Father Michael Darcy and a group of travelers had every intention of departing the Diocese of Wilmington April 21 and heading to Rome for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Like everyone else in the United States, they awakened that morning to news of the death of Pope Francis. Their plans changed but were not scuttled.
Father Darcy, pastor of St. Matthew and Corpus Christi churches in Wilmington, was joined by local residents Graeme and Michelle Nardozzi, Jeffrey Sliney and Ryan Hamilton. They learned early April 21 the canonization was postponed. They also found out their trip would coincide with the papal funeral April 26. Since the airfare and hotel were already paid for, they kept their schedule.
“It’s the first time I’m here in Rome for anything like this,” Father Darcy said in a telephone interview with The Dialog.
Father Darcy said the small group was eager for the canonization – Carlo Acutis is Graeme’s confirmation name — but they feel blessed to be there for the Pope Francis funeral. They leave to return home May 1.
While the group won’t be there for the conclave, Father Darcy says he has gained clearance to serve as a concelebrant at Saturday’s funeral Mass. He will also concelebrate Mass the next day at St. Peter’s Square for Divine Mercy Sunday and the 2025 Holy Year’s Jubilee of Teenagers April 25-27.
With the death of Pope Francis, the April 27 canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis was postponed and the Mass scheduled for that day will be a memorial Mass, the Vatican said.
The Mass concluding the Jubilee of Adolescents, scheduled for April 25-27 in Rome, would still be held, Matteo Bruni, head of the press office told reporters April 21, clarifying that what had been canceled was a Mass for a canonization.
While the Holy Year and its associated events and Masses would continue, the Mass April 27 would now be the second of nine formal Masses — called the “novendiali” for “nine days” — that are celebrated for a deceased pontiff and that start with the pope’s funeral April 26, Bruni said April 22.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former secretary of state, is scheduled to celebrate the Mass in St. Peter’s Square, Bruni said. While it will be a period of mourning, all the young people who are in Rome to celebrate their Jubilee are invited to attend, he added.
The final resting place for Pope Francis is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), one of the main four churches of Christendom in Rome.
In his final testament, Pope Francis asked to be buried “in the earth, simple, without particular decoration” and with the inscription only of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.
