Dear Holy Trinity Family,

After the most important liturgical celebration of Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday, our hearts are filled with

the Easter joy because our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered the power of death and sin by His Resurrection.

Moreover, we have our hope for the everlasting life in Heaven.

As we are anticipating celebrating the life of God that Jesus offered on the Cross for eight days of Easter

celebration, that is the Octave of Easter, we got a shocking news of the passing of our Holy Father Pope

Francis on Monday, the day after Easter Sunday. After five weeks of hospital stay, he was able to celebrate

the Holy Week and Easter Sunday. In his recovery, we saw the glance of hope and new life that God has

given him. For this reason, we did not expect his death at all. That’s why the news of his sudden death

came to us as a shock and made us sadden by it. Until his last breath, he worked very hard for the Church

despite of his bodily weakness. Moreover, dying on Monday within the Octave of Easter, he showed us the

true meaning of new life in the Risen Christ. How fitting it would be that his death came in the time of new

life that reflects what he has been teaching us throughout his 12 years of pontificate.

His unexpected death already taught us that we need to prepare our own death every day since we do not

know when it will happen to us. Pope Francis was our Pope who brought us up to God; moreover, he was

the Pope who brought God down to us with his simplicity and humbleness. He was a person of mercy. He

always showed his love and concern for the poor and the vulnerable.

Let us pray for our late Pope Francis that he may enjoy a new life in heaven with Jesus whom he loved so

much through his dedication and service to the Church.

“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him!”

May the Risen Christ protect us and bless us and the soul of Francis our Pope!

Prayerfully,

Fr. Brian