As Catholic funeral and cemetery professionals serving diocesan communities across the western United States and Canada, we join the global Church in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, 2025, on Easter Monday. His legacy as a humble servant, spiritual leader, and advocate for mercy and justice has touched the lives of millions—and deeply inspired those of us called to accompany families through death and mourning.
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of simplicity, dignity, and compassion in both life and death. These values were reflected in his pastoral work, his public homilies, and most notably, his instructions for his own funeral rites. In 2024, Pope Francis approved a revised Order of the Christian Funeral for popes, choosing to focus on modesty, humility, and service, rather than traditional ceremony and grandeur. He requested to be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome—an expression of his Marian devotion and desire to be remembered as a servant of God rather than a worldly figure.
For those of us working in Catholic cemeteries and funeral homes, his perspective is a powerful affirmation of our ministry. Pope Francis reminded us that every life deserves to be honored with respect, every death should be accompanied by compassion, and every family deserves to be comforted by faith and hope. His life and his death call us to serve not just with professionalism, but with deep spiritual care.
As we observe the novemdiales, the traditional nine days of mourning following a pope’s death, we invite you to join us in prayer for the repose of Pope Francis’s soul. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has provided a novena and liturgical resources, which you can find here.
May our continued service in Catholic funeral ministry reflect the spirit of Pope Francis—marked by compassion, integrity, and a humble heart.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.
— The Board of Directors, CCFWest.org