Saint Matthew Parish in Conshohocken opened its doors to its parishioners on Monday, April 21st, following Pope Francis’s death. Throughout the day, mourners were invited to pray and reflect on the pontiff’s passing. The community than said a Rosary together at 7:00 p.m.

Father Joseph Devlin, the pastor of the parish, offered the following statement:

The death of Pope Francis is a great loss; he was a man of deep faith and a zealous pastor on fire with love for the Lord. Since his election, Pope Francis has been a strong voice calling for compassion for the poor, the immigrant, the refugee and those who are marginalized both in the Church and society. His teaching and example of humility challenged the faithful to live our faith with greater love for others and to care for one another, particularly those who need help. He often repeated “everyone, everyone, everyone” is welcome in the Church since we are all children of a loving God. In his own words, “May the Church be a place of God’s mercy and hope, where all feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live according to the good life of the Gospel.” Pope Francis was a great gift to the Church, and he will be sorely missed.

Photos: Saint Matthew Parish