.

Georgia Meares said she had attended the Mass to pray for the pope. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“Pray for the pope as he’s just died, and pray for the church and the future of the church, as they decide who the next pope is going to be,” she said.

“There’s hope in this Easter season, but also just thanksgiving for his life, and yeah just I suppose yes for the living in that, in both like hope, but also sorrow.”

Speaking to media outside the church following the mass, Archbishop Coleridge said he was deeply saddened by Pope Francis’s death, saying he referred to him as “dear brother” in their correspondence.

“Over the years … I took to addressing him, not only his Holy Father, but also his dear brother, because that’s the sense I had of him, of the relationship,” he said.

“So, so he changed, well, he essentially broke the mould … but only in order to recast it in new and liberating ways.”

He said the Pope’s legacy would not stop.

Worshippers attend a morning mass for Pope Francis at St Stephen’s in Brisbane’s CBD. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“I think so that he has set in train, I think, certain processes within the papal ministry and within the Church that can’t be stopped, I think, now, and that’s a very good thing,” he said.

Archbishop Coleridge said Pope Francis was a man of “surprise” and his death was no different.

“He was a pope of surprise, as it’s been said 1000 times, but the way he died, it was a surprise,” he said.

“Inevitably, there’s a sense of regret and sorrow, because I felt quite a strong personal bond with him.”

While Archbishop Coleridge said the identity of a replacement was “unpredictable.”

“I certainly didn’t see his election coming. I was doing media commentary at the time, and I went through the list of cardinals and crossed out those that I thought had no chance at all,” he said

“I think this conclave that’s coming up is as unpredictable as any I’ve ever known in the past.”

Premier David Crisfulli on Tuesday said Australian flags would be flown at half-mast at Queensland government buildings on Tuesday to “share our sorrow” at the Pope’s death.

“We were obviously quite, quite shocked and saddened about the passing of Pope Francis,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“He really was the people’s Pope and someone who gave a voice to the voiceless and we should acknowledge that today.

“The fact that right up until his death, he continued to serve his constituency shows the kind of person that he is.”

Mr Crisafulli said he would meet with Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge to offer condolences on behalf of Queensland, and to recognise Queensland’s large Catholic community.

Originally published as Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge holds mass in honour of Pope Francis