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The Vice President of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) and Archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo, has lamented that the Church is «orphaned» after the death of Pope Francis and highlighted that he has «led it towards the future» through «fraternity and synodality,» working «until the last breath» so that it welcomed «everyone, everyone, everyone.»
«Francis has been a disciple of Easter and has helped us focus on what’s important, not just doing things but looking with tenderness and love at life, always looking forward and reaching out to everyone. That’s how he led the Church into the future,» emphasized Cobo on Monday in the homily delivered during the mass at the Almudena Cathedral, to remember and pray for Pope Francis.
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During the mass, as mentioned by Cardinal Cobo, the Government Delegate in Madrid, the Deputy Mayor, councilors, the Presidency Councilor, and the auxiliary bishop of Havana were present.
During his homily, the Archbishop of Madrid explained that at this time, a funeral cannot be held, and they are «saddened,» with «pain,» but at the same time «happy» and «hopeful.»
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«The Pope of mercy and hope has gone to the Father’s house at a time when the Church’s Easter liturgy does not allow us to hold a funeral, but he is the Pope of provocative signs until the end.»
«Therefore, our Eucharist is even more a thanksgiving because in the resurrection of Jesus Christ we discover that we have all been resurrected, and we know, and that’s what we want to say today by extending a hand to Pope Francis, that death does not have the final word,» he emphasized.
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Regarding his pontificate, Cobo highlighted that «Francis did not focus so much on the institution of the Church» but rather «took into account that people could be in the Church» and recalled the Pope’s phrase – «everyone, everyone, everyone» – referring to the acceptance of all individuals.
He also emphasized that he «carried on his shoulders the mission of leading the Church to see what God wanted from it through fraternity and synodality,» so that the Church «could be the mother who welcomes everyone and is called to serve and love.»
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He also valued that he wanted to «renew» the Church, starting from the Second Vatican Council, and he «returned to the sources» through his exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, with which, in his opinion, he laid «the foundations of what he has tried to achieve.»
Regarding his encounters with the Pontiff, Cobo recalled that they were «very familiar and profound.» «He has been a teacher, the older brother who in each meeting always showed his connection to the fisherman of Galilee,» he emphasized.
José Cobo, Archbishop of Madrid: «Pope Francis has been tireless and hopeful»
Likewise, he highlighted that Francis has taught Catholics to «look forward without fear.» «His service to the Church has been until the last breath and has been marked by the apostolic zeal of a deep believer who has always helped us not to focus on ourselves but to look at the mission the Church has in this time,» he added.
At the same time, he emphasized that he led the Church «knowing that it is a servant, not just an institution,» that «walks among the peoples.» «May he rest in peace, and may his papacy be sown with hope,» he concluded.
