When a Pope Dies: The Process, Traditions, and the Next Steps for the Future of the Church. When the death of the vicar of Christ, the pope, happens it marks a solemn yet highly organized and ritualistic transition in the Roman Catholic Church. While each pontiff can put their own imprint or modifications on the funeral itself, certain centuries-old traditions largely dictate the entire process until the Conclave and the selection of a new pope

As we enter into the Sacred Triduum this Holy Thursday and through Easter Vigil and then Sunday Masses, we celebrate the Victory of Christ over sin and death; we celebrate the gift of Eternal Life in God, given to us in Agape or Divine Love, which He then calls us to share in our human lives in the here-and-now. Our sharing of His Agape manifests in the choices we make: selfishness or generosity; choosing Christ or choosing the self; attending to Faith in God or establishing other “gods” in our lives and the practice of those “rituals” as a priority of life. As the old saying goes—and because of His Love for us, which is Free Will—the choice is indeed ours.

Holy Week, The Sacred Triduum As we enter into Holy Week this Palm Sunday, we are called to celebrate fully the suffering, Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ—full participation in the liturgies of the Church means more than just attending the Masses and other liturgies, it means to enter into them with mind, body and soul.

Archbishop’s Annual Appeal (AAA) is off to a good start as Catholics from across the archdiocese help in caring for and feeding the poor, healing the sick, educating the ignorant and caring for our retired priests as well as training new seminarians for the future of the Church of Hartford.

THIS Monday night, at 7 p.m., we will host a penance service at St. Catherine of Siena Parish for your Easter duty. Three priests, Fr. John Melnick, rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Monsignor Thomas Barry, pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Church in Farmington, and I will hear confessions.