To the People of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and our Catholic siblings across Texas
Dear Friends in Christ,
On this, the second day of the First Week of Easter, as the Church proclaims with joy that life has triumphed over death, we have received the sorrowful news that Pope Francis has died.
With the Church throughout the world, we give thanks for the life and witness of this remarkable servant of God. Pope Francis stood as a tireless advocate for the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized. He invited all Christians to examine where our lives, our institutions, and our churches fall short of the Gospel’s call to honour the dignity of every human being. With courage and clarity, he embodied the deep moral imagination of Jesus Christ—calling us not only to belief, but to action rooted in love.
The Episcopal Church in Europe, under the leadership of Bishop Mark Edington, has reflected on the gracious hospitality and friendship Pope Francis extended to our Communion, especially through the Anglican Centre in Rome and the many times he welcomed Episcopal bishops and clergy. His encouragement of dialogue, his gestures of humility, and his heart for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA persons inspired many within our own Church to persevere in hope and compassion.
As we continue our celebration of the Resurrection—the promise that God brings life out of death—we commend Pope Francis to the mercy of God, confident that the Risen Christ receives his servant with open arms. A Requiem service of Evening Prayer for Pope Francis will be held tonight at 6:00 p.m. in Rome, at St. Paul’s Within the Walls. I encourage all congregations in the Diocese of Texas to give thanks for Pope Francis’s life and ministry this coming Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter.
Let us also pray for our Roman Catholic siblings across the globe, who now mourn the passing of their pastor and friend. We grieve with them—and we hope with them.
May Pope Francis’s soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace, and may light perpetual shine upon them.
In the power of Christ’s resurrection,
+Andy
Bishop of Texas
